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As usual, brands are releasing reports and end-of-the-year lists that give their POV on culture’s most impactful moments and releases.

On the fashion side, a few shoes are topping the list for sneaker of the year.

Generally speaking, you’ll see some of the usual suspects on the list from Nike, Jordan, etc. But, one shoe caught my eye, and it’s only been out for a month, or so.

It’s an Adidas Samba.

But when I took a closer look at the material on the shoe I was intrigued. The material wasn’t just leather, it was CROCODILE.

There have been a lot of takes on the Samba over the course of its life, but this one felt new. It was a unique blend of high fashion and streetwear in a way that feels unexpected.

Ironically, a notification from the Adidas Confirmed app prompted me to shop the collection where the shoe was featured. Upon further inspection, it showed me that the creator was Grace Wales Bonner.

As for her design principles?

Well, if you listen to Grace talk about her work, or visit her website she brings up the term “Cultural Luxury” — something that I wanna unpack a little bit today.

Before we get to that though, let’s set the stage a little bit.

Some of you may not know Grace (yet), so let’s break it down.

IN 1990…

Grace Wales Bonner was born in South London to an English mother and Jamaican father. Growing up, she would split time between parents which allowed her to learn about life from her Jamaican relatives as well as her British ones. It’s heritage that inspires the stories that she would go on to tell in her work.

After grade school, Grace attended Central Saint Martins Art School where she discovered her interest in fashion, and while there, her final project “Afrique” won her the L’Oréal Professionnel Talent Award.

Shortly after, she launched her own self-named brand, Wales Bonner, in 2014.

Just a year later…

Grace’s breakthrough in the fashion world would begin.

In 2015, she debuted her first collection under Wales Bonner named “Ebonics,” and subsequently won the British Fashion Award where she was recognized as an Emerging Menswear Designer.

In 2016, she won the coveted LVMH Prize — a prize worth $300,000 and a mentorship opportunity at LVMH. Between that award and the connections she was already making in the world of fashion, this year proved to be an accelerant to her ascent.

As for Wales Bonner the brand, it initially focused on menswear, with her designs quickly gaining attention for their fusion of Afro-diasporic themes, exploring identity, spirituality, and Black masculinity in ways that pushed past conventional narratives on Blackness.

In the years to come, specifically with the release of her Spring 2019 collection, Wales Bonner would go on to release women’s wear that also explored many of the same themes as the men’s line.

To date, her work can be seen on celebs like Kendrick Lamar, Mos Def, and Solange, and Sampha.

GRACE’S THESIS OF CULTURAL LUXURY

On the Wales Bonner website first line of the about section states:

“Wales Bonner proposes a distinct notion of cultural luxury that infuses European heritage with an Afro Atlantic spirit.”

It’s a guiding principle that you see clearly when you look at Grace’s work and her perspective on the luxury space. It’s challenging the idea of luxury and what it means.

Grace has stated in interviews that she believes apparel to be one of the most direct forms of communications.

Moreover, one of the goals of her company is to create what she calls “essential luxury” via collections telling stories that draw on different eras and influences of the African diaspora.

At times, she’ll draw on her own lived experiences as a British-Jamaican woman, and at other times she’ll find other muses. The common threads in each instance are the unmistakable qualities that are uniquely her (the print choices, detail to capturing the aesthetics of a specific era, etc.). All of this can be seen when watching the supporting vignettes of each collection as well.

Grace also notes that the approach to her work is heavily grounded in research — a process she notes is instinctual, and even spiritual in the way that things happen to find her while searching archives.

ADIDAS & CULTURAL LUXURY

Grace has noted that for Wales Bonner to achieve its goals in luxury she’s open to collabs as long as it’s the right partner.

With that in mind, in 2020 she unveiled her first collection in partnership with Adidas.

Below are some of the collections from her Adidas partnership to give you a feel for how her work has come to life in culture.

A. Lovers Rock (Fall/Winter 2020)

Fun fact for those who didn’t know: Lovers Rock is actually a style of Reggae — not just the title of Sade’s album.

