Interview with Sn'eads creator Ree

Finish Line: All of our readers may not be familiar with Sn'eads. So can you give them the 411? 

 Tyree:  For those that don't know or who've been under a rock, SNEAKER + HEADS = SN'EADS (pronounced like HEADS) is in fact, the evolution of the term SNEAKERHEADS. SN'EADS by R E E is the official online comic for sneakerheads by a sneakerhead ... ME. It's basically about the day in a life of a group of teenage SN'EADS (3 guys and 1 girl). 

FINL: Where do you get your inspirations for Sn'eads? 

 REE:  Well...It started with all the blood, sweat, and tears I put into making other people's dreams become reality on a daily basis. One day, I decided that it was time for me to start bleeding, sweating and tearing for something of my own. I was in search for a creative outlet to express some thoughts and feelings about something that I cared about...hence, I wanted to make ART for ME. So, I started by simply asking myself..."what does Tyree LIKE?" and the answer was simple: art, basketball, thick women, hip hop, and SNEAKERS...in no particular order. So, I started investigating and I discovered sneakerblogs for the first time and I WAS HOOKED. It was INSPIRING. So I kept digging deeper and deeper... Then, I was on some blog and caught an interview with a cat I had no idea about by the name of MAESTRO KNOWS. Ironically, he dropped the one jewel that set me on a path. He said, "Instead of paying attention to what people ARE doing...pay attention to what people AREN'T doing." After hearing that, I discovered more and more shoe sites and started to recognize a pattern...the pattern was there wasn't a whole lot that set them apart. It's pretty much the same information everywhere you go. And then the light went off... "how come nobody is making SNEAKERHEAD COMICS?" "How is the sneakerhead represented ARTISTICALLY other than the shoe itself?" It's really a deep idea when you think about it...but in a nutshell, I basically found a HOLE in this industry that I could EASILY fill and I've been here for a year now :) 

FINL:  What do you do as a day job? 

REE:  By day, I work as a full-time cartoonist based in Los Angeles, CA. I mainly direct, design, and/or storyboard cartoons for broadcast on the internet, television, & film. My most recent projects include "BOB'S BURGERS" on FOX. I'm currently directing a cartoon for MTV called "GOOD VIBES" which will release Spring of this year. 

FINL: How big is your sneaker collection and what is the crown jewel? 

 REE:  I don't own very many sneakers...I'm more about quality than quantity...but, probably around 300. But, I'd have to say my crown jewel(s) are my 1994 Cement Air Jordan IIIs. You gotta understand...the AJ 3 is the shoe that got me hooked. Looking at OG Black & White Mars Blackmon & Air Jordan commercials back in 88 had a profound influence on the man you see today. From fashion to film...I soaked all of that in and it literally started with THAT shoe and that campaign. 

FINL:  What is your first memory or best of Finish Line? 

 REE:  My first memory of Finish Line was when they opened up a store in the local mall and by the front was the "Best on Earth/Best on Mars" Michael Jordan/Spike Lee poster for The Air Jordan III. That was EPIC because another store, who shall remain nameless, didn't even have that poster! 

FINL: Is it true that Finish Line is the inspiration for the fake sneaker store in your comics? 

 REE:  You caught me red-handed. The fake sneaker store that first appeared in 2nd episode of SN'EADS entitled, "DEADSTOCK GRAILS" was called "REPLENISH MINE" and is indeed modeled after Finish LIne. Basically, that's a cue from me reading MAD Magazine as a kid. They would always take something familiar and come up with a few funny name for it that you could relate too. So trust me, I knew that when I came up with "Replenish Mine", there wasn't a SN'EAD on this planet that wouldn't get that joke! 

FINL: Where is the future of Sn'eads headed? 

 REE:  SN'EADS is headed into more and more young minds every time I put one out. But this year is the release of my art book, "SN'EADS by R E E: VOL. 1." It will be compilation of all the strips to date, some behind the scenes/process work, never before seen artwork, dedications, and of course an in depth interview with me. Other than that, collaborations with some lifestyle brands, animated shorts, merchandise...just keeping it moving one day at a time.

We would like to thank Tyree for his time and his great comics. Keep following Finish Line Buzz for more from Tyree.

Click here to see the newest from Sn'eads