How a boot that was originally made for yuppies who like to hike and construction workers is now so closely related to hip-hop and urban East Coast culture how did this happen Timberland's Origins date back all the way to 1993, when the company's name was originally The Abington Shoe Company for years they manufactured non-branded shoes to distributors in the U.S it wasn't until 1973 that they decided to create a rugged boot for The Working Man.


The boots came in a variety of leathers all of them waterproof but the yellow nubuck colorway became by far the most popular shade in an uncared characteristic move for the period the boot was heavily branded with the iconic Timberland tree. This one boot style became so popular that The Abington Shoe Company officially changed their name to Timberland in 1978. As Timberland entered the 1980s they noticed an interest in the American work boot over in the European market specifically in Italy.


The Abington Shoe Company

Italian boutiques began stalking the American work boot and slowly but surely other European markets began to follow suit over the next decade or so Timberland boots became something of a status symbol overseas and Timberland decided to plant their flagship store in the bustling New York City specifically on Madison Avenue A Street famous for shopping centers that catered to wealthy people all around the world you see in.


The early 90s New York drug dealers were not shy about spending their Newfound wealth at higher end boutiques on Madison Avenue and Timberland boots were on that shopping list these Hustlers were rock stars on their blocks and had massive influence on the youth. Thanks to this the Timberland boot spread popularity all throughout inner city neighborhoods in New York like the Bronx queens and Harlem and it wasn't long before hip-hop Legends of that era began adopting the Timberland boot as part of their everyday wardrobe think of rappers like Nas and Biggie who basically made the boot a part of their whole identity.



Biggie, Nas and countless other rappers from the East Coast even featured Timberlands in their songs like Biggie's line Tim's from my Hooligans in Brooklyn from his hit hypnotized or NAS's line in his first verse on the World is Yours wipe the sweat off my Dome spit the phlegm on the streets swayed Tim's on my feet makes my Cipher complete meanwhile Tupac was on the west coast pulling up to Red Carpet Events and Tim's and the boot even made it on the album art of Mobb Deep's 1994 Banger the infamous.


Let's not forget Wu-Tang Clan and oh yeah Busta Rhymes who have forever donned a fresh pair of Tims in all types of different colorways basically what happened was all these rappers and Hustlers unofficially endorse Cebu and Sail Skyrocketed shockingly this annoyed Timberland you see Hip-Hop was still a new thing the East Coast versus West Coast noise was getting louder and Hip-Hop was getting a bad rap in the eyes of white Corporate America also known as the executives at Timberland.


And in 1993 in an interview with the New York Times, Jeff Schwartz the then VP of Timberland said if you hear that hip-hop kids are wearing Timberland boots that's coin and current dollars but how in the world is that sustainable basically labeling the hip-hop inspired consumer a bonus to their profits and not what they're about which in their mind was still making quality boots for The Working Man as you can imagine there was some uproar and for a brief moment.


Timberland stock even fell fun fact Damon John was so upset with Timberland's lack of acknowledgment that he started his own brand called FUBU which stands for for you by us. Being primarily black folks and the lovers of hip-hop culture despite the controversial statement from a Timberland executive the Timberland boot was still the most iconic boot in the world and the company repositioned itself to better serve not just one target consumer but everyone who was enjoying the boots the boots all-terrain usage and nearly impenetrable waterproof technology make it a no-brainer purchase for anyone looking for a rugged boot whatever the activity you'll def be styling and a pair of Timbs speaking of style.



The Timberland boot has been the canvas for many designers and rappers including high profile collabs with brands like Stussy and Supreme the latter features an American flag blasted on the boot and last year Supreme Timberland and the New York Yankees made the most New York boot possible with their collab on the Timberland field boot look at these other takes on the boot did not go unnoticed either look at these wild Off-White Timberland boots which feature a velvet upper and a slime green colorway.


Back in 1998 when he worked at David Z's and they released this Primo looking gray Timberland boot I've yet to see a reaction to her Louis release of any shoe including Jordans and Yeezys to match up against the craziness I witnessed Behind These joints I remember selling over 450 pairs of these out of one door on the first day and we ended up selling over 10 000 pairs in a little over a month Ronnie feig all right you. Can't talk Timberlands without mentioning the hit pop Mogul DJ Khaled.



Back in 2017 Khaled teamed up with Champs to create the secure the bag Timberland which featured a money green colorway they released alongside a video game that Khaled Timberland and Champs released of the same title which featured DJ Khaled mobbing on a jet ski time traveling through the world in a pair of tins obviously there are a ton of collabs but I think we hit home today how iconic this boot really is and why its popularity was Amplified by hip-hop culture.