The pieces from the collection drew together all of the influences from artists in the 80s who performed that style of music.

More specifically, Bonner noted that she drew inspiration from Bob Marley — she wanted to create suits that were reminiscent to what he’d wear in his era.

The debut collection also featured clothing inspired by Grace’s personal influences including her Caribbean heritage, and upbringing in London that I alluded to earlier.

Naturally, the collection is sold out.

To date, the pieces can only be found on sites like Grailed and StockX where they’re on resell for $100s of dollars.

B. The Spring 2024 Collection

In one of her most recent collections with Adidas, Wales Bonners included a throwback SKU from over a decade ago: The Neftenga.

This silhouette was made famous by Ethiopian track star Haile Gebrselassie who broke the Berlin Marathon record in 2008.

Ironically, East Africa was the muse of one of her first shows in 2017, Ezekial, which drew inspiration from figures like Haile Selassie.

C. Discovering a World Within a World (Fall/Winter 2024)

Wales Bonners most recent release (which the Croc skin Sambas/Superstars are a part of) sees her focusing on Black life in New York at a time that looks like the 80s.

You’ll find Black youth wearing Gold chains, jumpsuits, an of course, the grail of all Hip-hop shoes (depending on who you ask), The Adidas Superstar.

EPILOGUE

Grace’s work with Adidas is some of the best I’ve seen this year.

I’m not gone hold you, I can’t really fade the price on the Samba’s (YET!) — But that’s the point. These are luxury sneakers and the details from the Crocodile skin to the woven 3 stripes on some of the silhouettes.

Everything shows an intense appreciation for storytelling that not many share.

If you don’t check out any other collabs this year, I’d take a look at her work.

You won’t be disappointed. Trust.

One.

The post Wales Bonner’s Cultural Luxury appeared first on SNOBHOP.

We’ve all heard the sound before. We look for it in beat drops, in the club, in our cars etc. And that sound is known as the…

808.

For those unfamiliar with the term, an 808 is a drum sound often used interchangeably with “Kick.” However, the 808 is more often than not responsible for the low frequency that you hear in sound systems.

808s are the foundation of many subgenres of Hip-hop, including Trap music (what kids call “Drill” these days), and its legacy in culture runs deep.

To really know Hip-hop, you gotta know the origin of the sound. More to the point, to partner with The Culture, you must understand the subtle cues that make the music important.

So, in true SNOBHOP fashion, today is a deep dive into the history of the 808 drum.

Let’s talk about it.

IT ALL STARTED IN THE LATE 60s…

Engineer Ikutaro Kakehashi set out on a mission to create an affordable machine for drum synthesis.

At the time, Ikutaro was doing this under his own company, Ace Tone, which was known for producing early rhythm machines like the R-1 Rhythm Ace, which offered preset patterns and sounds and was widely used in home organs.

By all accounts, Ikutaro was doing pretty well, but little did he know that he was about to cross paths with someone who would change his life forever…

While Ace Tone continued to create its products, he crossed paths with a man named Don Lewis, who found a way to “hack” the Ace Tone drum machine.

Don was an electrical engineer himself, and he was able to get the Ace Tone drum machines to produce sounds that even its creator Ikutaro Kakehashi didn’t believe it was capable of.

Kakehashi was so impressed by Don’s work that the two struck up a working relationship, and, in many respects, Don’s input in future products were the reason why drum machines became programmable.

After a few more years working under the Ace Tone moniker, Ikutaro eventually started The Roland Corporation where he made Don the principal designer.

In the early years of Roland, Ikutaro released the first drum machine the CR-78, but truly stumbled upon the company’s magnum opus in 1980.

That was the year Roland released:

THE TR 808.

The 808 was the first of its kind — a fully decked-out machine that came with realistic drum sounds and effects. It was also leaps and bounds ahead of the competition because it was programmable (something Don learned hacking the Ace Tone years earlier), which meant that you could make a drum beat fully inside of the machine AND save it for later.

Ironically, for as forward-thinking as the 808 was, the machine initially flopped.

