Street culture encompasses a lot of different things. From clothes and shoes to hip-hop to graffiti/ art, there's a lot of different subcultures under the overlapping street culture umbrella ... and one that plays a large part is marijuana.
Don't get us wrong, we're not in any way, shape, or form saying that you have to use marajuana to be involved in street culture, but you do have to respect the part that it's played in making the culture what it is today. From brands that have based their entire image off of marijuana (Berner's Cookies) to marajuana-inspired collaborations (Huf x Snoop Dogg), to ubiquitous accessories (Huf's legendary Plant Life socks) the roots run deep.
And one place where those roots are extremely strong? Footwear. There's been a LOT of marijuana-themed and inspired footwear over the years, and it ranges from high-grade to straight shake (see what we did there?). So on this national holiday, we've compiled our 5 favorite marijuana-inspired kicks ... and even ranked them. Sit back. Spark up. Enjoy.
5. Curren$y x Diamond Supply Co Brilliant-2012
Apart from Wiz Khalifa and Snoop Dogg (and maybe Berner), no rapper has been more of a marijuana advocate over their career than New Orleans' Curren$y, and his love for herb was immortalized in 2012 when Diamond Supply Co let him lend his green thumb to their "Brilliant" sneaker, both in high-top and low-top form. With only 420 pairs of each releasing, this was one of Diamond's most limited sneaker releases ever.
4. adidas x Bait Stan Smith Vulc "Hemp"-2016
20 years ago, nobody would even have imagined that adidas would let such a 4/20 friendly sneaker see production, but now ... let's just say things are different when you endorse Snoop Dogg. The "Hemp" Stan Smith Vulc (another killer Bait collaboration) didn't even need the Dogg's touch, as it was one of the most innovative shoes of the year, and paid homage to California's love of medical marijuana with its rich detail, and great tongue patch.
3. Nike SB Dunk "Hemp Pack"-2004
Talk about the loud pack. The only shoe on the list that also comes in (ultra-rare) toddler sizes, the Hemp Pack SB's were some of the most-loved shoes of 2004, and the green pair (of which only 420 were made) is still highly sought-after today.
2. Nike SB Dunk "Cheech & Chong"-2011
The first of two Todd Bratrud releases on this list (the other one's #1), the Cheech & Chong is arguably the most creative shoe on this list. Inspired by the legendary comedy duo and their love for marijuana, you could scrape and scuff the patch on the toe box to reveal a bright, skunky green. These were so fire they didn't even really see the light of day, as their retail release was cancelled. Nobody really knows what happened, but the most common theory is that a studio that produced a Cheech & Chong film took objection. Or maybe Nike's just full of haters. Either way, if you want a pair of these today .. they'll be a tough find.
1. Nike SB Dunk "Skunk"-2010
And another Todd Bratrud (the king of 4/20 sneakers) release takes the #1 spot. What marijuana-inspired sneaker could really be better than the Skunks? Just take a look at them. The colorway. The texture of the material. The insoles with the stoned skunk. Todd himself has said he's not sure how Nike cleared these, but we're glad they did, as he blessed us with one of the best (and most valuable) Nike SB Dunks of all time.
What's your favorite 4/20 inspired shoe? Are you planning on celebrating today? If so, how? Hit us up and let us know on Twitter, check our Facebook page for updates, and, as always, be sure to follow us on Instagram for all the fire pictures you can handle.
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