If you want your music online to be coupled with some of the sharpest music writing on the net, always good for a laugh and an occasional lady, The Smoking Section is simply the place to go. An installation at this point, we were lucky enough to get an interview with the founder, the Teflon Don himself, John Gotty™. Check it out below!

Interview

To start, who are you and where are you from?

“John Gotty™, founder and editor of The Smoking Section, checking in from Nashville, TN.”

How did you get ‘The Smoking Section’ started?

“A love and interest in music. Wanting to share music with friends. One of them suggested creating a website so other friends would have easier access and could also share the singles and albums I was highlighting. This was around 2005 and the idea of blogging was relatively new. I had previous experience operating websites but not ones which required as much upkeep and sharing. But it was kind of fun, the reactions were positive and the opportunities kept emerging. From there, things really took on a life of their own.”

What was your original intent for the site?

“Again, strictly sharing music I thought was dope. There was new material dropping constantly, old stuff that people had forgotten as well as various artists that were being overlooked. As the post count and our readership kept growing, we were able to offer a lot more than just music because we had such a diverse group of people converging on the site on a daily basis.”

Are you a sneakerhead personally?

“Absolutely. I love shoes more than music but I have a strong connection with both. I trace my life’s timeline and correlate events throughout with what music or shoes were hot at different times.”

If so, what are some of your favorite kicks?

“The answer absolutely depends on what day it is. I’ve worn so many different sneakers and I’m definitely one of the types to buy a model with new technology just to test it out. Overall, I’ll always give the nod to Air Force 1′s for being one of the sparks for me, dating all the way back to the mid-80s. I haven’t worn them as much over the past year or two because the quality hasn’t been up to par in my opinion and colorways are all over the place. Same for the Air Max 1. Both of those will always be important to me because not only are the silhouettes timeless but also because both represent a coming of age period for me.”

“Right now, I’d have to give the nod to the LBJ V2′s. The comfort and design on those are just amazing. I love a lot of the colorways for the Zoom Kobe VI’s even though I find the ZKV’s more comfortable. Toss in the Air Max 2009s and 2010′s, a lot of Trainers and Footscapes. Certain New Balance and Asic Gel Lyte IIIs.”

Where do you see the intersection of hip-hop and sneaker culture?

“Hand-in-hand. Always have been. On Twitter a few days ago, I said Slick Rick didn’t make me conceited but style conscious. Other cats like Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie rockin’ NBs and coming up when Run DMC made adidas totally relevant. Even prior to those guys, music and sneakers worked together because part of Hip-Hop is bragging about how fly you are. Being poetic with it, there’s a few guys who are able to paint the full picture, telling you how they rock their hat and lace their shoes.”

What are some of your favorite songs about sneakers?

“Not to many songs but specific lines like Nas’ “I’m an addict for sneakers, 20′s of buddha…” The best though is when you swing open the closet door and Jada’s “Kiss be stocky, bald head light brown, iced down and my room look like Nike Town” That’s one of those lines that always runs through my head.”

Thank you for talking to us!