Musicians (and critics) disliked the sounds, and production of the 808 ceased only 3 years later after Roland couldn’t get the part that was responsible for making it as unique as it was. Only 12,000 units were sold during this time.

But, all things work out for the greater good, and life would show that was just the beginning for the TR 808.

1982 CHANGED EVERYTHING…

After an initial underwhelming release, the 808 machine began to slowly get adopted by different musicians across the world.

Experimental groups like Yellow Magic Orchestra in Japan (widely credited with being the first group to use the TR 808 on a recording) and Kraftwerk inspired many musicians in America to experiment with drum synthesis.

A handful of records in the U.S. are usually given the credit for being the first to incorporate the 808 sound in the production, but in 1982, two records were released which changed the course of the 808 drum machine’s future forever.

1. Marvin Gaye: Sexual Healing

Marvin Gaye had just experienced a tumultuous split from Motown, and as a result he wasn’t using their producers anymore. He moved to Belgium to recalibrate, and after locating a studio in Ostend, and an engineer in Mike Butcher, he was ready to work.

You’ll never guess what he brought with him to Belgium…

That’s right. Marvin was using an Roland 808.

His split from Motown gave way to a belief in being as independent as possible, and with the 808, Marvin didn’t have to rely on live musicians to create for him.

The result of experimentation on the 808 gave us one his most successful records: Sexual Healing.

Marvin Gaye’s use of the 808 validated it on a mainstream level and electrified the underground producers who were also gravitating toward the machine. Between this record and the one below, the 808 was gaining a foothold in the circles that mattered culturally.

2. Afrika Bambaataa: Planet Rock

Hip-hop was still in its infancy, but Afrika Bambaataa’s Planet Rock became the record that brought the 808 drum machine into pop culture.

The futuristic drum beat provided the backbone of the record, and has been sampled on a bunch of records since then.

Many artists on the East Coast, and across the world noted Planet Rock as the reason they began to search for the TR 808 in pawn shops — it was all to replicate the futuristic sound Afrika Bambaataa and The Soul Sonic Force.

Moreover, Bambaataa’s use of the 808 on Planet Rock led to the creation of sub-genres like Drum and Bass, House music, Electro and much more.

AS FOR HOW THE 808 BECOME A SOUND…

Hip-hop began to grow as a genre, and adoption of the 808 machine continued to spread amongst the underground. However, one producer is widely credited with using a technique that changed the use of the 808 machine forever. Of course, it was none other than:

Rick Rubin.

While tinkering with the machine, Rick made an amazing discovery:

If he adjusted the decay of the 808 kick drum, it morphed the clean drum into a wide bassy kick, which became a feature in a lot of his work in the 80s with artists like The Beastie Boys.

Just like that, Hip-hop producers starting putting that sound in their records to get that same “punch.”

As time progressed, more mainstream musicians incorporated the use of the 808 machine in their work, and it was clear that the star of the machine was the kick drum that was capable of rattling trunks and blowing out speakers.

By the late 80s it was official.

The lore of the 808 was born.

MIAMI BASS TOOK THE SOUND FURTHER

Going into the 90s, Hip-hop dominated the airwaves. Run D.M.C., and LL Cool J were global successes, so it was clear that Hip-hop was here to stay, and the 808 drum machine popularized by Planet Rock, LL, Public Enemy, and the Beastie Boys records were the driving force of the sound.

That rumbling bass tone from the 808 kick sound became so popular that it eventually made its way down to Miami where Miami Bass pioneers like DJ Pretty Tony created records like “Fix It In the Mix” — widely credited with being the first Miami song to feature the 808.

The bass sound was catching waves across Miami because of the DJ scene, and soon gave rise to groups like the 2 Live Crew who helped make Miami a mecca for Hip-hop in the South.

Building on the success of the 808 sound in Miami, one producer duo took the things even further:

Dynamix II.

Dynamix paired the 808 with different machines in their studio and created a method that allowed for “tuning” it.

