MADE IN AMERICA has been a pioneering staple of Labor Day Weekend for the last decade, and this year, the JAY-Z curated two-day music festival returns to Philadelphia with headliners Justin Bieber and Lil Baby and additional performances from Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Roddy Ricch, Kehlani, Young Thug and Bobby Shmurda

Download the CLEAR Health Pass App, where you can upload proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test for fast and easy entry into the festival.

The Made In America festival will implement all CDC and local public health mandates and guidelines. In accordance with current guidance, proof of a negative COVID-19 test result or printed proof of full COVID-19 vaccination must be presented at entry. The negative COVID-19 test result must be obtained within 48 hours of attending the Made In America festival. In addition, as mandated by the City Of Philadelphia, all attendees on festival grounds will be required to wear masks. If you have questions about COVID-19 vaccines or to find a vaccination location near you, please visit www.vaccinefinder.org.

We will continue to work closely with local city officials. The safety and health of festival attendees and staff are always our first priority

HBCU Homecoming is more than a football game, it’s fashion, tailgates, sorority songs, fraternity chants, the vibration of bands, joy, and unity, it’s Fall's biggest event!

Each year DTLR supports students on HBCU campuses through our Annual HBCU College Tour. Our focus is to encourage, educate and engage with students during their education journey. We visit HBCU campuses with intention and execution fueled by our community motto “Dare To Live Right”. This year, we will return to the following campuses with an elevated cultural college experience.

Tour Dates

Artists Performing

Who Got Da Juice?

CALLING ALL UNSIGNED ARTISTS!!

Think you have what it takes?

Submit your music for a chance to when the Who Got Da Juice? Talent Search. DTLR is discovering new talent in select communities and giving them a push to generate exposure and more opportunities. Music is a part of our DNA and DTLR Radio provides a platform designed to discover and celebrate new artists. Our goal is to support the artistic work and creativity of emerging artists.

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:

• Follow Us @DTLRLifestyle

• Submit your music to [email protected]

• 40 artists will be chosen during the tour to perform at select DTLR HBCU Tour Stop

• Three (3) Grand Prize winners will be selected at the end of the tour

• All winners will compete for a chance at the top three (3) grand prizes

Get ready to meet us on the road!

DTLR Radio

DTLR Radio is one of the largest online radio stations in the nation. Launched in 2013, DTLR radio plays in over 250 DTLR stores in 19 states and via the DTLR Radio mobile app.

SWAG BAG CONTEST

• Attend one of the HBCU Tour Stops

• Download the DTLR Radio App

• 1st 100 people to download the app will receive a DTLR swag bag

Celebrity Gaming

• Attend one of the DTLR HBCU Tour Stops

• Compete for a chance to play against a celebrity

• Winners will also receive a $250 DTLR Gift Card

DTLR Model Search

ENTER TO WIN A CHANCE TO MODEL FOR DTLR

HERE’S HOW TO ENTER:

• Follow @dtlrlifestyle

• Post a head to toe photo using #DTLRHBCUTour

• Tag @DTLRLifestyle

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT:

• 10 models will be selected to walk the runway at a DTLR HBCU Tour Stop

• 2 Winners will be selected at each tour stop

• Models will be announced every Friday starting October 8th for each tour stop

• Models MUST be enrolled at a scheduled DTLR HBCU Tour Stop

• Prizing Includes: Head-to-Toe product from DTLR

• 2 Grand Prize Winners will become the Face of a DTLR Brand Campaign

• Link HERE to contest Rules

• Link HERE to model waiver

• No purchase is necessary to participate.

• Winners will be selected from PUBLIC IG accounts only.

#DTLRHBCUTOUR

Proud Sponsors

On this quiet winter morning over in Manhattan’s Lower East Side you can find some of today’s most influential Artist’s work, Daniel Arsham. Tucked away behind the Perrotin Gallery’s walls on Orchard Street holds three floors of masterpieces. Everything nostalgic to the late 90’s era child could wish for.

