The Definitive Sneaker Guide for Bboys and Bgirls

8/19/2019 The Definitive Sneaker Guide for Bboys and Bgirls

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reakDance Decoded

The Definitive Sneaker Guide

for Bboys and Bgirls

By Erin Huang


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BreakDance Decoded: Definitive Sneaker Guide for Bboys & Bgirls

Picture this. A bridegroom wearing slippers at the altar.

Or Usain Bolt running in flippers. What do these two images have in common?

Neither happens in reality, obviously. Unless Bolt is reading this.

The real question is, why doesn’t either of the above happen? Simple, when we look at footwear

we consider:

1. Aesthetics – does it look good on you?

2. Cultural context – has it been accepted by the group you’re with?

3. Practicality – does it serve its purpose? (Granted, Bolt can outrun me, but he won’t be

competing in flippers)

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When it comes to breaking, we all choose sneakers (mostly) for the same reasons. In fact,

sneakers have been a huge part of our fashion. Of course, non-bboys sport the fresh kicks we

wear as well.

But, put a random John Doe next to a bboy…

And both guys will be looking at the same pair of shoes with really different lenses.

And one of the really annoying problems we’ve faced is,

“How do I choose the right pair of sneakers for breaking?”

There you are, a bboy/bgirl with little to no experience. You’re at a warehouse sneaker sale with

a myriad of shoes laid out in front of you. They’re all waiting for your eager feet to caress

against their insoles…

But just like selecting a boy/girlfriend, how do you know what’s gonna be a good fit for you?

Sure, you’ve got a rough idea of what your taste is like. But you don’t always know what’s great

to wear when you’re dancing on concrete or parquet. When you’re doing sliding footwork. When

you’re training power moves. When you want to protect your twice-stubbed toes…

The list of concerns goes on.

Having realized there’s no guide out there that I know of (apart from this),

And realizing I’ve worn a wide range of shoes in breaking…

I decided to write this little introductory sneaker guide for bboys and bgirls.

This guide is for those who aren’t sure what sneakers are decent to break in.

Just in case you’re wondering how I assess the shoes below, it’s primarily based on the reasons

at the top. These are shoes that I’ve worn before, or are highly recommended by other

breakers.

Also, If you come across a shoe term that you don’t understand, read this shoe anatomy guide

in a new tab.

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THE SHOES

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Puma Suedes

This is an iconic pair, the Apache of breaking shoes. Whenever you hear Apache at a jam (and

you always do), you see the Suedes. Most bboys I know have tried the Suedes at least once.

Here’s Rihanna sporting the Suede.

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Fun Fact: The Suede was endorsed by the basketball legend, Walter “Clyde” Frazier and Puma

re-created a Suede for him, calling it the Clyde.

Who Wore It: Watch This

Aesthetics: Colourways are plenty – seriously, check out the full range here

Weighing scale: Relatively heavy (compared to Adidas Gazelles below)

Durability: Rubber soles last longer than most pairs here

Good for:

● Sliding on the ground – the suede material is smoooooooth…

● Choice of aesthetics

● Decent protection of your toes and feet soles● Rubber soles don’t wear out fast

Bad for:

● Cleaning (unless you have a set of Jason Markk sneaker cleaners)

● Maintenance (you know suede doesn’t go well with rain, right?)

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http://jasonmarkk.com/http://jasonmarkk.com/http://us.puma.com/en_US/special/suedeshttp://us.puma.com/en_US/special/suedeshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vT947Dt4m4


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Adidas Superstar

Another classic among the bboys. You’ll probably see a lot of graffiti characters sporting the

Superstar because it’s easily recognizable.

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Say Superstar again. I dare ya, I double dare ya motherf**ker.

Fun Fact: With its signature thick shoe tongue, this pair of shoes was featured or seen in

various media.

Who Wore It: Run-DMC + a heck load of bboys and bgirls

Aesthetics: The classic version has a minimalist design (typically two colours, one base and

one for the signature three stripes). Recently, there’s the Pharrel Williams supercolour series

that comes in 50 colours.

