Poppin Tags: Burkina (Part 2)

I feel like I didn’t give the Burkina Shop enough props last time they were mentioned in Poppin’ Tags. The place is such a different experience than any other NYC shop I’ve been to, I feel like I had to circle back around. I actually went down there today because I remember they had an Obama tee I wanted to cop, which I did, but it’s Sunday and I’m taking the day off from politics.

The reason I like Burkina is because its a grimy spot. A hole in the wall on Houston Street, that somehow offers more in a place that can barely hold 15 people than other neighborhood shops that are 4 times their size. It’s a working man’s hip-hop shop.

I also like how they’re not afraid to fly the flag as a hip-hop brand, while others use more sophisticated terms in order to not alienate potential customers. Burkina’s designs are tributes to MCs, DJs, B-Boys and Graf Writers- along with some braggadocio pieces that are inline with the flashy side of hip-hop culture we know all too well.

The tee I copped today is sure to get a lot of wear. It’s a fairly simple print, but I tend to prefer that compared to a tee that looks like a billboard. The mic design reminds me of LL Cool J’s infamous tattoo, that was a part of the historic LL vs. Canibus beef. Because of a single line, Canibus essentially personified that tattoo and Burkina is now honoring the LL Mic Tat with its own t-shirt.

Or it could always be a hand holding a flaming mic, but regardless, a hot print.