New York City Resident, Daniel Arsham has been making noise in the Art (and even streetwear) community for some time now. His works with Adidas, Kim Jones of Dior, and Ronnie Fieg has made him one of Fashion’s top Artist collaborators. His work often is monochromatic due to him being color blind and also reflects on making relics of current objects we’ve grown up around. Making casts and aging them through intricate processes.

Most recently Daniel has teamed up with the Pokemon brand to create sculptures of some of our favorite creatures from this Japanese Anime. Visiting the Perrotin we got to see an array of this new series along side with some other special pieces of paintings to even the cast molds itself.

Being a product from the 90's, seeing all of this in person actually does bring you back in time. There is something special to what Daniel is doing aging and distressing modern subjects to feel like an artifact. It makes you think what civilization will be like in a thousand years, and what the footprints we leave behind will be of importance.

The Show will be running until February 20th and still has some available showings left. If you have the time I highly suggest you go check out the Perrotin.

In partnership with Cxmmunity and 300 Entertainment, the retailer will create a virtual esports and live streaming experience to raise awareness and funds for participating HBCUs

DTLR, one of the country’s most successful lifestyle retailers with more than 240 stores in 19 states, today announced the launch of the first-ever HBCU virtual esports battleground and career fair in partnership with Cxmmunity, a nonprofit whose mission is to increase the number of minorities taking place in the gaming industry, and independent music label 300 Entertainment. This virtual activation, which will take place on both Oct. 18 and 25 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., aims to create a sense of community while also raising awareness and funds for participating HBCUs that have lost out on critical funding and alumni support due to the postponement of fall sports and homecoming games, and elimination of in-person career fairs and college tours in 2020 due to COVID-19.

Esports Battleground

DTLR teamed up with Cxmmunity and 300 Entertainment to create a first-of-its-kind virtual activation on live-streaming platform Twitchthat will match up against popular recording artists– including Tee Grizzley, T-Shyne, Lil Keed, and DJ SideReal – with team captains of the HBCU Esports League from participating colleges and universities, who will battle it out playing Call of Duty. The battleground is comprised of mainly 300 Entertainment talent. Anyone can log in to Twitch to join in on the fun and watch each matchup. Two groups of artists and schools will be matched up during each session on Oct. 18 and Oct. 25 from 1-6 p.m.

The HBCU Esports League was formed earlier this summer by Twitch and Cxmmunity. Participating HBCUs include Clark Atlanta University, Alabama State, Johnson C. Smith University, Howard University, Tennessee State, N.C. A&T State University, NC Central University, and Oakwood University to name a few. While donations are not required to watch the matchups, they are encouraged as HBCUs are missing out on critical funds that would normally be acquired during homecoming games.

Virtual Career/College Fair

In addition to the elimination of homecoming, students are missing out on opportunities to attend career fairs and tour schools, so the second part of this virtual activation consists of two tracks: a virtual career and college fair on platform Gamerjibe. The career fair will help connect college students with professionals and recruiters from lifestyle, fashion, music, and entertainment brands, including Cxmmunity and Bethesda Softworks, DTLR, and 300 Entertainment, which has guaranteed one internship to an attending student. Students can RSVP for an opportunity to conduct on-site interviews and also attend a live panel discussion. The second track will be for high school students, who will have the opportunity to meet with admissions from several participating HBCUs.

The fair will be set up like a game where students can create their own avatars and interact with participating brands and representatives that will have virtual “booths” set up. Anyone with an avatar can link it to their LinkedIn page or social media accounts to allow for easy networking. The fair portion of the activation will start at 12 p.m. and run through 3 p.m. on both Oct. 18 and Oct. 25.