Weighing scale: Yo mama Heavy as bricks

Durability: the Nokia of sneakers

Good for:● Protecting your toes and feet soles (seriously, this is Durex Extra Safe for bboys)

● Spinning on the tip of your toes (not just the ball of the feet)

● Trying out new technical transitions or power moves (especially if you predict you’ll stub

your toes every now and then)

● Conditioning your foot/leg work, so you’ll be faster when you wear lighter shoes for

competitions

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http://www.durex.co.uk/durex-extra-safe-condoms-24-packhttp://www.durex.co.uk/durex-extra-safe-condoms-24-packhttp://www.global.adidas.com/supercolor#landinghttp://www.global.adidas.com/supercolor#landinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Run%E2%80%93D.M.C.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Run%E2%80%93D.M.C.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA8DsUN6g_khttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA8DsUN6g_k


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● Sliding and sweeping on rough surfaces (especially leather; the PVC material doesn’t

last as long and might create rips/cracks along the welt)

● Feeling solid on your feet

Bad for:

● Speed in power moves (or general movement)● Making you feel heavier/sluggish

● Feeling chunky (more so than other shoes)

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Adidas Gazelle

If you want to feel like you’re flying, wear the Superstar for a couple of hours… THEN wear the

Gazelle. You could also just drink Red Bull.

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A wall of wonderful kicks (geddit).

Fun Fact: Famous designer Richard Nicoll sent all his models down the runway in Adidas

Gazelles

Who Wore It: Jamiroquai, Noel Gallagher (Oasis), Madonna

Aesthetics: Variety of colourways and material (see here) + minimalistic design

Weighing scale: Light as a feather

Durability: Surprisingly hardy. Almost like a cockroach, if they weren’t disgusting (and made of

suede and rubber).

Good for:

● Fresh colourways (entire colour range can be found in their customizer here)

● Packing into luggages or your bag because it’s compact as fuck

● Footwork execution because it’s just that light!

● Fast footwork – especially if your footwork has rapid, jerky motions or if you’re breaking

to high BPM/fast breakbeats

● Those who love minimalistic design

Bad for:

● Daily wear (if you wear it for practice AND work/walking/going on dates, you probably

have to invest in a new pair soon)

● Training new powers (if you smack your feet on the ground – especially from a high dive

– be prepared to feel pain)

● Maintenance (because suedes dirty easily, and y’know, rain)

● Soles don’t retain grip after a while because they wear out fast

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http://www.adidas.com/us/mi-gazelle-og-custom-shoes/4000949_M.html?recipe=%2Fconfigurator%2Fservices%2Fmiadidas-configurator%2FrecipeService%2FrecipeIdent%2FR1389796985606_NG%2Fregion%2Fnull%2Fchannel%2Fnull%2Fpartner%2Fnull&config=true#is_configuratorhttp://www.adidas.com/us/men-gazelle-shoeshttp://www.adidas.com/us/men-gazelle-shoeshttp://www.standard.co.uk/fashion/the-white-stripes-the-adidas-gazelle-makes-its-comeback-on-the-streets-and-the-catwalk-9607135.htmlhttp://www.standard.co.uk/fashion/the-white-stripes-the-adidas-gazelle-makes-its-comeback-on-the-streets-and-the-catwalk-9607135.html


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Reebok Classic

Not many bboys rock this pair of shoes, which is surprising given that it’s a good balance of

weight and protection.

Jay Park, from Art of Movement, previously from Korean boyband 2PM.

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Fun Fact: Reebok is Afrikaans for the grey rhebok, a type of antelope. The name was chosen

because the founders wanted to depict speed, style and grace. (Oddly Gazelles are also a type

of antelope. Wonder what’s with the love for African hoofed animals?)

Who Wore It: Not many bboys (so take advantage of this fact if you’re looking to stand out at a jam)

Aesthetics: Decent range of colourways (not as much as the Puma Suedes though). Multitude

of material – so there’s a choice of how you want your shoes to feel like.

Weighing scale: Average/Mehhh

Durability: Handle with care

Good for:● Protecting your feet soles

● Protection-weight ratio

● Easy maintenance

Bad for:

● Displaying the ‘crocodile jaws’ – that’s when the front of the rubber soles split from the

front of your shoes (i.e. the welt doesn’t hold well). This typically happens when you slide

with the tip of your toes often.

