URB1 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH LEGENDARY GAME

Article written by: Rodrick Rainey
Posted on: April 24, 2004

So you are tired of jerseys because everybody has the fakes? However, if you could find something others couldn’t get you would love it. Urb1 gets an i-view with the king of custom jerseys, Legendary Game. And being how we hooked up with them a long time ago before all the fame came to the Legendary Game name, we can promise their legendary quality has not gone down. All jerseys bow down.

(URB1) What happens when the customizing craze is out of control and jersey fans are taking over the streets? You get someone who emerges with the idea to do completely custom jerseys, that’s what! And since Urb1 was around at that merging point, we do know who started the craze. Alright students, pull out your notebooks and take notes from the godfather of custom jerseys, Legendary Game!

Some might wonder, who is Legendary Game, and the owner Throwback. This is the guy who designed jerseys for all the St Lunatics, Lil John & the Eastside Boys, Big Tigger, and too many more to name. And while certain urbanites might recognize the name because he blesses their city with his all jersey clothing line, we want to give you the inside look at the man himself, “Throwback”.

What Up Throwback? I’m glad I finally got back in contact with you man. It’s been a long time as you know I’m a big fan of your work. Lets start off by telling the people the 1st question that probably pops in their mind. What all celebrities have you worked with that just stand out in your memory?

(LEGENDARY GAME) Wow, I will try to list them in reverse order. We just picked up Twista this week, & have had the pleasure of working on custom jerseys for Donald Trump, Big Tigger, R-Kelly, Don King, Jalen Rose, Carmelo Anthony, Lil’ Jon, Julius Peppers, TJ Duckett, Scarface, Yukmouth, E.40, B-Legit, P-Diddy, Trick Daddy, Smilez & Southstar, Ludacris, Chingy, I-20, Darius Miles, Q-Richardson, West Side Connection, Paul Pierce, Ricky Davis, Shaquille O’neal, Messy Marv, Gary Payton, Nate Dogg, The Federation, Drew Gooden, Elton Brand, Donyell Marshall, Snoop, Swizz Beatz, Cassidy, Cast of the Wire, Sticky Fingaz, Fredro, Cedric the Entertainer, Ying Yang Twins, Pastor Troy, Clips, Terrell Brandon, J-Wells, Too Short, Cory Maggette, Michael Jordan, Bone Crusher, Cast for the new movie ‘Be Cool’, Jeff Mcinnis, Chris Webber, Mike Bibby, Just Blaze, Larry Hughes, Baron Davis, Penny Hardaway, & many others’

(URB1) Of those celebrities, who was the first to break you out into the fame? And since then how much work have you done for them?

(LEGENDARY GAME) Nelly & the St. Lunatics no doubt. A few years ago Nelly asked me to make him and the Tics. Full warm-ups to wear at the BET awards red carpet. Since then I have made his tour wardrobe each year, the Air Force 1 video jerseys, Dilemma, Hot in Here, Vokal Designs, and custom team softball uniforms each season.

(URB1) I KNOW YOU HAVE YOUR OWN JERSEY CLOTHING LINE THAT WAS RELEASED TO SELECT CITIES, BUT WILL IT EXPAND TO MORE CITIES AND WHAT CITIES ARE YOU ALREADY IN?

(LEGENDARY GAME) My original goal was to have two stores in every state carrying the Legendarygame product. I reached that goal -and then some- in a short amount of time last year. Word that I could make ANY jersey a customer could create spread quickly. Now the stores are pushing my custom jerseys real hard since everyone wants -one of a kind- pieces.

(URB1) IN DOING THESE HIP-HOP ATHLETIC JERSEYS, YOU HAVE TO CROSS TWO LIFESTYLES: ATHLETIC WITH THE HIP-HOP FLAVA. WHAT’S YOUR HISTORY IN THE TWO? YOU INTO SPORTS? WHAT KIND OF HIPHOP ARE YOU INTO THAT MAY HELP YOU GET INTO YOUR CREATIVE ZONE?

(LEGENDARY GAME) I grew up in the 80’s, Jordan was the ball player, LL-DMC-Jackson were the hot artists, & fashion was ‘out of hand’. Big chains, neon, leather, break dancing’ I did it all. The biggest influence on the jerseys I make today came from watching and emulating Michael Jordan though. I grew up in a small town, and finding a jersey of your favorite player was not possible. I started making jerseys in 1988 at the local t-shirt shop, jerseys that I always wanted, and began selling a few of them to students at my Junior High. Jerseys were popular to me before they were popular to the world.

