Urban World

Mistajam interview

UW You have been DJ-ing from the age of 14, what made you want to get involved in this project?

Mistajam It seemed like the perfect thing for me as I've always been a sneaker head like most DJs. You'd be hard pushed to find a DJ that doesn't have some sort of love for sneakers – all of my DJ friends are the same and we regularly try to outdo each other with the most exclusive colourways & models. My trainer game is tight but I still lose – I'm a size 12 and it's hard to get a lot of creps in my size!

UW Has fashion always been of interest to you?

Mistajam I've always had a healthy interest in looking good but I wouldn't call myself a fashion expert! I'm more about making outfits work - my sneakers have to match my outfit though – going out in clashing colour trainers is not the one.

UW What is it about sneakers that make you so crazy about them?

Mistajam Growing up, we couldn't afford brand name sneakers so for me, it was always the aspiration to have them. I remember my first pair of properly branded ones were Adidas Campus back in the day that my mum had bought from the catalogue for me and when we could finally afford branded trainers, my feet had grown so much my choice in UK stores was limited so it's only really been the last 10 years I've been able to get and afford my size in some really nice colourways, models & editions so I take full advantage!

UW How many pairs do you own?

Mistajam I've recently thrown a load of old ones out – some were mangled and went to the tip, the others went to the charity shop but that left me with 52 pairs – a respectable amount I'd say! They occupy an entire wall in my bedroom!! Brands wise, I'm almost exactly split between Nike, Reebok & Adidas; but Jordans have a special place in my heart and on my feet! If it weren't for my other half telling me no, I would happily buy at least a pair a week!!

UW Can you say you have worn every pair at least once?

Mistajam I'm afraid not. I've got a few pairs still in boxes in the back of the wardrobe that I'm saving for special occasions!

UW What are you aiming to achieve at the end of this campaign?

Mistajam For me, it was all about making sure the person who won the competition truly demonstrated their passion for sneakers in the video.

UW How do you feel about being the forefront man to choose the winner?

Mistajam It's an honour! I'm a big fan of Footlocker stores and remember ordering online from the US before they opened stores in the UK. The staff seem to be really friendly and knowledgeable unlike other footwear chains that will remain nameless! Plus I like how Footlocker are supporting UK talent by having RWD magazines in their stores and also having Chipmunk fronting their recent poster campaigns.

UW Any future campaigns? What else can we expect from MistaJam this year?

Mistajam It's all about the radio, online and the club for me in 2010. I'm really focused on my Radio 1 & 1Xtra shows – broadcasting is my dream job and the shows are doing really well at the moment especially because the music is really exciting right now. We're getting a really good feedback from both listeners and the management alike so long may that continue. The mistajam.com blog is going from strength to strength and in terms of the club, I really want to do some festivals this year plus we have got a few plans for my own brand “Speakerbox” so keep your eye out for that.