“DTLR is excited to unveil this first-ever, two-part activation that serves to support HBCUs and their students -- both current and prospective -- by using esports and virtual experiences to help fill the void of in-person homecoming games, career fairs, and on-site school tours,” said DTLR’s Shawn Caesar. “By partnering with Cxmmunity and 300 Entertainment, we hope to generate critical support for participating HBCUs and to connect college students with representatives from top lifestyle and entertainment brands to help extend career opportunities during an uncertain time.”

About DTLR

DTLR is one of the country's most successful lifestyle retailers with over 240 stores in 19 states. Infusing together our passion for fashion, entertainment, sports, and community empowerment, there is no doubt we run the streets. In the fall of 2017, DTLR Inc. joined forces with the lifestyle retailer Sneaker Villa Inc. to form one of the nation's largest fashion chains. As we accelerate our growth, you can look forward to DTLR/VILLA continuing to bring you the hottest and latest fashions provided by top apparel and footwear brands like NIKE, JORDAN, ADIDAS, LEVIS, TIMBERLAND, UGG, NORTH FACE, CHAMPION, BILLIONAIRE BOYS CLUB, ETHIKA, PUMA, FILA, NEW ERA CAP and MITCHELL & NESS. Make no mistake: now, “Better Together,” we are the ONE STOP for young, trendsetting multicultural audiences. For more information, please visit www.DTLR.com.

About Cxmmunity

Cxmmunity; pronounced community; is committed to increasing minority youth participation in the esports and video game industry so that there is an equal opportunity as new jobs and professions are being created. We do this by ensuring that underserved k-12 institutions and HBCU students are developing skills within STEM and business-management by exposing them and providing access to video game publishers; film productions; sports and entertainment executives; professional athletes; and world-renowned artists. For more information, please visit www.cxmmunity.co/.

About 300 Entertainment

An American, independent label that takes the traditional model of a recording music company and flips it. The innovative boutique media and entertainment platform put artists first across genres, architecting career development with the mindset of an independent, but with the muscle of a major. The company has nurtured and developed some of the most prominent and culturally important artists of the decade. For more information, visit 300ent.com.

For those of you not living on planet Earth, The Last Dance is a 10 part docuseries chronicling Michael Jordan's final season with the Chicago Bulls while bouncing around to prior years in Jordan's life and career. This article will examine some key people from the series.

The Obvious

Let's get obvious out of the way: Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time. Now that we got that out of the way let's move on.

Michael Jordan

There are not enough superlatives to describe Jordan and his obsession with winning. What makes it all the more incredible is that it didn't come easy. Jordan had to earn it and take his lumps, for years, against the Celtics, the Pistons, and others. The 80s' were the building blocks for what would become the greatest player of all time. It's fair to wonder if what happened in the 90s never comes to fruition if the struggles of the 80s never happened. Unfortunately, for the rest of the league, the 80s did happen and it unleashed the greatest run in NBA history.

I think we tend to want to believe that what we see and experience is the greatest. Whether it be a player, a play, a concert, or whatever it might be, we want to believe that there is no way something we didn't experience could possibly be better. There are so many all-time great NBA players that are footnotes in history because of Michael Jordan. It is incredibly difficult to quantify that. So many other players could have called themselves champions if Michael Jordan didn't exist. The stories about Jordan aren't these mythical 'oh my god if only you could have been there' fantasies. They are real and that is what makes them all the more incredible.

Michael Jordan played a brand of basketball that has no comparison and this docuseries peels back the onion, even if just a little bit, to show us all that just because we maybe did not get to experience it first-hand doesn't make it less true that Jordan has no equal.

From the constant pushing (and fighting) of teammates to the need to seemingly always have something on the line, Jordan was always competing, and any and everything was motivation to beat the other person or the other team. Michael Jordan was relentless in his pursuit of competition. He was maniacal in his pursuit of winning.

As Jordan said, and I am paraphrasing, "none of the other stuff happens if he averages 3 points and 2 rebounds a game." All the endorsements, movies, commercials, 'Be Like Mike' jingles, everything. None of that happens without this insatiable dedication to the game of basketball.

