Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcus Carter.
Hi Marcus , it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My journey starts when I was young. I’ve been loving sneakers ever since I can remember. It started with my father showing me vhs tapes of Michael Jordan and believing if I could get a pair of his signature shoes I could be like him some how. I was a kid that was bullied and called names etc. a lot, and as I would learn from multiple books and home videos of Mj, he was bullied a lot as a kid as well, so I guess I related to him in that manner. One day in choir rehearsal something happened. In choir rehearsal one day, I was being talked about pretty badly by a couple of the “cool kids” and suddenly my dad shows up to the church and ask if I could step out, he needed to see me. In his hand was a Nike store bag, and he says “I got you something man.” It’s a pair of the brand new 1994 Air Jordan 9s, with a Nike jogging set to match. I immediately ask could I change into the outfit. I change and he says “now go back to rehearsal.” I returned and immediately everyone surrounds me talking about my new outfit and shoes. The same kids that were bullying me were now in awe and saying “look he has the new Jordan’s!” One girl said “now yall can leave him alone he’s the cool one now.” and from that day foward I was a Sneakerhead lol. I loved the feeling that moment gave me. The confidence, the sense of victory. In that moment I felt like Mike, overcoming the naysayers. I’ve loved sneakers ever since and developed a passion for them and the story behind sneakers which eventually lead to me starting a YouTube and sharing my passion for sneakers and clothes.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s been a pretty smooth road doing something i genuinely love. Sometimes I get caught up in how many views my videos get or may not get, or how many subscribers come. But i usually focus back on my love for it and everything else works out. I struggled with opening up and being on camera. I am usually very shy/ insecure (because of being bullied when I was younger,) but as I started I noticed I had a natural personality for this and everything flowed. Soon the numbers of followers and subscribers started to skyrocket and ppl expressed my passion for sneakers inspired them to get into sneakers or inspired them to jump into a new hobby or things they enjoy.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a social media influencer and have my own podcast where I review the latest sneakers and talk about everything dealing with sneakers and sneaker releases and sneaker news. Most known on instagram for my outfits I put together with the latest sneakers and streetwear fashions. This has lead to me being interviewed by the New York Times, paid sponsorships with sneaker companies, opportunities to judge sneaker ambassador partnerships with different clothing brands, events, even being on the local news. Things I’d never dream of all because of my passion for sneakers. I also hosted a sneaker giveaway for my wife’s school. She’s a teacher and told me one day couple of students that didn’t have good sneakers to wear to school and were being bullied. This touched me and reminded me about my story. So I teamed up with my good friend nba player and his wife Thaddeus, & Shekinah Young and did a sneaker giveaway for the students with the best behavior and grades at my wife’s school. Probably my most proud moment in my journey by far.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson I’ve learned was About being my self. Sharing my story and love for sneakers , ppl tell me all the time how I have inspired them to get into sneakers, or what they love to do, and showcasing it. Or how they love seeing me open a pair of new pair of shoes and the joy it brings. And how me sharing my passion has lead to so many opportunities that I never thought about. I never thought How simply being myself would garner so much interest and opportunities from ppl.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mokicksthanbrucelee?igsh=ZHQyMmhpbWxueTcx&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1B31zVohCV/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Twitter: https://x.com/mokicks1986?s=21&t=79ax4cccF4HW7Rm3w9EQhw
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@mokicksthanbrucelee?si=jLVBg0agktQ0Sn6c
