Thug Life Army

It has been 10 years since rappers Damon Dash, Kareem “Biggs” Burke and Jay-Z launched the now infamous Roc-A-Fella Records. The label, along with clothing empire Rocawear, State Property, Team Roc, C Ronson, Dash Films, Armadale Vodka, America Magazine and the RocBox make up the wildly successful Roc-A-Fella brand. Now, Roc-A-Fella Enterprises is announcing  the  release of the limited edition10th Anniversary PRO-Keds sneaker, which signifies the first product developed to kick off this milestone year.

This landmark shoe not only represents the first PRO-Keds release under the ROC umbrella, but only 2500 pairs were created making this limited edition sneaker a hot and coveted shoe for this season. The kicks are made from premium leather and will come fully accessorized with a 10th year string bag and a Roc-A-Fella CD.  Hitting retailers on 1/29, the sneaker will be sold at key image stores including City Blue, Sneaker Villa, Downtown Locker Room, Man Alive, Dr.Jays, Men’s Land, Phat Kaps, Walters and more.  

Damon Dash has been a fan of PRO-Keds since childhood.  “It’s a sneaker that’s been around for years and stands the test of time and trends.  I am a sneaker fanatic myself, and the possibility of combining a sneaker brand with what I am already doing got me truly excited,” reveals Dash. “This is a perfect way to launch the PRO-Keds line and to launch the 10th anniversary because it’s a declaration of independence that the Roc owns not only a musical act but a sneaker line, as well. It shows ownership, power and using one vehicle to promote the other; both are independent entities and we are doing this in a very unprecedented way.”  

PRO-Keds was established in 1949 by Keds as an athletic footwear line primarily aimed at basketball.  The first PRO-Keds product was the classic Royal, a canvas basketball shoe in high and low tops, featuring a distinctive red and blue power stripe adjacent to the toe.  Over time, new styles were added across the categories of basketball, baseball, football, tennis, and track and field.  Items utilizing exclusive shock-absorbent support and cushioning techniques were also developed to keep pace with the rapid advancements in footwear technology.

Another apparel company under the Roc umbrella, Team Roc, will have the 1st clothing release to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Roc-A-Fella. The Team Roc athletic line - which is available in sporting goods, specialty and department stores now - was inspired by and grew out of Damon’s long-standing work with the New York City Mission Society, an organization serving the children and families of Harlem, the South Bronx, and other communities in need with programs and initiatives in education, preventive services, personal growth and development, and recreation. Team Roc is now partnered with SCAN, Supportive Children Advocacy Network, to continue to promote and support community organizations that aide “high risk” youth by offering after school programs, summer programs, and additional education opportunities and classes. Now a full-fledged brand unto itself, a portion of net proceeds from sales of Team Roc will go towards the newly established Team Roc Foundation – co-chaired by Dash – and will benefit the development of sports programs in economically challenged neighborhoods.