(URB1) FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON, LEGENDARY GAME JERSEYS ARE A BIT EXPENSIVE, BUT I KNOW YOU USED TO HAND MAKE THESE JERSEYS. ALMOST LIKE THE “BENTLY” CRAFT OF HIPHOP JERSEY FASHIONS. ARE YOU STILL DOING THESE BY HAND? AND WHAT MAKES THE QUALITY OF THESE EXCLUSIVE JERSEYS SO MUCH BETTER?

(LEGENDARY GAME) Yes, Legendarygame still makes all its products by hand, custom. Our fabric weight is heavier than ‘mainstream’ jerseys, we use all sewn lettering & numbering, & customers can create any jersey pattern, size, lettering, & idea. We make what you want, and the price is still under the mainstream $399. Customers want to walk into the club knowing no one else is wearing their jersey. We provide that luxury & confidence.

(URB1) THAT’S WHAT’S UP. I KNOW MY JEREY’S QUALITY WAS OFF THE HOOK AND AT BIKE WEEK IN MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH KHAK, AS WELL AS OTHER PLACES I’VE BEEN, PEOPLE STOP ME LIKE “WHERE DID YOU GET THAT” AND SO ON. BUT WE’LL SKIP ALL THE TALK ON PEOPLE COMPLEMENTING IT BECAUSE IT WAS ODD HAVING STREET HEADS COME UP TO ME MEAN MUGGING THEN TELLING ME HOW GOOD MY CLOTHES LOOK AND NOT KNOWING ME AT ALL…LOL… MY QUESTION HERE IS WITHOUT ME EVEN GIVING YOU A DESIGN TO WORK WITH, HOW DID YOU JUST VISION THE JERSEY YOU SENT ME? ARE YOU INTO THE ARTS OR SOMETHING BECAUSE MOST CAN’T JUST DESIGN SOMETHING HOT AT THE SNAP OF 2 FINGERS LIKE YOU DID.

(LEGENDARY GAME) The compliment is greatly appreciated. Many major clothing lines have approached me about designing. I like what I am doing though with Legendarygame.com, & what it is becoming. It is becoming the leader in custom apparel & has gathered major notoriety in the celebrity world.

When I make a celebrity’s jersey, I design a jersey that gathers attention for TV, magazines, & fans. That is what the celebrity wants, a one of a kind. I can’t describe what goes through my mind when I create a new jersey, it just clicks. Now the public wants the same thing, a one of a kind. The demand has made Legendarygame available to everyone, customers need to take advantage.

(URB1) WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN STORE FOR HIP-HOP FASHION HEADS THIS SUMMER? LEGENDARY GAME IS EVERYWHERE RIGHT NOW, MAGAZINE WISE. THE BULLET PROOF VEST ON LIL JOHN HAS BEEN SEEN IN LIKE 3 MAGAZINES ALONE I BELIEVE AND IT’S YEARS AHEAD OF OTHER JERSEY CREATIONS FROM YOUR COMPETITION. SO I KNOW YOU GOT SOMETHING YOU CAN REVEAL TO THE URBANITES OF URB1!?!?

(LEGENDARY GAME) Some things are secret right now. I can tell you that our custom button-down french cuff throwbacks are crazy. Everyone is wanting something ‘in sport’, & fashionable that they can wear into the clubs. Twista will be the first to wear them this week for some national TV appearances. Custom legendarygame throwbacks will be the big thing this summer till xmas as well.

(URB1) THANKS FOR THE INTERVIEW MAN. I KNOW YOU GOT MAD OTHER THINGS TO DO. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY TO THE PEOPLE WHO VISIT URB1 ON THE REGULAR THAT I DIDN’T COVER?

(LEGENDARY GAME) I appreciate the opportunity that Urb 1 has created for Legendarygame.com. ‘04 is the year of the custom jersey, & customers need to take advantage. I have always noticed the public walking into mainstream stores and asking for a jersey that the store does not have, & will never have. Nobody does what Legendaygame does, & at the quality/price. We make you the jersey you always wanted.