TheShoeGame.com - Sneakers and Information

 

As promised TSG did an interview with U-N-I to talk about their latest single “K.R.E.AM.”. We posted the vid last week and many people voted saying the song/vid was HOT. Others voted NOT and left comments with concerns about the title of the album “Fried Chicken & Watermelon“. Also, some people didn’t like the idea of a song about sneakers and questions about fake sneakers spotted in the vid. If you want to learn more about the Inglewood, California natives or want to hear what they had to say check out our interview with them after the jump. Thanks to everyone that e-mailed us questions, but keep in mind we only picked the FAQ’s that most people wanted to know.

 U-N-I - Thurzday (left) and Y-O (right)

1.) How long has U-N-I been a group and what does U-N-I stand for?

U-N-I: We’ve been a group for over a year, but we’ve been rapping together since high school under the group name “Rapture Kamp” since ‘99. The name U-N-I is inspired from the Roots song “U-N-I-Verse” on “Illadelph Halflife” ft. Common. We use it as a first person statement like “You-And-I Verse” all the wack elements of Hip-Hop and all the Haters. We also see ourselves as “universal” artist that are not “boxed-in” to one distinct sound.

2.) What’s the name of the group members? Who’s who?

Thurzday: Thurzday and Y-O. I’m usually in a fitted cap wit sum fresh kicks. I’m the Spike Lee in the video

Y-O: Im that skinny dude with the “Hawk”. Usually rockin a shirt by “Trendy Trash” wit some nice ass kicks wit my signature glasses I rocked in our video “K.R.E.A.M.”

3.) How long have you guys been in the shoe game or into sneakers?

Thurzday: I started coppin kicks here and there when I got a job at 16. It picked up towards the end of high school and all throughout college. My roommates would compete on who had the best shoe collections. Shoutout to my Flipside fam!

Y-O: As far as I can remember I was a shoe fanatic @ the age of 7. I remember my first pair of kicks I fell in love with were called “XJ-900″…ahahaa!! My uncle bought em for me from “Payless”. I had no clue what “Payless” was @ that age. It was the red flashy lights I loved best about em. Thats why I say in the 3rd verse…”As a young’n in my “XJ-900″…. NO LONGER PAYLESS NOW!!!

4.) Why did U-N-I decide to make KREAM? Was it to get hype/attention from the sneaker community?

Thurzday: We thought it was a dope/creative concept and we wanted to attack it. The song was not made for hype. We make music that we like, and as contributors to Hip Hop, we recognize Wu-Tang as the most influential group in the history of the culture. We took the concept behind CREAM and made it more relative to how we live our lives in Los Angeles. L.A. is a fashion based metropolis, and every outfit must be complimented by some fresh kicks. We see ourselves as some of the best-dressed dudes in the city, so the song is a reflection of us!

Y-O: Thats why you my boy Thurz!! He said it best. It was definitely not for hype nor to get major attention from all the sneakerheads around the world. We usually come up with creative concepts & attack it immediately. Many artist made sneaker songs in the past, but we knew if we flip the original “C.R.E.A.M.” & add the famous lines from Lupe’s “Kick Push”, that was hot @ the time, would catch everyones attention.

5.) Do you like the overall feedback you’ve received from KREAM?

Thurzday: All feedback is GOOD feedback. Whether positive or negative, we know that we our in the public eye and being brought up in conversations concerning Hip Hop. Our “Fried Chicken and Watermelon” reflects what we are able to do as artist, and KREAM pulls people in to listen to our album. We have received great feedback on the album….and this is only the beginning….

Y-O: Absolutely. Feeback lets you know people are listening. We have received an enormous amount of positive feedback. As long as people are talking about U-N-I whether positive or negative, it’s good to know people are talking.

6.) What do most people have to say about the song/vid? The good and the bad?

Thurzday: Most people say that they love the quality of the video. Folks love the 80s scene and the Mars Blackmon scene. We have received alot more positive comments than bad.

Y-O: Kids have created shoe clicks because of the song/video. It’s a wonderdful feeling. Only negative thing I’ve heard about it was about THE FAKE ASS “DE LA SOULS”…..LMAO!!! We’ll get to that in question #9

7.) Does U-N-I have another sneaker song on the album or planned for the future?

