Andre Johnson, also known as “Dre TheShoeGod,” is a sneaker content creator based in Chicago. Johnson found his love for shoes with family ties and his obsession with basketball, and from there, he started his collecting journey. With his content, he gives his viewers opinions and reviews on some of the top sneakers on the market while also giving a history lesson for those who want to know more about what they’re wearing on their feet.
Johnson spoke with rolling out about sneaker culture and his top three sneakers everyone should look out for this year.
What are some things you notice about sneakers that others may not?
I’m an artist, so I can’t think how people view sneakers. When I see shoes, I want to know what made you make this shoe look like this. That makes me do my homework? Why does the Jordan 15 look like this? Why do the Jordan 1s look like this? Where did the inspiration come from? I look at it in the art side of it. I think people should look at it like that. I like to get fully in-depth about the shoes inside out. I like to know everything. The history, the date, how did you get the inspiration, and who made the shoe? Know your shoes. If you’re wearing something, you should at least get a few details of where it came from.
What are your thoughts on today’s sneaker culture?
Right now, it’s about the coin; it’s about hype. It’s about who has the hottest stuff. When I got into the game, it was more so a small community and a love for shoes. Being a Black man, we were always talked about for having too many shoes. It’s cool to have shoes now, and it didn’t used to be like that. The culture now is just about money, and it’s all about hype. I don’t think a lot of people have a love for shoes.
What are the top three sneakers everyone should look for in this year?
One [is] the Air Jordan 4 Retro “Military Blue.” I think that’s number one on everybody’s list. They’ve been asking for a retro for a while. I’ve made many videos screaming for the Military Blue 4s, and we finally got them. Second, the KD 4 “Galaxy.” That’s one of my favorite shoes I missed out on. I’m also excited for the Air Jordan 11 “Columbia.” We’re finally getting a retro after 10 years, [which] was long overdue. It was a perfect time, and I think a retro should be 10 years plus, and it just hit the 10-year mark.
