Emmanuelabor harkens back to the good old days of cassette tapes with the Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Air Force Ones. The designer used the “purple tape” version of Raekwon’s 1995 album “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx” as inspiration for these customs. I found Emmanuelabor’s latest work at the Nike Talk post linked here.
The Only Built 4 Cuban Linx AF1s delve deep into the design of cassette tapes. Emmanuelabor applied actual cassette tape on the toe, middle panel and heel set against the lyrical backdrop. The middle panel shows the spoke of a cassette tape version of Raekwon’s debut. The middle panels and Nike swooshes are clear to put the viewer’s focus on this musical relic rather than trying to add another design elements.
I have covered plenty of rap-inspired customs in the past but I particularly liked Emmanuelabor’s incorporation of lyrics into the design. He used lyrics from several songs on the album set on an off-white backdrop to simulate worn notebook paper. The Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Air Force Ones made me nostalgic for the days of cassette tapes but also renewed my interest in Raekwon’s earliest work.
Tags: Air Force Ones, Custom Sneakers, Nike
