New York DJ Operator Emz talks sneaker obsession, hip-hop culture and his very own Pro Model design for Adidas.
By Brittany Leitner
Not many people have their life-defining moment in the second grade, but for Operator Emz, that’s when his passion for sneakers took on a life of its own. Born and bred in New York City, Emz recalls showing up to school one day and getting teased for his generic kicks. He went home and asked his parents for new shoes, picking out a pair of red on white Nike Oceana trainers and burgundy lo-top 69ers by Pro Keds the very next day. “That was the start of my obsession,” he says.
