Now, I’m not even going to try to get into the streetwear game on here. There are a million blogs for that. But when I saw that Interview Magazine had a piece with the OG of NY street and skatewear, I had to add the link.

James Jebbia- founder and original owner of the Union Store, founder Of Supreme Clothing, partner in Stussy, etc. He’s a very low key, humble dude and he rarely gives interviews. Suffice it to say that without him most of the newjack streetwear kids would be wearing Enyce right now. No, I can’t even say that. Enyce wouldn’t have existed either. Most, if not all, of those NY “urban” labels wouldn’t have existed. Or most streetwear labels either. He’s that seminal.

I’ve known James since he opened Union around 20 years ago. I believe I was one of his first customers, and I visited every week, sometimes more. I put him up on the music I was DJing, and he got me into the underground streetwear game. I was into Ralph Lauren, Nike, Timberland, etc. Shit that was being worn in my hood uptown and in Brooklyn by heads really into gear. But I also had my eye on the stuff being worn in some of the clubs downtown where I hung out. 99x, Fred Perry, Doc Martens, Levis, APtricia Field and the like. Then came Stussy, FreshJive, Duffers Of St George, Triple Five Soul, etc- I was wearing it when all I’d get was strange looks, or curious questions, from the kids uptown where I grew up.

Of course, over time everyone got into it. That’s cool, but I know who the handful of people are that set this whole thing off. And it sure wasn’t Lupe or Kanye. ‘Nuff said. It was people like James Jebbia and a good friend from high school, Alyasha Moore (Phat Farm, Alphanumeric, etc, etc.)

As I rose in the music industry, and James grew in fashion, we showed mutual respect. I rarely run into him but even now it’s all love. If you don’t know about him, you better learn.