SOLES OF THE CITY, A DOCUMENTARY

In the 1990s, sneakerheads flocked to brands like Jordans, adidas, Nike, FILA, and Reebok, but one company captured the hearts of both Wu-Tang Clan and Hip Hop enthusiasts: Clarks.

The Wallabee and its impact on New York City Hip Hop are honored in a new documentary by Set Free Richardson, which features the voices and experiences of individuals who cherished the sneaker, including “Wallabee Kingpin” Ghostface Killah, Styles P, Dave East, and others.

In the documentary detailing the shoe’s beginnings, Raekwon claims, “The first individuals I remember seeing wearing Wallies were the Jamaicans and old skool cats from my hood.” The shoe later became a mainstay in the early ’90s NYC Hip Hop scene with Run-DMC, Slick Rick, Nas, and others.

However, no group did a better job of appropriating the Wallabee than the Wu-Tang Clan, in especially Ghostface and Raekwon. The Staten Island rappers go into detail about their relationship with the footwear, including how Ghostface made the Clarks an iconic part of his 1996 debut album Ironman and the “Apollo Kids” music video.

Ghostface claims that the Apollo Kids video is one of his worst creations. Salutations to Chris Robinson, my man. He saw it in his head. It was magical, that’s all I can say. I recall that we brought a sketch that looked like it was made up of random bits. Even now, I believe that video will surpass many others!
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Styles can speak firsthand about the influence Ghost and Rae had on the shoe and how it travelled around the world as a hungry MC on the rise in New York.

Styles lauds “the great thing Ghost and the Wu did for the Wallos.” “Because I personally own Ghostface Killah Wallabees, who were saved by me as their owner because he sent them to me because he knows I adore Wallos! They were preserved through the ages!

Watch the Wallabee being highlighted by Soles Of The City above.

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