Hip-hop celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023, and it's an appropriate coincidence that Timberland marked the same milestone this year. As close to the official boot of hip-hop as any brand can be, Timberland can be found in hundreds of iconic music videos, photographs, and lyrics over the past several decades, cementing the footwear as a symbol of rap bona fides.
However, most people who weren't ingrained in hip-hop from its explosion as a global cultural force probably have little to no idea of just how Timberlands became the icon they are today This is Not a Boot: The Story of an Icon is a new 50-minute documentary tracking the New Hampshire brand's ascent from the footwear of working-class builders to must-owns for both aspiring and established rappers. Directed by Tom Gould, the short features interviews with icons from across the worlds of music and fashion, including Rakim, Raekwon, Angie Martinez, Jeff Staple, Takayuki Ohashi, Veneda Carter, and Bircide. Watch it above.