When someone who was there tells you 'There is no one like Michael Jordan" believe them. Don't believe them because you think you should, believe them because it's true.

LaBradford Smith

What if LaBradford Smith actually had the audacity to speak to Jordan? Would Jordan have bludgeoned him with a basketball at halfcourt? How dare LaBradford not actually say anything to Jordan!

RIP LaBradford. I bet his funeral was beautiful.

Scottie Pippen

"Whenever they speak Micheal Jordan, they should speak Scottie Pippen."

Scottie Pippen is one of the top 50 players of all time and won six championships but will never be talked about with Jordan being mentioned in some form or fashion. I wonder is Scottie, deep down, resents that? I wouldn't blame him if he did but there are a lot of other great players from all different eras; players like Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, A.I., Reggie Miller, George Gervin, Dominique Wilkins, Elgin Baylor, Stockton and Malone, and on and on and on that would trade places with Pippen in a heartbeat and that is all the validation that Scottie Pippen needs.

John Michael Wozniak

Pour one out for The Greatest Security Guard of All Time™.

Jerry Reinsdorf

My favorite part of The Last Dance was when Jerry Krause came to Reinsdorf and said, "Hey I know we just won our 6th championship and we have the greatest player of all time, a top 50 player of all time, and one of the greatest coaches of all time but we don't need them anymore." Reinsdorf was all "Are you insane? What are you even talking about, you're fired for even suggesting something so stupid!" Then he had Krause escorted by security out of the building. He then called the Mayor of Chicago and had Krause banned from the city and called the President of the United States and had Krause expelled from the country. After that, he called NASA and said "Send Krause to the moon and leave him there!" NASA did that because Reindorf wanted Krause as far away from his basketball team as humanly possible for suggesting something so asinine and then Reinsdorf gave Jordan, Pippen, and Jackson multi-year extensions to keep the group together. Oh, wait, what? That didn't happen? Reinsdorf signed off on that suggestion and let the Jordan, Pippen, and Jackson walk?!? It's easy to pile on Krause and his Napoleon complex, and I will be doing so in a few paragraphs, but it cannot be understated how incredibly horrible of an owner Jerry Reinsdorf is.

*shouting* One more time, for everyone in the back.

Jerry Reinsdorf is, without a doubt, one of the worst owners in the history of sports for allowing that to happen.

Gambling and First Retirement

I don't know what is or isn't true around MJ's first retirement but every explanation feels like something is being left out. The thing about conspiracies is that they are almost impossible to disprove, which is why the are conspiracies. But just because something can't be disproved it doesn't mean it is true. While I don't think David Stern secretly suspended him for gambling I also don't buy that the most fierce competitor in the NBA one day decided that he was tired and needed a break. Based on everything the series has shown us it is more plausible to believe Jordan would have used that tiredness as motivation to keep going - a fight within himself to prove he could still persevere. I don't know what is and what isn't I just know that I don't fully buy the reasoning.

As for gambling, all I can say is who cares? I don't care what MJ does with his money, in the same way, I don't care about what you do with your money or you don't care about what I do with my money.

The Second Retirement

See the Jerry Reinsdorf section.

Jerry Krause

My god, Jerry Krause, what did you do? No one cares that you drafted Pippen to compliment Jordan when you broke up the greatest dynasty in NBA history all because your little ego was hurt because people didn't sing your praises. You could have transported Jordan and Pippen to any downtrodden team with a bad owner and terrible front office and they would have turned it around and won... oh wait, that's right, they did that! The Bulls were a dumpster fire with a horrible owner and awful front office before Jordan and Pippen arrived, but yes, tell me more about how great organizations, not players, win championships.

Jerry Krause is the only reason Jerry Krause doesn't get the credit he thinks he deserves.

Six

John Stockton drills a three and puts the Jazz up by 3 with less than a minute to go. From that point on no other Chicago Bull touches the ball except Michael Jordan. No other player scores except Michael Jordan.