● Sliding (see above point)

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Saucony Jazz

One of the newcomers in recent years, more bboys are wearing the Saucony Jazz as it has

some really funky colours to choose from. Also, it offers a fresh look towards the typical-looking

sneakers.

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Rogu- I mean Anna Paquin of the X-Men franchise, sporting these kicks.

Fun Fact: The outsole of the Jazz has become the brand signature of most Saucony shoes.

Who Wore It: Rod Dixon, winner of 1983 New York Marathon and an Olympian.

Aesthetics: Decent colour range.

Weighing scale: Can’t feel a thing

Durability: Sturdy and offers good grip on the toe box

Good for:

● Acceptable Protection

● Variety of material

● Good grip● Slides easily

● Threading (good grip)

Bad for:

● Grip (AFTER wear and tear)

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Nike Air Max

Imagine Tigger from Winnie the Pooh in shoe form. That’s the Air Max. Full of bounce, with its

visible air capsule embedded in the soles.

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More Rihanna. And it’s not the last time you’ll see her.

Fun Fact: There was a period in Japan where the Japanese started to mug each other for Air

Maxes.

Who Wore It: Orlando Bloom, Jared Leto, Rita Ora, Chris Evans, Macklemore, Zayn Malik…President Obama?!

Aesthetics: Looks different from other sneakers because of its visible air capsule cushioning.

Weighing scale: Barely weighs anything (but chunky)

Durability: Decent

Good for:

● Protecting your feet especially around your heels● Colour range (and combinations) usually look good

Bad for:

● You don’t feel like you’ll crash in this pair but you actually do. Probably because it takes

time to get used to the chunky soles

● Won’t get away with the sloppiness of your power moves (it will be obvious, if anything)

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2342707/Nike-Air-Max-make-comeback-Trainers-huge-growth-sales-thanks-celebrity-wearers-return-sportswear.htmlhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2342707/Nike-Air-Max-make-comeback-Trainers-huge-growth-sales-thanks-celebrity-wearers-return-sportswear.html


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Adidas Dragon

A variant of the Gazelle that typically comes in suede/nylon material combinations. Also, it has a

very distinct ridged sole.

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What’s the thing Roy Orbison said? Oh right, “Pretty woman, walking down the street…”

Fun Fact: Although not as popular as the other Adidas sneakers, the Adidas Dragon has

actually

been around since the 1970s.

Who Wore It: Close Enough

Aesthetics: Similar to the Gazelle except the colour range is slightly more mundane (or duller if

you don’t like darker shades). Signature soles are jagged and ridged.

Weighing scale: Light enough you barely feel a thing

Durability: The tougher cousin of the Gazelle

Good for:● People who like a rougher surface for stability in movement

● Grip on the floor

Bad for:

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● People like me who dislike the rough feeling of the sole e.g. when doing bboy threads,

you typically use your hand to grab the shoes (feels like the spine of a dragon you see in

games and movies… Hmm.)

● Limited colours

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Saucony Shadow

Another one of the up and coming sneakers that bboys would wear to practice. You could say

this is the bigger brother of the Saucony Jazz. Protects most of your feet except the toe box

area – which is (ironically) its Achilles heel. There, I’ve said it.

Fun Fact: You can buy a Saucony Shadow that is inspired by burgers.

Who Wore It: I have absolutely no idea.

Aesthetics: Like a less distinct Nike Air Max

Weighing scale: Close to the Air Max

Durability: Good

Good for:● Low maintenance

● Overall protection, especially around the heel

● Sliding

● Lightweight feeling

Bad for:

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2617965/Thats-one-way-run-Big-Mac-The-sneakers-inspired-BURGER-delivered-takeaway-box-BBQ-mayo-laces.htmlhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2617965/Thats-one-way-run-Big-Mac-The-sneakers-inspired-BURGER-delivered-takeaway-box-BBQ-mayo-laces.html


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● Chunkiness

● Low protection around the toe box (I’ve gotten more stubbed toes from wearing this pair

than the others)

● ‘Crocodile jaws’ syndrome (once the rubber begins to wear off at the front!)

