In another incredible week of releases, really top-class, there is one pair that will become a favorite in my collection. First, I would like to reflect on how fortunate we’ve been over the last couple of weeks. This has been a fantastic run, one of the best of the year! We have seen so many classics drop and will continue to see them throughout the month! So many dunks and Yeezys (eek)! This week alone, we’ll see a new 3 pack of Joe FreshGoods x New Balance 993s, the Humanrace x Adidas NMD SI Ryat, and THE Shelflife Jordan 2 lows! The Shelflife 2s are the best drop of the week and possibly even the year. They became an instant favorite of mine; at first glance, I fell in love. Not only because of the look and feel but also the story behind them. The Shelflife collab is one that I have been looking forward to for quite some time. This is not just a review of the new sneaker but an insight into what this means to me. This sneaker combines two of my biggest bucket list goals.
The simplicity of this design is what grabbed my attention. Sometimes, the best thing to do is to keep it simple. GQ calls it “a quiet confidence.” The 2 is already an underrated classic that has seen a rise in new collaborations. Shelflife does precisely what they want with the silhouette. It is a clean bone and off-white sneaker with accents of orange on the outsole and the Jordan wings logo on the tongue. This pays homage to the brand’s street art origins with a “blank canvas.” The suede toe box, quarter panel, and smooth leather overlay are the definitions of clean. The detailing really shines on the insole and the back of the tongue. On the back of the tongues, read “Team Only.” The insole features graphics and the signatures of the Shelflife team. The tongue’s back and the insole represent the brand’s Ubuntu philosophy, “the importance of group or community.” The design is not the only reason to fall in love with this shoe.
The neat thing about this collab is that it is the first with an African brand. Shelflife is one of the top shoe and clothing stores in the world. Based out of South Africa, Shelflife has stores in Johannesburg and Cape Town that rival any store worldwide. However, it’s not just a sneaker store; it was founded on street art and graffiti. It’s a pure form of artistic expression. My love for Shelflife started back in high school. I have always had this weird obsession with South Africa. It is a place that I will live in before life is over. I have never really been able to explain where this love started, but it is a passion I’ve always had. I truly believe it started with a teacher I had my sophomore year. My English teacher Ms. Thompkins was one of my favorite teachers I’ve ever had. She was always so fresh, so clean;) and a true sneakerhead; she always had the freshest Jordans. My favorite, though, was when she wore high heels. She had this pair of Nike air max stilettos that just impressed the fuck out of me. It was the first time I really saw what it meant to be a sneakerhead. Not only that, but we also spent the entire first semester focusing on African literature. She assigned each of us a country on which we would focus. I’m assuming you can guess what country I was given at this point. I was responsible for researching and enveloping myself in the history and culture of South Africa. She ignited a passion within me, both for sneakers and South Africa.
I hadn’t found Shelflife until a couple years later. At this point, one of my favorite bands was Beatenberg from Cape Town. I found them through their work with Mumford and Sons on the Johannesburg EP. See, I was destined for a connection with South Africa. First, I was the English assignment to the country. Next, my absolute favorite band throughout high school spent months traveling the country and working with local artists to produce an album. I was scrolling through Facebook one day, and Beatenberg posted a picture or video outside the store. And the rest, as they say, is history.
This sneaker has already become my all-time favorite and hasn’t even been officially released yet. I have entered every drawing and raffle possible. I will have every website pulled up at 9:00 AM tomorrow, waiting on the drop. And if I can’t get it at retail, this will be a pair that I will pay resale to get. I need these sneakers.
In the meantime, check out the new song Beatenberg just released. It’s called “Symposium.” It seems that an album is coming very soon.
Jakey's Takeys 
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