Cash, Money, Chrome: AND1’s Logo Gives Shoe Reviewer Chris Chase 2000s Nostalgia
Nightwing2303 Takes A Quick Look Back at the Group That Ruled Early 2000s Hip Hop
Reviews are piling in on the Rise limited release and one shoe reviewer evoked fond memories of a bygone era of hip-hop and basketball culture.
Chris Chase of WearTesters, also known as Nightwing2303 on Instagram, recently dropped a review worthy of Weezy on the Rise limited retro release.
“You got that classic AND1 logo chromed out,” Chris said. “When you see this and you don’t want to listen to Cash Money Records, I don’t know what’s wrong with you.”
Cash Money Millionaires is a hip hop group formed in New Orleans in the 1990s. They are known for their music that blends rap, R&B, and Southern hip-hop.
Early 2000s Hip Hop and Basketball
AND1 Director of Brand Marketing Dexter Gordon also couldn’t hide his excitement. “Cash Money Records and AND1 started in different years but they were on the rise and hot around the same time,” he said.
“While Cash Money was setting trends and making hot music, setting fashion trends and exposing the world to southern hip hop music, AND1 was doing the same in the basketball space and exposing the world and the masses to streetball culture, fashion and meshing basketball with hip hop,” Dexter added.
BG and Birdman. Photo courtesy of Director of Brand Marketing Dexter Gordon.
Cash Money Millionaires and AND1 both emerged in the 1990s and early 2000s, during a time when hip-hop and basketball culture were closely intertwined. The nostalgia associated with the Rise brings back memories of the same era in which Cash Money was so popular. Both Cash Money Records and AND1 were part of the larger cultural zeitgeist of that time, which celebrated self-expression, style, and individuality.
“Cash money exposed the world to slang like ‘Bling Bling,’ while AND1 was exposing the masses to trash talk. Imagine if there could've been a Cash Money-AND1 Mixtape tour? We'll be back soon bringing that same energy, get ready," Dexter added.
Watch the Mixtapes: 30 Years of Streetball Legends.
“Cash money exposed the world to slang like ‘Bling Bling,’ while AND1 was exposing the masses to trash talk. Imagine if there could've been a Cash Money-AND1 Mixtape tour? We'll be back soon bringing that same energy, get ready!"
The Rise Retro Shoe in Early 2000s
The original Rise shoe dropped in 2004, right around the time when Mannie Fresh and Birdman formed Big Tymers. Mr. Bigshot himself, Chauncey Billups, earned a 2004 Finals MVP award against four Hall of Famers - all in the Rise sneaker.
As for the overall review of the Rise, Chris’s excitement could hardly be contained.
“It looks phenomenal. Like, this shoe is so cool I can’t even tell you man. I really am so excited, so excited,” Chris said.
While Cash Money Millionaires and AND1 have both been associated with hip-hop and basketball culture, there is no direct relationship between them. It's possible that Cash Money Millionaires members wore AND1 shoes, but there is no official collaboration or endorsement between the two.
Stay fly.