Sports lifestyle brand K-Swiss, founded almost half a century ago in Van Nuys, California, by Swiss brothers Art and Ernest Brunner, debuted a classic white leather tennis shoe at Wimbledon in 1966, which turned the shoe into an icon in the trainer world. Today, K-Swiss takes its new campaign back to where it all started for the brand; the American West Coast. This spring, BBC Radio 1 DJ and trainer connoisseur, Charlie Sloth, kicks off the new ‘K-Swiss California Love’ campaign, with a four-part documentary style mini-series starting the 4th March, 2013.
California is the birth place of hip hop culture with rappers such as Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg as icons of the West Coast music scene. ‘K-Swiss California Love’, is a glossy, documentary style mini-series following Charlie Sloth to LA to explore the origins of hip hop, it’s rise, it’s fall and its resurgence in the UK.
Comprised of four short films chronicling Charlie’s adventures in LA, and followed up by eight artist-based films back in London which will explore California’s wide-ranging appeal and influence over the UK hip hop scene. The story begins with the godfather of UK rap getting to grips with California’s resurgent hip hop scene and its iconic local communities, from the birthplace of gangsta rap Compton, to the Santa Monica pier and the affluent Beverley Hills.
Along the way, Charlie speaks with California’s hottest emerging artists, including the buzzing king of ratchet YG and the group Pharrell Williams recently described as ‘the next Outkast,’ Overdoz. K-Swiss California Love will act as the precursor to what will undoubtedly be a California summer in the UK. On UK soil, Charlie chats with a series of British talent and explores how California has influenced their style and music including singer-song writer Daley and English dubstep producer and DJ, Rusko.
In addition to the documentary, the ‘K-Swiss California Love’ campaign will travel throughout the UK in early summer and will see the Sofa on tour in six key cities including London, Manchester and Birmingham.
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