C.KhiD′s Sneaker Collection Interview | Nike Shoe Collections Around The World

added 01 / 12 / 2010 -
Kicks and Chicks founder C.KhiD has finally re-launched the "Kicks and Chicks" project for the new year. More than the director of this project, C.KhiD is a new Hip-Hop music artist and entertainer with a building buzz. Leaving Kicks and Chicks Girls alone while he went on tour, released an album, and held roundtable, now the king of Kicks and Chicks Girls is back!

Promising new Kicks and Chicks posters, new Kicks and Chicks calendars, and Kicks and Chicks t-shirts, this will be an insane year for Kicks and Chicks fans! Looking to bulk up the sneaker store a bit as well, C.KhiD is giving the 411 on everything visioned.

Read this Sneaker Collections interview as Kicks and Chicks founder C.KhiD talks about favorite girls on the project, thoughts on copy cats,favorite Air Jordans, and Hip-Hop music. Also get a glimpse of his sneaker collections from over time.

Sneaker Collection Stats

height of sneaker collection around 70 pairs in 2005

how many sneakers today — 15-20 pairs, mostly all worn

favorites in collection —
Air Jordan Retro Laser 1, Retro Space Jam Jordans, Nike SB Dunk Hi Send Helps, and Flint Jordan 7s

Sneaker Collections Interview

[ Kicks and Chicks Sneakers Journalist] What's Up Boss aka C.KhiD? You're here to answer some questions in the minds of Kicks and Chicks followers. Lets get a quick intro into who you are and how you started Kicks and Chicks. Tell us the story.

[Owner of sneaker collection] I'm Rodrick Rainey or C.KhiD by my music name. I am a born idealist. I created and coined multiple original projects on-line, helping lead Urban culture development in this digital age.

From the urban community, I crafted everything I do today with no computer at home. Playing games on Pogo with some friends during lunch time in high school, one of them showed me HTML. Since then, I've made sites I felt the culture I've known all my life would understand. I was born into what I do, not schooled.

Here it is, almost 10 years later, and I'm doing it full-time. All because I just lived by the word "Try!" Not bad for a kid who some teachers said was 'A-D-D' in high school, huh?

[ Kicks and Chicks Sneakers Journalist] Teachers Thought You Had ADD? The attention deficit disorder?

[Owner of sneaker collection] Yeah, because I didn't pay attention to all the crap they feed you at school. I'm black but I've got Native great grands. Going to some Cherokee reservations sessions, I knew the story of trail of tears by the time I was in high school. School's not all bad but it can bore a kid who only gets to see people that look like him regularly, 1 month out the year.

Combine that with my mom and father let me explore creatively as a child, I knew school wasn't conditioning you to make money. It was conditioning you how to work for somebody else. If you're already learning how to make money in high school, why would you need 4 to 10 more years to learn how to make money? That proved to me you can do it yourself. In the 'streets' I learned people are always buying something whether it's a sales pitch selling nonsense or quality product. Just have to Try!

[ Kicks and Chicks Sneakers Journalist] That's pretty deep. What other projects did you create?

[Owner of sneaker collection] Kicks and Chicks was not my first project. I launched a site called "G2HF," where i took photos of people all around my high school, career training, house parties, and events. I even did photos at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina's Senior week. It was an easy way to gain attention to the music I was doing at the time.

My biggest project as Sojones.com, the first Hip-Hop fashion trends site. Founded in 2002, It was my core project. Now I own a lot more just sitting on developments. The main projects I want to develop are Televizzy, an urban video project. New LRG and New Baby Phat, some fashion niche sites. Last, CKHID, a new Hip-Hop music culture site where I go through a lot of random knowledge and typical Hip-Hop topics.

C.KhiD′s Sneaker Collection Interview | Nike Shoe Collections Around The World

C.KhiD′s Sneaker Collection Interview | Nike Shoe Collections Around The World

[ Kicks and Chicks Sneakers Journalist] A lot of projects you have. When and why did you start Kicks and Chicks?

[Owner of sneaker collection] Kicks and Chicks, I founded this in 2005. The first photo was released officially either in 2004 or 2005.

Kicks and Chicks girl Angie Marino, a friend before this project, was on my bed with a Lebron James sneaker. I told her to let me take a crazy photo since we were already doing some camera work. She took a photo covered by sneakers without clothes and we laughed saying how sneaker heads would go wild.

That photo circulated to every forum, ended up on MySpace pages, and more. A friend from the Sole Collector forum said something to me and I responded "Kicks and Chicks are 2 things I'll always get," and the name was born.

Next for Kicks and Chicks, video vixen Janelle Stein did a shoot. Between Angie and Janelle, the sneaker heads on-line went crazy. I saw the demand and I coined the idea.

[ Kicks and Chicks Sneakers Journalist] Have you seen all of the clothing brands, web sites, and magazines that have taken the Kicks and Chicks idea since then?

[Owner of sneaker collection] Yes, of course. I find it pathetic how they see Kicks and Chicks success and steal the concept. Is it really that hard for people to be creative?