All of sudden, the kick had new characteristics — it could go high, low, and even distort itself.1

It would prove to be game changer that transcended music across the East Coast. Peep below for reference:

As the 90s went on…

The versatility of the 808 was on full display.

Slowly, producers were moving onto drum machines that were more advanced than the Roland 808, and its original drum sounds survived on Floppy Disks, and eventually CDs years later.

Because of the way tech evolved, and how Hip-hop music traveled through the world, the 808 sound traveled eventually permeated the South which made way for Atlanta to get into Bass Music, New Orleans to get into Bounce, etc.

In New Orleans that led to the rise of record labels like Cash Money, and its main producer Mannie Fresh, who brought his own flare to the 808.

Moreover, in Atlanta we saw the rise of acts like the So So Def Bass All Stars, which eventually gave way to the rise of Crunk music.

Lil Jon, the de facto architect of Crunk music, heavily used the 808 drum in his work with Usher, The Youngbloodz, and many more. It gave the city a sonic identity that influenced the genre for decade to become because from Crunk music, we eventually got…

2000s TRAP MUSIC

Producers like DJ Toomp, Zaytoven, Shawty Redd, etc. ushered in a new sound in Hip-hop characterized by key elements found in the original TR 808 like the kick drum, hi-hat, and snare drum.

With the advancement in tech allowing producers to become more mobile they were able to take the 808 to new heights.

Through working with Gucci, T.I., and Jeezy who are often touted as the fathers of the Trap music, their sound effectively solidified the importance of the 808 for a new generation of Hip-hop fans.

Listen to the drums on this T.I. record below. The Hi-hat and Kick should sound familiar.

As the years went on we eventually saw the rise of producers Lex Luger, 808 Mafia, Metro Boomin’ and more who became the go-to producers of the 2010s.

With their ascent, the 808 took on even more characteristics that helped it keep relevance with a younger generation.

FAST FORWARD TO TODAY…

And all roads lead to the present day with Drill music.

The 808 is the focal point of the production of Drill in all of its distorted glory, and the foundation of this subgenre is rooted in the sound of Atlanta Trap in the 2010s.

EPILOGUE

The 808 is responsible for so many records that it’d be impossible to list them all here. Its influence spans genres, continents, and generations, which is why I think it’s important to give it a spotlight.

There’s no telling when the next big innovation of the 808 will happen but if the recent wave of rap shows us anything, it’s that each generation will find a way to flip it and make it their own.

It’s crazy how a random sine wave out of a 40+ year old machine can change the world, huh?

If you ever see an original Roland 808 going for the low, holla at me.

One.

The post How One Machine Defined The Sound of Hip-hop Music appeared first on SNOBHOP.

E.G.O.T. winner.

100s of records produced.

The list goes on.

As a society, we tend to use the word “legend” loosely, but if you ever need an example of a bonafide legend, it’s Quincy Jones.

More than a musical genius, Quincy Jones is a cultural institution responsible for a lot of the work we love and cherish today. There will likely never be another figure that influential in pop culture again, so he deserves all of the props.

His impact reaches across generations, and people tend to forget exactly how much he gave to the world. But don’t worry, we’ll change that in a second.

For this edition of SNOBHOP, let’s talk about Quincy Jones’s influence across generations — from music to TV, and everything in between.

Let’s get it.

On March 14, 1933…

Quincy Delight Jones Jr. was born in Chicago’s South Side. In the 1930s, Chicago was a vibrant but tough place, and young Quincy grew up surrounded by the stark realities of the Great Depression and segregation.

Raised by his father, Quincy’s family eventually moved from Chicago to Seattle, seeking better opportunities and a fresh start after his mother’s struggles with mental health caused turmoil inside the family.

Seattle became the launching pad for Q’s music journey. While there, he attended Garfield High School, where he first discovered his passion for music, specifically the trumpet.

It was here that he met Ray Charles, a fellow teenager and soon-to-be legend, who inspired Quincy to dive deeper into Jazz. Quincy spent countless hours practicing, even sneaking into Seattle clubs to watch musicians perform, soaking up every bit of knowledge.

