Foot Locker released two new Nike Air Max Plus colorways in the “Before and After the Bite” campaign.
The name of the campaign comes from the Nike Air Max Plus and how the silhouette resembles a shark. Foot Locker wanted to acknowledge artists and how they’re always hustling trying to find success in their journey, which is “Before the Bite”, and then trying to not be complacent through the accomplishments that would be “After the Bite”. Foot Locker wanted to put a gallery together for the drop of the two exclusive colorways and wanted to showcase art from up-and-coming artists around the U.S. and Canada to bring the “Before and After the Bite” campaign to life. Foot Locker brought 13th Witness, MADSTEEZ and Baron Von Fancy three artists that are highly recognized in different artistic platforms to help curate the gallery and hand pick the artists that submitted their work. We got a chance to talk to three artists on their thoughts about the campaign and what the process was like when picking the submissions for the gallery.
The Knockturnal: With different styles that all three of you guys have, how did you pick the 20 artists and what were you looking for?
13th Witness
It was really tough picking because we had so many great submissions from so many people. Picking was the hardest part, I mean the courage that it takes to come wait in line in the cold have your stuff looked at, critiqued and judged by us, its not easy. I don’t think I’d be able to do that. We discussed that after that day that I don’t think any of us would’ve been able to do that, so super props to them for having the courage to follow through and the hunger or passion to put your work there for us to give feedback on.
MADSTEEZ
I think even to blur the lines, like 13th being a photographer, Baron being typographer and hand styles, and I’m a portrait artist. So there was no like oh you’re the photographer, there were a couple times where it’s like you guys know art, but it’s like no we just know what we like. So it was more us and what we liked as a collective.
Baron Von Fancy
We were looking for anyone that had potential and felt that once we picked them and they had a show that they would continue with it and look for more shows and hopefully be appreciated. The people we selected really have a chance to make it happen in the future, I stand by all of them and I really like their art and would help them in any way I could.
The Knockturnal: What do you think about the “Before and After” campaign looking back at you individually before you got to a certain level of success and “made it” and what this campaign means to you personally as well?
MADSTEEZ
From all of the brands I’ve worked for, this is one of the few if not any that actually reached the artist. From us getting direct messages from fans, I have never had that sort of activation from users, positive and negative and it was really strange to have that. In all of the things I’ve done, this has been the most reaching the artists that’s struggling and the artists that’s is coming up because I don’t see that stuff and it was beautiful to see.
13th Witness
It’s hard to have 200 people come up and select 20 people. I think that the official number was 170 something, which I still don’t believe because I think there was more than that but that’s what we heard. It’s really difficult to judge somebody’s artwork to either select it or omit it from the winning selections after you’ve literally seen them present their artwork in front of you. When it’s a digital submission there’s not this emotional attachment you kind of feel because you’ve met them, its just artwork you’re looking at. It’s a lot easier to be like yes or no, but after they’ve sat in front of you and told you the story of their artwork and how they got to do what they do, it’s hard to not relate to them at a human level.
To accompany the campaign Foot Locker teamed up with Philly rapper LGP Qua to have a song representing “Before and After the Bite”. He shot the music video for his song “Hungry” which he is seen wearing the Nike Air Max Plus in the Foot Locker exclusive colorways. We got a chance to speak to him about the video.
The Knockturnal: What was the concept behind the video for “Hungry”?
LGP Qua
The concept behind that video is the same as the sneaks, “Before the Bite” is when you’re hungry, you don’t got it and you’re going all out for it but you at the bottom and that was the first scene of the video. Then it switches over to “After the Bite” when you got it, you got everything and you’re full but you still want more like a shark when there’s blood in the water. The song is really about me before and after.
The Nike Air Max Plus is available in both “Before the Bite” and “After the Bite” colorways at Foot Locker.