William Shakespeare, Edgar Allen Poe, Emily Dickenson, Robert Frost, T.S. Eliot, et al. want you to watch forty-two seconds of poetry in motion.

The Mountain

The Last Dance did an incredible job of reminding people who were there and showing younger generations of people who weren't there the greatness that is Michael Jordan.

There will never be another Michael Jordan.

Players today and players to come will all try to climb the mountain. Some might even reach the top, but what they will fail to understand is that Michael Jordan isn't sitting at the top of the mountain.

Michael Jordan is the Mountain.

Celebrating the ultimate event of step life at many college universities.

The CIAA 2020 STEP SHOW Tour is off to a wonderful start by reaching over 5000 students within the first half of the tour! The Tour kicked off at Lincoln University (Philadelphia, PA), then we traveled to Bowie State University (Bowie, MD), and headed South to Virginia Union University (Richmond, VA) and Virginia State University (Ettrick, VA). Our most recent stops were in the Carolinas at Elizabeth City State University (Elizabeth City, NC) and Shaw University (Raleigh, NC). At each college campus, we have been very well received and congratulated for the success of each event from the College and University Administrators, Student Service Directors to Security Teams.

As students enter the Tour venues, they are greeted by the DTLR HERLIFESTYLE powered by Puma “Instagrammable Moment” (complete with a flower wall and blush couch) where they are able to take photos and send them to their e-mail on a post on social media. They are also invited to the DTLR HERLIFESTLYE powered by Puma Portrait Wall where our volunteers take a photo of them, students write an inspirational message on their photos and hang them on the wall to leave a lasting impression. Fifty participants per stop walk away with a DTLR HERLIFESTYLE powered by Puma gift bag complete with a journal, tumbler, pen, T-shirt and other items to complete their experience. Male Students were excited to visit the DTLR Tent to receive T-shirts, towels and other giveaways as they prepare for the show.

Each Tour stop featured local school and area Artists, National Acts and Step Show Teams. Our host “JayCee” continuously makes each show significant to that particular College or University by showing “love” and speaking specifically to that audience. The shows feature National Recording Artists such as Rubi Rose, Heavy Steppers, Aniya and other performers throughout the show. The Step Show Teams (KAPPAS, ALPHAS, DELTAS, etc.) at each school are called out and “stroll” throughout the event. The Greeks take over the show and represent their Sorority or Fraternity by stepping on stage. DJ High Rise, the Tour DJ, adds to the hype at each school with his interactive music segments and inviting students to the stage to win DTLR Gift Cards.

Student reaction has been very positive and they are thankful for the activation elements and entertainment that DTLR and CIAA have brought to their school. They are already asking about next year’s tour and how to be part of it.

Tour Dates

Spider-Man has a spectacular history with Nike.

Superheroes have become more and more prevalent within pop culture. It seems like there's a new Marvel movie every couple months, and it's working, as they're dominating the box office. Out of all the characters introduced on the big screen, none are probably as iconic as the one and only Spider-Man.

We've seen many, many variations of the live-action films. From Sam Raimi's OG Spider-Man trilogy to the disappointing Amazing Spider-Man to current Tom Holland-era Spider-Man, we've seen it all. Now, there's even an animated Spidey from Into the Spider-Verse! Some might say these movies are over-saturating the cinema sphere, but I say we want more.

One of the more interesting things I've noticed with modern-day Spider-Man is the close affiliation to Nike. From a marketing standpoint, utilizing one of the most popular staples in entertainment can prove to be very successful. It also makes characters more like-able, more realistic, and definitely, more interesting. Do I want to see a movie where the main character wears AJ1s and can swing through the city? Of course I do.

Sony Pictures recently came out with the much anticipated animated film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, in late 2018. With all the highly-rated reviews, critics and fans alike enjoyed the movie. It stars a young Miles Morales and captures his journey from awkward teenager to young superhero.