These formative years exposed him to a plethora of musical styles, and shaped his versatility as a musician, setting him on the path to becoming one of the most influential figures in music history.

If you look at his impact by the decade…

THE 50’s & 60’s

By 1961, Quincy’s career was on a uptick because of the work he’d done in the Jazz world. This momentum eventually led to him becoming the VP of Mercury Records, where he helped break several Black artists into the mainstream.

Moreover, as the decade progressed, Quincy caught the ear of Frank Sinatra. The two collaborated on the album “It Might As Well Be Swing,” and his time with Sinatra became the springboard that led him into film scoring — effectively opening the film scoring biz to Black people.

THE 70’s

At the start of the decade, Quincy was around 37 years old, but he had already accomplished so much by then. The 70s would mark the beginning of what’s arguably his most important work, and it spans across music and film.

A. Film Scores

He created the score for movies like In Cold Blood and The Italian Job, marking one of the first times a Black composer took on Hollywood film scores, blending jazz and orchestral music that became genre-defining.

He even did the score for the iconic Sanford & Son starring Red Foxx in 1972.

B. The Wiz

This Wiz marked the first time that Quincy worked with Michael Jackson in any capacity, and it was a groundbreaking moment in Black cinema for featuring the biggest stars of that era like Diana Ross.

Although Jones noted that it was hard to get the film into White theatres, he also believed it to be a turning point in getting Black films to have more expansive distribution. 1

C. Michael Jackson’s “Off The Wall”

Yes, this also hit the streets in the ’70s (try to keep up).

While working on The Wiz, Michael Jackson was also plotting how to make his foray into the world of pop as a solo artist. He needed the right producer to help mold his sound, and ironically, he asked Quincy for help finding someone to take the job.

After spending some time together working on the movie, Quincy said that he’d like the job and the two began working on what eventually became MJ’s debut album, Off The Wall.

Needless to say… It was a hit.

And, more than that, Off The Wall set the stage for what would arguably become Quincy’s biggest musical contributions in the decade.

THE 80’s

This decade is perhaps where the most monumental work of Quincy’s career takes place (granted, it’s hard to quantify with such an incredible career) and you’ll see why in a secod.

A. THRILLER

Let’s start with the obvious.

Thriller is the highest-selling album in the history of music with over 70 million copies sold worldwide. The number 2 album trails it by 20 million records.

Quincy Jones produced Thriller and effectively changed the sound of pop music while also helping to cement Michael Jackson’s status as a mega star in pop music.

The title track from the album “Thriller” also set a new standard for what music videos could be, and effectively helped cement the importance of MTV after they premiered his behind-the-scenes documentary of the making of the video — something that hadn’t been done before.

Thriller went on to win 8 Grammys in a single year, and effectively cemented Michael Jackson as an international superstar.

B. We Are the World

A lot was going on in the 80s.

The Cold War was still raging on, Reagan had just been re-elected, and worst of all, there was a famine in Ethiopia that lasted two years.

Famous actor & activist Harry Belafonte wanted to do what he could to help end world hunger abroad and the U.S. and wanted to form an organization that could do so. Seeing the success the U.K. experienced in fundraising with a song called “Do They Know It’s Christmas,” Harry reached out to get a coalition of musicians together to do a record.

Naturally, Quincy got the call.

He took time away from producing music for his next film to co-organize and produce “We Are The World,” and in the process, he brought together the biggest names in music to raise funds for Africa.

It was a pioneering example of music as a force for global social change. To date, it’s one of the highest-selling singles of all time.

C. The Color Purple

The Color Purple was the first film that Quincy produced and it was another film where he handled the music scoring responsibilities, as well. Mind you, this movie was made around the same time he was working on We Are The World — it was a busy time.

Despite that, he put together an all-star cast for the movie and it was (and is) hailed as a classic in Black culture.

Fun Fact: Quincy Jones discovered Oprah. Yes, THE Oprah.

A year after The Color Purple entered theatres Oprah started her own talk show The Oprah Show and the rest was history.

