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Mostly the Voice
images via SLAMHip-hop and hoops had a long-running relationship by 1994, but they didn’t quite have a voice. Enter SLAM Magazine. Bold, brash and unfiltered, SLAM delivered barbershop basketball talk in editorial form. The incredibly influential publication is responsible for fueling many fans interest in roundball and introducing some of the game’s best and brightest ballers before they were stars.
Just the same, SLAM would go on to make a huge impact on the sneaker culture. Often highlighting upcoming footwear releases in the back of the mag and eventually birthing KICKS, SLAM started a lot of the kick convo that now takes place online. Made memorable thanks to Dennis Page and incredible writers like Russ Bengtson, Lang Whitaker, Tony Gervino, and Scoop Jackson, SLAM crafted a tone that’s taken to more topics than just b-ball and sneakers that’s still heard today.