One of the more interesting aspects of the character is his realistic nature. He's a kid from Brooklyn and is a true New Yorker. What I like the most about his image is his admiration for the coveted Air Jordan 1. As one of the more popular silhouettes in sneaker culture, Miles himself wears the classic Chicago colorway (which are actually hard to acquire nowadays).

As part of the film's promotional marketing campaign, Nike teamed up with the film's team to create a shoe just for the movie. Known officially as the Jordan 1 Retro High OG "Origin Story," these sneakers sold out quick, and for good measure too. Almost identical to the Chicagos, the Origin Story 1s have their own Spidey twist to them. For one, they are spotted on the red leather intentionally to mimic Spider-Man's own suit and abilities. The soles are icy, and the upper tab on the tongue is blue with red lettering, similar to the colorway of the classic Spidey suit. They definitely stand out and make their mark on the sneaker community.

Although Miles Morales is a great animated Spider-Man, we also have to acknowledge Tom Holland's acting abilities in the live-action portrayal. He fits the young Peter Parker character so well, with his charisma and emotionality. Throughout the Avengers franchise and his own solo movies, Tom Holland has proven he is fit to be the next generation's Spider-Man.

This past week, Spider-Man: Far From Home debuted in theaters across the U.S. After much anticipation, the movie lived up to the hype (in my opinion and many others as well). One thing I noticed right away was Peter Parker's wardrobe. Sure his outfit wasn't too crazy, but his shoe game was definitely up to par.

Tom Holland's Peter Parker was wearing another iconic silhouette from Nike: the classic Air Max 1. Although it was not the OG red and white colorway, these sneakers still caught my eye. I could spot that Air Max 1 from miles away. What I appreciated most from his shoes were the fact that they were just some general release colorways. He wasn't wearing any hype shoes, although I'm sure he could if he wanted to. These sneakers fit his character so well and they added a nice touch to the viewing.

If you're interested in the Air Max 1s worn by Tom Holland's Peter Parker in Spiderman FFH, they are in the White/Black-Wolf Grey-Gunsmoke colorway. I say this because I personally think it's such a good colorway. If Tom Holland can rock 'em, why can't I?

Animated or not, Spider-Man and Nike have a close connection, one that works incredibly well. This collaboration is great for the sneaker community and comic enthusiasts all around. I'm excited for the next Spidey sneakers to come. What do you think it'll be? I'm hoping for a Spider-Man take on the Nike Air Presto. Maybe a Venom colorway? The possibilities are limitless.

In this article, we touch on the growing national status of basketball today.

Growing up, my grandfather often said that baseball was (and still is) America’s pastime. Football in the states began to pick up momentum and give baseball a run for its money. Nobody thought that basketball was going to grow at such an alarming rate. Due to its cultural popularity, you are able to live the NBA lifestyle one way or another.

There was a time when people who bought basketball signature shoes, intended to play basketball on a court. Now, consumers are sneaker fanatics who may admire the design, feel the colorway, or a mixture of both. Indirectly, we as everyday consumers are representing NBA stars by wearing their signature shoes.

Similar to sneakers, consumers purchase apparel and memorabilia of their favorite NBA basketball team. Caps, jerseys, posters, and bobbleheads are just a few items people buy to show love and support.

Video gaming has gained an enormous fan base over the decades. Players from all over come together to go head-to-head in NBA2K. In the game, you have the ability to develop a creative player fit to your preference. Arcades also have miniature hoops for players to shoot their best shot.

The greatest influence is television programming. NBA has partnered with multiple broadcasting stations to show games in mass syndication. Viewership has not only grown in the U.S. but has become a global pillar in the basketball community.

Saturday, February 16th

Location: Charolette, NC

Meet & Greet Allen Iverson: 12PM - 2PM

Meet & Greet Marcus Black: 5:30PM - 7:30PM

Thanks for having us.