THE 90’s

While Gen Z & Boomers felt the impact of We Are The World and Fresh Prince, Hip-hop was coming into its own in the 90s.

Quincy had just struck a deal with Warner to create his own company, Qwest Entertainment, and with that came more innovative work from Quincy — this time it wasn’t just audio, it was also media.

A. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

The Fresh Prince was the first show produced under Quincy Jones’s imprint, and Will Smith’s presence would not have occurred had it not been for a party at Quincy’s (see the full story below).

Much like the Cosby Show,, it was a groundbreaking moment in TV that showed a version of Black Success that hadn’t been seen in pop culture before.

Will was a superstar in Hip-hop and he was riding high from his first Grammy win a year earlier.

The Fresh Prince marked his transition into acting and gave birth to the box office legend we now know.

B. VIBE Magazine

Through his children, Quincy had developed an understanding and affinity for Hip-hop (having won the first Grammy under his name for his album Back on the Block).

By 1993, he went on to co-found Vibe magazine (yes, THE Vibe magazine) in partnership with Time, and it became a cultural touchstone for Hip-hop journalism, fashion, and Black culture, giving a platform to Black artists and stories that were often overlooked.

Many Black journalists cite Vibe as the turning point in their interests in the field of journalism, and the magazine helped break the careers of several media figures that are present today (the first official cover is below).

2000 & Beyond

In fact, consider the reboot of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air — it’s definitely a 90s nostalgia play, and it wouldn’t have happened without the OG series.

B. The Boondocks

Quincy Jones also had a memorable role in the first season of The Boondocks where he starred as himself during the Christmas episode.

When it was announced that he transitioned, X users from this generation immediately reposted this scene as a way to pay tribute to one of culture’s last giants.

“Don’t look at Quincy Jones. Quincy Jones can’t save you.”

Last Thoughts…

I gotta reiterate — Quincy Jones wasn’t just a music producer, he was a cultural institution.

Not too many like him left in the world, but hopefully this piece gives you a glimpse into the impact that he’s had on the world.

Do yourself a favor and indulge in some of his work this week, or watch his documentary on Netflix. I know I’ve been doing the same.

One.

The post How Quincy Jones Transformed Culture in Every Generation appeared first on SNOBHOP.

The shoe will debut on September 28, 2024, in select locations such as Otsumo Plaza in Tokyo, the “I Know Nigo 2” pop-up in New York, and globally on October 4 via Nike’s SNKRS app.

This drop is the start of what’s expected to be an ongoing partnership between Nigo and Nike, with more apparel and footwear releases on the horizon. See below for the trailer (released on Instagram today) and PR photos of the shoes.

The post Nigo and Nike’s Bold Air Force 3 Collection Drops This Week appeared first on SNOBHOP.

When asked about his upcoming performance Kendrick said “Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date. And I’ll be there to remind the world why. They got the right one.”

Peep below for a trailer announcing the performance.

The post Kendrick Lamar to Perform at Super Bowl LIX appeared first on SNOBHOP.

“Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist” takes us back to the night of Muhammad Ali’s legendary comeback fight in 1970. Kevin Hart portrays Gordon “Chicken Man” Williams, a hustler who becomes the prime suspect in a massive armed robbery that turns Atlanta upside down. The series dives deep into the transformation of Atlanta into the “Black Mecca,” highlighting the cultural and social dynamics of the time.

The story is based on the acclaimed iHeart true-crime podcast of the same name and is brought to life by showrunner Shaye Ogbonna and executive producers Will Packer and Kevin Hart. The series promises a mix of action, comedy, and drama, all set against the vibrant backdrop of 1970s Atlanta. With its detailed period costumes and set designs, viewers are sure to be transported back in time.

Mark your calendars for September 5, 2024, and get ready to witness Kevin Hart and an all-star cast in what promises to be one of the most talked-about series of the year on Peacock.

The post Peacock’s ‘Fight Night’ Brings 1970s Atlanta to Life with Kevin Hart appeared first on SNOBHOP.