Playboy, Complex Magazine by Mark Ecko, Dissizit clothing, O Sneakers, and the list goes on. The people behind these projects knew of Kicks and Chicks but avoided collaborating with us. They try to use every name but ours but we own this market. I know they've used Google and saw we were there, studying previous works. Any work of a girl done with chicks in kicks, chicks with kicks, or similar will be thought of as "Kicks and Chicks" at this point. It's just bad how they want to steal ideas and not give some credit.

[ Kicks and Chicks Sneakers Journalist] The issue with complex magazine, you actually hate that at first huh?

[Owner of sneaker collection] Totally did. It was stupid and I found it racial. Mark Ecko's magazine usually refuses to show new urban talent and considers an around the way girl, lesser? I look at that like he and Complex are dissing the women of my community. I would never buy a piece of anything Mark Ecko owns if I can help it. Just read between the lines of what was said about some of the girls who helped start off Kicks and Chicks. We didn't start with a million dollar budget like Mark Ecko, who was born into wealth. We got the job done and the culture embraced us.

[ Kicks and Chicks Sneakers Journalist] That's definitely deeper than the surface with Complex Magazine. Moving forward though, what about your music areer and the acting skits on Kicks and Chicks TV and CKHID YouTube channels?

[Owner of sneaker collection] I need more subscribers to the Kicks and Chicks TV YouTube. CKHID is booming. I use YouTube as an outlet to entertain and do skits that might make people laugh. Certain girls and guys I know from Kicks and Chicks or my music have funny personalities and I want to help anybody I know with talent be seen. You never know what can come from that. If one video goes viral, stars are born.

The 'Black Box Dreams' mixtape, which was my first official release,. It's on iTunes, Rhapsody, Amazon, Earbuzz.com, and more. I've been featured as Myxer.com's artist pick of the day several times. On the CKHID YouTube there's over 1 million views and I tour time to time now. Music is my first love and I'll take that over everything else in my creative space as a career.

C.KhiD′s Sneaker Collection Interview | Nike Shoe Collections Around The World

[ Kicks and Chicks Sneakers Journalist] Music is that serious? Even over Kicks and Chicks?

[Owner of sneaker collection] Kicks and Chicks was spawned from me working with models at a young age. What young urban kid wont take pictures of sexy girls with sneakers? Girls wanted to get exposure and have me photograph them, and I don't like doing things to just do it. Throwing sneakers on the girl made the project something I could enjoy. Fashion and Girls, it just works for me. However, if I had to put this down because of a music career, I would. My first opt would be to find a qualified staff but if that does not work, I'd leave the memories up and utilize the girls I'm close with in new projects.

[ Kicks and Chicks Sneakers Journalist] Good to see you're loyal to the people loyal to you. Well lets wrap up the interview now! What can everyone expect from Kicks and Chicks in 2010?

[Owner of sneaker collection] More Kicks and Chicks Girls! I want to add at least 12 new models this year. That's one girl for every month.

A few Kicks and Chicks t-shirt ideas are in the making now and I do have plans to put those out for sure. I would love to collaborate with brands on fashion as well. I think a Kicks and Chicks Air Jordan release would be awesome.

A new 2010 Kicks and Chicks calendar will be released in February for Valentine's month. Also a calendar for Arianna Carson aka Bunni will be dropped. She's such the exceptional girl I had to do a calendar with only her.

Posters wise, I want to do some more of those. However, I might have to downsize the posters and think 'college dorm' over the giant 24x36 wall posters.

There's a possibility I will sell Kicks and Chicks this year or sell part of the ownership. That would mean a big expansion to this site and more product. If that happens, I don't know what madness to expect, but it will be madness!

[ Kicks and Chicks Sneakers Journalist] Well that wraps it up! I have 3 questions to give readers the cherry on top. We've got to talk "Kicks" of course so what's your favorite pair of Nike or Air Jordan sneakers?

Second, we know girls will get jealous but who are your favorite 3 Kicks and Chicks girls of all-time?

Last, what keeps you from trying to holla at every girl that Kicks and Chicks works with?

[Owner of sneaker collection] *laughs* those are definitely some funny questions but I'm a realist. Lets do this.

My favorite pair of sneakers at the moment are definitely the Space Jam Jordans! I just paid $275 to get my pair and they will be my best sneakers. I also like the Laser Air Jordan 1 Premiums I have. They go very well with the black clothing I wear.

My favorite 3 Kicks and Chicks Girls, that's a tough question. I'm a fan of so many of these girls. I can give you 5 off the top of my mind though, I'd say Judy Styles, Janelle Stein, Tasha Hype, Ashlea Sherman, and Arianna Carson. There natural beauty is amazing and just real cool girls. The main thing lacked by most girls is communication and that's where my turn-off comes biz wise.

What keeps me from trying to holla at every girl? I usually have a crew around to help. The jokes and all that will keep your mind straight. Plus I've been seeing pretty girls since before kicks and chicks, i worked in fashion. I was dating magazine models at like 18. It's nothing to see a pretty girl, but it's everything to hear a pretty girl. Quote me on that.

[ Kicks and Chicks Sneakers Journalist] It was great talking to the boss of Kicks and Chicks, C.KhiD! Thanks for taking the time and also thanks to all the readers out there scrolling down this page. View photos of the Kicks and Chicks owner's collection today and previous years by viewing below! Stay tuned for our next interview with other sneaker collection owners.