EWING AND SO SO DEF UNVEIL A KROSSED OUT 33 HI

Jermaine Dupri and Ewing Athletics Reunite to Celebrate Kris Kross and Atlanta

If you were into music in the ‘90s you knew the name Jermaine Dupri. With deep roots in music and hip hop dance that go back to the ‘80s, Dupri was at the forefront of a movement that included all-time greats Whodini, Run-D.M.C., and Grandmaster Flash. In 1991, Dupri was producing acts and forming a unique group that would soon rise to meteoric success and kross the whole world up.

By 1992, Kris Kross was a group with multi-platinum albums at 13 years old – thanks in no small part to tracks written and produced by Jermaine Dupri – and by 1993, Durpi’s label So So Def was born. At that time, JD was wearing all the hats – producer, songwriter, and stylist. That meant hitting stores and getting the freshest sneakers and jerseys to curate looks for artists. Kris Kross had roots in Atlanta and New York, but the sneaker of choice was the Ewing 33 Hi. “Every one of Kris Kross looks I styled, the Ewing was the sneaker they wanted, the sneaker they were obsessed with,” says Jermaine Dupri. “The sneaker was impactful in the creation of Kris Kross and we’re paying homage to them by doing a totally krossed out Ewing.”

For this So So Def x Ewing 33 Hi it was also important to pay tribute to Atlanta. “Red and black is Falcons, Georgia Bulldogs – these are the colors of our city,” says Dupri. “I wanted these sneakers to echo Atlanta and pay homage to the first group that really lit the city on fire.” On this white leather pair, the So So Def Recordings logo is flaunted on the tongue and complimented by JD’s signature. The reversed “GNIWE” at the heel celebrates Kris Kross iconic contributions to both style and hip hop. “White Ewings was the go-to pair of sneakers for us,” finished Dupri.

The So So Def Ewing 33 Hi drops September 25 for $140 exclusively at EwingAthletics.com in sizes 5-16.

Photography by Marcus Stevens / Words by Noah Goldowitz