● Water resistance is below mediocre

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Converse Chuck Taylors

Another definite sight at bboy jams. Also commonly seen at punk rock festivals and high

schools.

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Told ya.

Fun Fact: Converse sold its rights to Nike after filing for bankruptcy in 2003. Also the Chuck

Taylors are named after the basketball player and shoe evangelist Chuck Taylor .

Who Wore It: Miley Cyrus, Emma Watson, Rihanna, Daniel Radcliffe, Dwayne Wade, Hugh

Jackman, Gisele Bundchen, Will Smith, Bruno Mars, Usher, Drake, a whole long list of

celebrities… AND almost every bboy in the world.

Aesthetics: Highly versatile – not just having one of the widest range of colourways, the Chuck

Taylors is typically made of canvas material which allows you to… Well, paint on canvas. Feel

free to go wild with your imagination and artistry here if you’re equipped with fabric paint.

Weighing scale: Probably the helium of sneakers

Durability: Good for the first 3 to 6 months… After that, you’re probably better off getting

another pair.

Good for:

● Throwing into your luggage (crumple it as you like)

● High cut version of the Chuck Taylors is still light as fuck

● Colour and visual versatility

Bad for:

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http://www.complex.com/sneakers/2011/02/a-history-of-celebrities-wearing-the-converse-chuck-taylor-all-star/http://www.complex.com/sneakers/2011/02/a-history-of-celebrities-wearing-the-converse-chuck-taylor-all-star/http://www.complex.com/sneakers/2011/02/a-history-of-celebrities-wearing-the-converse-chuck-taylor-all-star/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Taylor_%28salesman%29https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Taylor_%28salesman%29


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● Nil protection (your heels will feel the wrath of floor for stepping so hard on it, your toes

get smashed when diving into the ground… AND your sides just get to see the canvas

material split thread by thread as you slide more)

● Metal rings (around the lace holes) will crumple and saw the material of your laces

● Splitting open on the sides (because the welt isn’t glued on strong enough to take all the

footwork bboys do)● Waterproofing sucks… But hey, it’s the kind of sneakers where the more rugged it is the

better it looks.

● Rubber sides also chip away the more you break in this pair.

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Nike Cortez

The Adidas Dragon of Nike. Comes in a couple of materials – pure leather, or nylon-suede

combination.

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Cypress Hill with Dickies khakis and Cortez-es… So that’s where we got that look, huh.

Fun Fact: The Cortez is the first track shoe created by Nike, and was thought to be significant

to

the success of the Nike brand

Who Wore It: Kendrick Lamar, Forrest Gump (no way!?), Shia LaBeouf (he just did it), Fergie

Aesthetics: Colour combinations are decent – some complement well, most are decent looking

basic colours (e.g. maroon and white tick)

Weighing scale: Nylon-suede version is so light you’d think you weren’t wearing shoes. Leather

version is slightly heavy but feels solid when you footwork in it.

Durability: Fast to wear out, the sides can hold up though

Good for:

● Speed (for nylon version)

● Versatile in colour matching with your full attire

● Sole cushioning – spongy material absorbs impact well especially at the heels

Bad for:

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● Durability of the sole is really low (this shoe suffers the ‘crocodile jaw’ syndrome from the

front and back ends of the feet area)

● Protection of the toes

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Adidas ZX750

Visually similar to Nike Air Max at the heel counter. It’s part of the whole running sneakers look

that sports brands are creating nowadays.

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Hong Kong singer + actor (and umm, playboy) Edison Chen with the ZX750s. Not the only thing

he’s been inside.

Fun Fact: There’s a pair of ZX750 that comes in handcrafted mud. Distressed fashion they call

it. (I am distressed about it too.)

Who Wore It: Nobody else that I know of (well, besides me)

Aesthetics: Complementary colours are well picked, combination of materials (suede, mesh,

rubber) goes well together

Weighing scale: The equivalent of plus-sized models for sneakers

Durability: Sturdy and long-lasting

Good for:● Its resilience

● Breaks the visual plain-ness because of contrasting, complementary colours

● Lots of cushion around the whole foot, no worries about slamming too hard on your

soles or stubbing your toes.

