Author Archives: Dee Wells

Hip Hop Doesn’t Need Permission to Become History

At 53 years old, Hip Hop has reached a point where preserving the culture can’t simply mean waiting for museums, universities and other established institutions to tell us what mattered. We have to build our own rituals for remembering, and support the institutions created from inside the culture to do that work. Protect Hip HopContinueContinue reading “Hip Hop Doesn’t Need Permission to Become History”

What Is Carnival Supposed to Protect?

The post discusses the significance of cultural celebrations like Carnival in the Caribbean, particularly addressing the risk of forgetting their historical roots, such as emancipation. While evolving traditions are inevitable, it emphasizes the need for understanding the stories behind these events to ensure future generations grasp their importance, thus maintaining the connection to their history.

The G6 Is Back. But What Reebok Really Brought Back Is a Moment When Hip Hop Owned the Shoe.

There are sneakers that remind you of a particular year. Original G-Unit Reebok courtesy of DJ OakCliff713 Then there are sneakers that remind you of what was possible. The Reebok G-Unit G6 belongs in the second category. More than two decades after its original release, 50 Cent and Reebok have brought the G6 back inContinueContinue reading “The G6 Is Back. But What Reebok Really Brought Back Is a Moment When Hip Hop Owned the Shoe.”

A Backpack Tag Became Social Currency. What Can It Teach Us?

The controversy over Sprayground tags in Virgin Islands schools looks like a story about safety and behavior. Look closer, and it’s a lesson about culture, scarcity, and value — waiting to be taught. The controversy over Sprayground tags in Virgin Islands schools looks like a story about safety and behavior. A red tag hanging fromContinueContinue reading “A Backpack Tag Became Social Currency. What Can It Teach Us?”

Beyond the Hype: Sneaker Culture Is Getting Personal Again

For a long time, sneaker culture was really asking one question: What’s everybody trying to get? What’s dropping Saturday? What sold out? What’s reselling for twice the retail price? What celebrity wore it? What’s everybody posting? And somewhere along the way, a culture built on individuality started looking remarkably similar. Everybody chased the same releases.ContinueContinue reading “Beyond the Hype: Sneaker Culture Is Getting Personal Again”

St. Croix Just Landed on a Rooftop in D.C. — And Reminded Me Where My Real Education Began

My first classroom didn’t have desks. It had a kitchen, a dining room, tourists looking for an experience, and locals looking for community. From 1986 to 1991, my family owned and operated The Old Gallery Restaurant & Bar on St. John, Virgin Islands. At the time, I didn’t think of it as an education. ItContinueContinue reading “St. Croix Just Landed on a Rooftop in D.C. — And Reminded Me Where My Real Education Began”

The First-Day Fit: When Back-to-School Sneakers Become a Family Economics Lesson

Back-to-school shopping has always been about more than notebooks, pencils and backpacks. For generations of young people, what you put on your feet on that first day has mattered, too. And maybe that makes the sneaker store one of the best places to start teaching our children about money. Growing up in the Virgin Islands,ContinueContinue reading “The First-Day Fit: When Back-to-School Sneakers Become a Family Economics Lesson”

From the Virgin Islands to the Top: USVI Women Win the 2026 Nike RBI Championship

The U.S. Virgin Islands women’s softball team didn’t just show up on the national stage. They left as champions. The USVI captured the 2026 Nike RBI Softball World Series Championship, defeating Houston Astros Nike RBI, 3–1, in the championship game at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Florida. For the young women wearingContinueContinue reading “From the Virgin Islands to the Top: USVI Women Win the 2026 Nike RBI Championship”

Companies Design the Product. The Street Names It.

There’s a new Air Force 1 dropping this holiday season. Nike’s internal name for it is something like “College Grey/Pink Glaze.” Somewhere in a design studio, a team spent months getting the shaggy suede texture right, the pink outsole just muted enough, the little MetroCard-style hangtag perfectly dialed in, right down to swapping the MTA’sContinueContinue reading “Companies Design the Product. The Street Names It.”