Source: Andrew D. Bernstein / Getty
It’s no new revelation that the Air Jordan 1 has completely revolutionized sneaker culture and the entire NBA as fans used to know it. If you’re a millennial, your first memories of the NBA most likely revolved around Michael “Air” Jordan dominating on the Chicago Bills, and the entire basketball space. You know him for starring in Space Jam. And you know him for the black and red Air Jordan 1. The upcoming feature documentary, Unbanned: The Legend of AJ1, is set to put all of that earth-shattering impact into context.
The documentary will unpack the Jordan Brand’s role in birthing sneaker culture, changing the look and feel of style in the NBA, and its cultural revolution of music, fashion, and cultural behavior. As Spike Lee says in the documentary, “Phil Knight was told it would be the death of Nike to have a Black man as the face of your company.” Michael Jordan who proved that clearly wrong reflects on the AJ1, as well as rising voices like Emmy winner Lena Waithe, Black Panther star Michael B. Jordan, DJ Khaled, Carmelo Anthony, Russell Westbrook, Christian Combs and Kid Ink. As writer-director of the film, Dexton Deboree shares, we’re talking more than just sneakers. “The AJ1 is more than a shoe. It’s a symbol of a much greater meaning across genders, race, geography and time. Now more than ever, what this shoe represents, its impact on society and its role in really creating, defining and redefining a lot of our modern culture makes it a story that has to be told.”
Unbanned marks the official launch of Los York Entertainment, which focuses on providing entertainment with social impact and cultural significance. The film will hit limited theaters and digital release on July 13, 2018.
It’s gotta be the shoe. Check out the trailer below.