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About a month ago, Pharrell announced that as Creative Director of Louis V, he was giving Tyler a shot at creating his own capsule collection. The collection itself features everything from monogramed jackets to bags, and even shows influences from Pharrell’s BBC/Ice Cream brand that dominated the streetwear space in the early 2000s.

You can check out the short-film below to learn more about the themes of the collection and after that, head over to Louis Vuitton’s website to cop a few pieces.

The post Tyler, The Creators Louis Vuitton Capsule Collection is In Stores appeared first on SNOBHOP.

Roughly a week ago, the passing of the creator of Dragon Ball Z, Akira Toriyama, was announced on Twitter. Ever since, the tributes have been flowing in. And rightfully so.

DBZ is one of the most famous anime franchises ever, with one of the strongest influences on worldwide culture.

It was a huge part of many people’s childhoods, and it’s been around so long that it’s touched 3 different generations and possibly every continent on the planet.

If you’re reading this, you might wonder what the hype around Dragon Ball Z, or maybe someone in your family is a fan and you don’t know why.

Either way, it’s a cultural phenomenon, and definitely worthy of talking about on this fine Friday.

Y’all know the vibes… Today is all about Dragon Ball Z.

In 1955…

Akira Toriyama was born in the town of Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. While in school he grew a liking to anime after being introduced to it by his grade school friends.

Though he could draw well, Toriyama didn’t initially pursue a career in manga. In fact, after graduating from high school, Toriyama attended a design school where he studied advertising.

He was roughly 3 years into his advertising career when his focus began to shift.

Long story short…

He quit his job.

After leaving, Toriyama drifted aimlessly (his words) until his parents told him that he had to figure out what his next move was.

Around that same time, he saw that a Weekly Shonen magazine was hosting a contest to see who could make the best anime.

The prize was 500,000 yen & a regular spot in the magazine.

Toriyama didn’t win the contest, BUT the editors reached out to him about continuing the work he created, which eventually led to his anime series entitled “Wonder Island.”

It was published Weekly in 1978, making it Toriyama’s first foray into manga.

Following up on Wonder Island, Toriyama made a popular manga called “Dr. Slump” which helped him become known inJapan.

He was getting to the point where he wanted to wrap up that story and start with a new character/series.

That’s when Toriyama came up with an idea for a news series entitled…

DRAGON BOY

As the quote above affirms, before Dragon Ball, Toriyama started with a one-offs of “Dragon Boy.”

He was fresh off of making Dr. Slump, and wanted to try his hand at creating a new manga that would incorporate martial arts themes into the story. That series laid the groundwork for what would soon become “Dragon Ball.”

(notice the character at the bottom is basically Chi Chi, from Dragon Ball Z)

The one-offs were cool, but not close to the level of success of Dr. Slump. However, Toriyama was stubborn, and kept tweaking his idea using all of the skills he had learned over the years.

In 1984, all of his prior experience combined to make what would become his magnum opus…

Dragon Ball

IT BLENDED EASTERN & WESTERN CULTURE

Toriyama’s influences from his early work heavily play into what ultimately became Dragon Ball Z.

At the core of its success is a deep appreciation for Eastern & Western culture, and universal values that align to all humans.

In much of Toriyama’s earlier work, he cites western works like Star Wars as an influence.

When combined with the Eastern adoration for martial arts it created a unique world for DBZ to play in — one that includes everything from: Alien invaders with futuristic tech to foreign planets with peaceful races on the brink of extinction.

IT REACHED 3 GENERATIONS OF FANS

A key distinction that accounts for the impact of Dragon Ball is that they’ve told the same story over the years with only slight variation.

Whereas Pokemon (another beloved series), has new editions on a very regular basis, DBZ literally introduces the exact same story to new audiences sending them on a path of discovery that’s easy to follow long term.

As a result, DBZ touches 3 different generations of pop culture, and its merchandise extends far beyond what a lot of anime franchises offered.

Moreover, the fandom translated to different mediums — it created an opportunity for fans to express their fandom to younger generations and extend the life of the DBZ Franchise.