U-N-I: Cop the album and stay tuned in for the future. We have MANY things planned for the future.

8.) Do all the sneakers in the vid belong to U-N-I? Were any of them rented or bought just to shoot the vid?

Thurzday: No, we owned like 200+ sneakers on the set. The rest were contributed from friends and Jose Lopez. He has a MAJOR shoe collection. We need to catch up to that dude!

Y-O: Jose Lopez!!! We’re coming for you man….lolol!!! There were shoes from both mine & Thurz’ closet. Plus eveybody else who were in the video helped out to make it a beautiful turn out.

9.) Can you explain the QUESTIONABLE/FAKE sneakers that people have spotted in the vid? Most e-mails are asking about the De La Hi’s…

Y-O: Yeeessss!!!! Okay. So like 2 weeks before the video shoot all I would talk about around the house were “De La Souls” this….”De La Souls” that…ahahaa!!! I would hint that sh*t everyday to Moms cuz I was broke as fu*k @ the time & still am…ahahaa!!! So Day 2 comes for the video shoot “K.R.E.A.M.” & on that scene my Mom & family arrives. She surprised me with the “FAKES” & I was so damn excited didn’t even check to see if they were legit. Immediately we begin shooting the scene where I flashed em in the camera & after we wrapped up the video. I finally had a chance to sit down & I started looking closely @ em & realized the damn swoosh didn’t match the color to the mid-sole….the print on em were fishy….& their faces were put in the wrong places….LOL!!!! Everybody was like “awwwww daaamn”!!! Them shits never did make it to my closet & Moms still wont tell me where she got em from. Love You Mom!!!

10.) You guys are well aware that FAKES is the #1 “NO NO” as a true sneakerhead or sneaker connoisseur?

U-N-I: We are aware of the cardinal sin…LOL, and we do not own any fakes!

11.) Although you left a comment can you please explain the inspiration of the title “Fried Chicken & Watermelon“?

U-N-I: Obviously, the title is a stereotype of the Black Community where we’re seen as ALL liking the same things and ALL acting the same. We see the West Coast being viewed in the same light as that stereotype. Moreover, the title is to catch your attention and not follow through with the stereotype of West Coast Music. It is pure Hip Hop that is not “gangster” and not “boxed in”. We are lyricist with dope concepts livin’ life.

12.) That’s all the important questions I have that TSG readers sent in. Thanks for taking the time out to do this interview. Before we close is it anything else U-N-I would like TSG readers to know? Any shout outs?

U-N-I: TheShoeGame.com, Vapors Magazine, Schememag.com, Chris London, Rapture Kamp, Dame Taylor, Ro Blvd, Proh Mic, Diabolic, Zombie Radio, Swiff D, Inglewood City, “206″, Momma Thurz, Momma Y-O, My African Pops…ahahaa, Amon Parker R.I.P…,Dondre Whitfield, BLNK.com, Antonio Dixon, Moufahza, DJ Raphiki, DJ Dense, Doc, Tomas Whitmore, Cold As Ice, K Quick & Young Tam (Street Divas KLBC), AGAPE Films, RK Entertainment, Loui Moore, Geff, G.O.O.D. Girls, Street Divas, Byron, Daniela & Dre(Contra Shadow PR), Tom from myspace..ahahaa, Trendy Trash, Slav, Chuck Taylor Barber Shop, LAX Clothing, Undefeated, New Breed Ent., DJ Jayvon, Talib aka “The Madd Photographer”, K.U., THX, LMU, Teedra Moses, Lupe Fiasco, Busta Rhymes, Cee Lo, Chinky Eyed, Flipside Ent., Sumish.com, Kmel.com, Sneakerfreaker.com , Niketalk.com, Youtube.com, Trashyla.com, Felicia, Brutha Gimel, Brandon Banks, Rodrick, The Ogaldez Fam, The Martinez Fam, The Sears Fam. Johnson Fam., Hollywood Stars Tattoo Shop, Dazo “Jean Junky”, Three-1-Zero, Mulatto, Geul.Den Bear Kouture, Tony Riviera, Kenny Lofton & SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO YOU FOR READING THIS!!!!!!

If you want to cop their album or listen to more music from U-N-I check out their myspace page, myspace.com/unimuzik

Did you see the vid? If not CLICK HERE to view the vid and vote!!