Dave Chappelle, currently on tour for his Netflix special, needed some special gear for the big stage. What better than an exclusive pair of Air Force 1s?
This project was put together by Coltrane Curtis, founder of NYC-based marketing agency Team Epiphany. His task: get Dave Chappelle the Air Force 1s he wanted/needed for his new Netflix special. The design was the easy part: white uppers, gum soles, and the iconic C hit on the heel. But getting SMUs executed is more about being in the right rooms with the right people, so who else but God’s favorite DJ to get it done?
Do not ever get it twisted — DJ Clark Kent is arguably the most influential sneakerhead ever. But kicks were never really Clark Kent’s primary calling card; he just embodied THE culture that influenced a lot of marketing strategies over the last three decades. But it can’t be ignored that the legendary music producer, who has his hands deep within the roots of hip-hop as we know it today, has a sneaker collection unmatched when it comes to one-of-ones because he is simply the “friends and family” of anyone who matters in the game. While we don’t know the nitty gritty behind how the Chappelle Forces got done, but we imagine all it took was a few texts and calls.
Of course, these Dave Chappelle Air Force 1s are not for retail and were made just for the G.O.A.T. comedian, although we wouldn’t be surprised if a pair of these somehow made their way into the hands of an auction house of some kind. Whether it does or doesn’t isn’t the issue — this is just a reminder that in this era of early leaks and info, magic can always happen and true grails do exist.