Bad for:

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● Weight (but not as heavy as you think it is)

● Meshed area is easily torn

● Meshed area absorbs water easily

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Nike Huarache

Lightweight and chunkier at the back. Observation: I know a handful of people (myself included)

who seem reluctant to break in Huarache after buying it. 5 million Monopoly dollars to anyone

who can tell me why.

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Kobe with his Lakers colours.

Fun Fact: Huarache is actually a kind of Mexican sandal made of leather. I actually had to

Wikipedia this to fact-check.

Who Wore It: Kobe! Kobe! Kobe! Wait, you mean the sandal?

Aesthetics: Sleek design with some fresh colourways. Looks kinda structurally fragile though.

Weighing scale: light as a feather, if the feather was made of helium somehow.

Durability: Overall it’s decent so far, but you might want to take note of the front. Because

crocodile jaws.

Good for:

● Heel protection

● Flying. I mean footwork.

● Sliding on the front● Floor grip

Bad for:

● Sliding on the sides (rubbery texture)

● Toe box protection

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New Balance NB1 574

Initially a tennis and running shoe, it doubled as a casual sneaker for many. Seems like this pairis making its presence again in recent years…

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Now where have I seen this face before…

Fun Fact: It’s the only New Balance shoe you can customize it right to the detail. Also, did you

know that New Balance shoes are numbered and never named?

Who Wore It: Rihanna, Adam Levine, Will Ferrell, Elijah Wood (Yep, Frodo wore sneakers)

Aesthetics: Colours come in great complementary combos – not a bad choice if you have a

versatile wardrobe. Each pair is made of suede and mesh.

Weighing scale: Lighter than the average shoe in this list (based on what I wore)

Durability: Decent but it offers little to no protection on the topside of your feet

Good for:

● Sliding● Spinning (a lot)

● Lightweight

● Unmatched comfort and cushion-y feeling (It’s really soft)

Bad for:

● Gripping (sole doesn’t stick that well to the floor)

● Toebox area protection (front of shoe is reaaally soft and material is thin)

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Nike Blazers

Part of the Nike Skateboarding brand, the Blazers are high cut suede shoes. Looks heavy, but

not as heavy as you would think. I think it looks great with long pants.

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I *mighttt* be overdoing this.

Fun Fact: Made popular by Iceman. (Kidding, the Iceman was a famous basketballer called

George Gervin)

Who Wore It: Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, John Mayer , Zac Efron

Aesthetics: Usually a single suede colour followed by a white Nike tick, the Blazer doesn’t offer

much in terms of unique colour combinations. However, its high cut profile looks great and

breaks the standard mold of other sneakers (even as compared to Chuck Taylors).

Weighing scale: Not Chuck Taylors light, but still surprisingly light for its look.

Durability: Great durability, lasted me for a pretty long while. However, the suede colour does

wear off and looks duller.

Good for:

● Looking fresh with long pants/jeans

● Protecting your soles of your feet

● Looking different from other dancers

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http://coolspotters.com/actors/zac-efron/and/shoes/nike-blazer-high#medium-208195http://coolspotters.com/actors/zac-efron/and/shoes/nike-blazer-high#medium-208195http://coolspotters.com/musicians/john-mayer/and/shoes/nike-blazer-highhttp://coolspotters.com/musicians/john-mayer/and/shoes/nike-blazer-highhttp://coolspotters.com/musicians/chris-brown/and/shoes/nike-blazer-high#medium-638690http://coolspotters.com/musicians/chris-brown/and/shoes/nike-blazer-high#medium-638690http://coolspotters.com/musicians/lil-wayne/and/shoes/nike-blazer-high#medium-2840264


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Bad for:

● Fast footwork

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So there you have it. A rather elaborate answer to the question, which pair of sneakers

should you buy?

By now you’re more confident in deciding what you’ll wear to future practices.

Peace,

Erin

P.S. If you’ve other shoes you’d like to review and feature, hit me up at

[email protected]!

P.P.S. You might have found a couple of shoes to your liking. I also make sure that every post I

publish is of quality. If you liked this or you think your friends would love this shoe guide too,then share this with them! Just a simple email forward, or a Facebook share would do the

trick! :)
mailto:[email protected]

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The Definitive Sneaker Guide for Bboys and Bgirls

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