Sneaker culture is an ever-evolving and fascinatingly important marketplace in global youth culture (youth being a state of mind in this case). When it comes to the evolution of sneaker culture through art, renowned sneaker artist, Sole Junkie, is a true inspiration story. Label Networks TV hosted Sole Junkie in our bi-annual Label Lab Lounge last month along with sponsor Hook-up Paints. Each day of the 4-day exhibition, fans flocked to see Sole Junkie working live, painting faces, images, and graphics on a fresh pair of kicks. His followers included guys and girls such as fashionistas, sneaker freakers with their own painted pair of kicks worn around their shoulders, plus denim marketing directors, brand strategists, agencies, and loads of press.

Sole Junkie was classically trained, receiving his degree in Fine Arts, and eventually working a corporate gig, which seemed to be his destiny. One day, his son was bouncing on the bed and landed on his dad’s head, which popped 2 discs in his neck, and leaving Sole Junkie severally injured for months. His brothers in New York City told him about guys who were painting sneaks and selling them and suggested he take up the craft.

As the story evolves, Sole Junkie talks about his inspiration and Puerto Rican heritage, the urban-inspired landscape of his work, and the importance of having a good sense of color. He gives props to the man of sneaker culture, Bobbito Garcia who wrote the book, New York City’s Sneaker Culture: 1960-1987, and hosted “It’s the Shoes” show on ESPN 2. Sole Junkie hooked up with Bobbito via MySpace, who offered the artist advice and eventually had him create the author’s shoes.

Sole Junkie is known for his sneaker battle success, sneaker artwork commissioned specifically for celebs, and global aficionados of sneakers in general. As Sole Junkie puts it, “Shoes are show pieces and self identity because no one wants to be average. It’s a feeling—to be a part of who you are--and rock something that means something to you.”

In this exclusive interview, Sole Junkie talks about sneaker culture and art and its roots in the ‘70’s, sneaker battles and where he’s headed next on that landscape, plus props to Bobbito Garcia, and the inspiration from Sole Junkie’s own Latin heritage, sense of color, style, thinking outside of the box, and how he created a new life for himself via networking, marketing, and reach from MySpace.