“Ride this way” is right. Photo: Burton
I think it’s fair to say that Run-DMC is known for productive collaborations. Now the sons of the late Jam Master Jay are teaming with Burton to breathe life into yet another badass partnership. T.J. and Jesse Mizell joined with George Burton Carpenter, son of Jake Burton, to create a unique collection of products sure to have you busting down walls with a mic stand to get your hands on.
“The idea for this collaboration came from a tightly bound friendship rooted in passion for snowboarding,” said Carpenter in a press release. “The Burton x Run-DMC collection breathes life into the legacy of our fathers. Through this collaboration, we carry on their legacy and amplify the connection between hip-hop and snowboarding. The designs remain true to our heritage while evolving the style and culture that we intend to pass on for generations to come.”
Bindings from the Mine77 x Run-DMC line. Photo: Burton
The Mizell brothers were far from passive collaborators. The two brought their lifelong passions to bear in the design process. “(We) have been snowboarders since we were kids. Fashion, snowboarding and music, specifically hip-hop, really go hand-in-hand, and that’s what my brother and I have been born into,” T.J. Mizell noted.
A throwback fanny pack from the Burton x Run-DMC line. Photo: Burton
Products begin dropping in mid February
The collab covers a range of Burton products, including snowboards (natch), boots, bindings, outerwear, streetwear, bags, and accessories. The collection launches on Feb. 15 with the Mine77 x Run-DMC line, followed by the Burton x Run-DMC line on Feb. 22. On top of that, the collaboration is digitally auctioning “7.7 DJ Boards” from Feb. 7 – 15.
Burton board makers handcrafted the unique rides in their Vermont headquarters. Proceeds from the auction benefit the Chill Foundation and the Jam Master Jay Foundation.
One of the 7.7 special edition boards going on auction starting Feb. 7. Photo: Burton
So what’s with that 7.7 thing? Adrian J. Margelist, Chief Brand Officer at Burton, explained.
“I was born in 1975, so my teenage years were all about the rise of snowboarding and hip-hop,” she said. “To honor the year 1977, the year Burton was founded, we created not eight, but seven whole boards plus one board that is .7 the size. The 7.7 DJ Boards that are up for auction are once-in-a-lifetime pieces of art that honor snowboarding and hip-hop’s cultural impact, and I hope the boards will raise significant funds to benefit the inspiring work of both [the nonprofits].”
The collection should drop later this month.