Below is a brief examination how each generation experienced Dragon Ball:

A. Gen X & Dragon Ball

As mentioned earlier, the OG series Dragon Ball premiered in 1984.

In 1986, Toei animation picked up Dragon Ball, and the TV adaption of Dragon Ball manga premiered over in Japan.

Prior fans of Toriyama’s work tuned into the Dragon Ball series and it’s first imprint on culture was being made.

B. Millennials & Toonami

By 1995, DBZ made its way to American viewers but the crazy thing is… it didn’t do well. In fact, they stopped dubbing new episodes because they couldn’t get good viewership for it.

But that changed by 1999.

By then, anime began making waves in the U.S. because of Cartoon Network & its Toonami programming block.

Toonami became many Millennials first introduction to Anime as a form of entertainment AND it just so happened that it included re-runs of Dragon Ball Z.

For the first time, kids in the U.S. were watching DBZ everyday at 5pm.

This caused the show to rise in popularity, and the big wigs figured it was time for move into a new space with merchandise.

At the same time, console gaming was entering into a new generation with the introduction of the Sony Playstation.

With the PS2 era came the release of games like Budokai, and Budokai Tenkaichi that allowed young fans to take their DBZ love to the next level even after the show ended.

C. Gen Z & Dragon Ball Z Kai

By the mid-2000s, Dragon Ball Z the corporate big wigs decided to remaster DBZ and create a new series called Dragon Ball Z: Kai.

The dialogue and art were updated, and for a new generation of kids in Gen Z, this was their first introduction to DBZ.

Some went on the binge the entire series from Dragon Ball all the way to Dragon Ball Super (the newer episodes) & just like that, a new generation of DBZ fans were born.

And, naturally, if you’re gonna refresh the show it’s only right to introduce a new suite of games to match. With that in mind, Toei animation & whoever else owns the rights have been creating a ton of new DBZ games for younger fans to enjoy`

IT BECAME A FIXTURE IN POP CULTURE

Another signal for how big The Dragon Ball franchise is can be the references to it that pop up in culture.

I mean… Goku was in the Macy’s parade last year, if that wasn’t a clue. Super Saiyan God Goku, to be exact.

Dragon Ball Z has also been referenced in songs by everyone from Frank Ocean to to Joey Bada$$.

Remember, Frank Ocean’s lyrics on Pink Matter? Cotton Candy, Majin Buu?

Majin Buu is a DBZ character who happens to be pink.

THE FIGHTS ARE ALSO LEGENDARY, AND THEY SHOW UP IN CULTURE TOO.

I. The Kamehameha Wave

Goku’s signature attack in the series is known as The Kamehameha wave. 9/10 at some point in an episode where Goku is fighting, this will appear.

For reference, this is an example of the attack below:

And this is one of the biggest pop culture references of the Kamehameha in culture. Drake using the wave in a fictional dance battle with Chris Brown:

II. Creed III Fight Scene

Creed III showed it DBZ influence towards the end of the movie.

The movie plot is about two frenemies engaging in an epic battle to see who’s the best — very similar to the source material of Dragon Ball Z and the relationship dynamic between the protagonists Goku & Vegeta.

Specifically, an interview with EW revealed that Dragon Ball Z inspired the scene below:

III. The Spirit Bomb

Whenever Goku was getting his ass kicked with no help in sight, he always had one move left to rely on:

The Spirit Bomb.

It was an attack that harnessed all of earth’s energy to create… well, a bomb. People would be compelled to raise their hands in the air and contribute energy to make the blast bigger.

It was something larger than life.

It’s alo the reason why thousands Argentinians got together to create a Spirit Bomb in Toriyama’s honor.

EPILOGUE

Dragon Ball Z is one of those franchises that sits above in terms of worldwide influences.

If you were to put a time capsule together for aliens to reference, there’s a fews that we can all agree would go inside.

The list would probably include an iPhone, a copy of Thriller by Michael Jackson, a Pikachu toy & Superman action figure and somewhere in there, a picture of Goku.

Stream some DBZ today for the GOAT Akira Toriyama.

One.

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