Nike Air Force 1 '07

Homecoming festival with Kazeem Kuteyi

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Since its reintroduction back in 1986, the Nike Air Force 1 has become one of the most coveted, legendary and timeless sneakers of all time, continuously evolving as the years go by. For us, the all-white Nike AF1 symbolises perfection.

To highlight the Nike Air Force 1, we headed out to Lagos to visit the Homecoming Festival, which promotes Lagos’ most inspiring and original art spaces, where we managed to catch up with Kazeem Kuteyi, a cultural curator and the founder of the global youth culture platform New Currency. Created back in 2015 by Kazeem, New Currency celebrates and brings light to innovative ideas and thinking from young emerging creatives through different mediums, a print magazine, IRL interventions and digital projects.

We had the pleasure of talking with Kazeem about his goals for New Currency, hopes for future generations and what the Nike Air Force 1 means to him and the culture.

Nike Air Force 1 ->

SNS : Firstly, how did you find this year’s Homecoming Festival?

Kazeem : I'm a fan of anything that brings vibrancy and energy to Nigeria. I was particularly a fan of the talks, especially the one about sports in Africa, and I think that catalysed some new thinking about sports and its accessibility in Nigeria. There is much to do there. Overall, it was nice to hang with my friends. A big shout out to Aniko and Blessing (WEAREALLCHEMICALS) for that crazy B2B set at Homecoming HI-FI rave, that was a highlight for sure.

SNS : You also love to DJ. Tell us, what’s your favourite track to include in your sets?

Kazeem : That’s a tough one. But anything by Hagan is a must. He’s a London based producer and DJ. Takuta by Shay Lia which he remixed is currently in rotation.

SNS : You were originally born in Toronto, grew up in Nigeria and spent a lot of time in European cities like London and Paris. How have those locations impacted you as a creative?

Kazeem : I think because I move around so much, I can adapt easily to any situation. I’m also meeting so many different people and taking in new perspectives. This has shaped how I see the world. I’m tapping into the many scenarios I find myself in these different cities to solve a problem or bring something fresh. For example, I like going to clubs in Berlin and London, it’s shaped how I put on club nights in Toronto or even doing a rave with Group Therapy in Lagos last year allowed me to understand the nuance of youth culture in Lagos. These memories I collect shape how I tell stories or approach curating in spaces. It’s a form of anthropology. I’m not in these cities just to observe, I’m actively contributing and collaborating and through that I learn, make new friends and connections and the domino effect of this way of experiencing cities has been great.

SNS : How important do you think it is that the youth of today have a voice and platform to express their vision and ideas?

Kazeem : We're in a global crisis! We need fresh ideas to steer innovation, so having a platform for visions and ideas from the youth to be shared is important. Young people globally need to access emergent thinking that can guide how we navigate the world that keeps changing by the second.

SNS : What are some of the challenges you’ve faced on the road to creating New Currency?

Kazeem : New Currency is a capital intensive project, so there is that. Not having access to capital to scale to where I think it should be has been a challenge. New Currency, being a global project, also takes its toll. I have to be in different cities, so being away from home for long periods of time can be a bit challenging.

SNS : One of the things that New Currency does so well is bringing people together from different cities and cultures. Have you seen these people’s creativity expand from these interactions?

Kazeem : 100 percent. New Currency has served as a nucleus for many new connections, through the magazine and the events we put on. I have seen people create new alliances and projects as a result of being in our orbit. It’s a nice sight to see and super proud of what we have accomplished.

SNS : As the years go by and technology changes, how do you see life-changing for the next generation of creatives?

Kazeem : I think technology will accelerate things for sure but the need for great storytelling will never change. How we tell these stories using technology is what will be interesting to witness and be a part of in the coming years.

SNS : As part of our trip to Lagos, we’ve been celebrating the history of the Nike Air Force 1. Tell us, what does this sneaker mean to you and has it had an impact on your culture?

Kazeem : The Air Force 1 is an icon. As a person who sticks to a uniform, it goes with everything. Culturally, it has stood the test of time, every generation before me and after me will continue to see this shoe as an icon so there is something to say about its legacy. It’s something I think about mirroring as I navigate my practice and how I approach my work.

SNS : By creating New Currency, you’ve had a huge impact on the creative youth of today. What’s been your most favourite/memorable moment so far in your journey?

Kazeem : Having young people send messages saying that the output has inspired them to “go for it” or creating space where young talent can express themselves amongst their community are favourite moments and highlights.

SNS : Finally, where do you see New Currency heading in the next 5-10 years? Do you have any specific goals in mind?

Kazeem : There is a huge interest in figuring out permanent space. I have seen the impact of space on young people as my practice is evolving into what I like to call “hijacking space” by way of staging interventions in art institutions. But there are a few infinity stones I need to collect before that happens.