Interview: HerbbySince’89 Block Party at Noisiel

After the success of the first edition, the Block Party made its comeback earlier this year at the playground 4 Cours du Buisson in Noisiel. The highlight of the event was an exhibition of nearly 200 mythical sneakers and basketball jerseys from Herbby’s personal collection, under an innovative artistic direction. For the second edition, it was accompanied by a photo exhibition inspired by Spike Lee’s classic film, Do The Right Thing (1989), in collaboration with the photographer and videographer Charly G.

Hunting For Kicks caught up with Herbby, the masterminds behind the Block Party.

First off, why Block Party?

I launched HerbbySince’89 Block Party in 2017, after going to Spike Lee’s “Brooklyn Loves Michael Jackson” Block Party in 2016. I was inspired by the complete vibe of the event so I decided to create mine, in my hometown (Noisiel), around my main passions: Sneakers, Basketball, Hip-Hop & Art.

What was the story behind the second edition of the Block Party theme?

The second edition of the Block Party theme is based on my story: I was born in 1989, I’m a Sneaker and Basketball connoisseur and I’m a huge fan of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air!

At what point did you realize you had an interest in sneakers?

I grew up playing football (soccer) and I started having an interest in basketball and sneakers in 1996, when Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant got drafted in the NBA. Then I fell in love with it in 1997, when Space Jam released in France!

What did you do to turn your passion into a career?

To be honest, I had no choice. Like the late great Dr. Maya Angelou said: you can only become truly accomplished at something you love. I first started a career at Nike and worked in Retail, Marketing and Events. Then, I decided to launch my own Consulting and Events activities around Sneakers, Basketball and Street Culture.

All images by @miaskick