Stevie Williams, now going by Lord Williams, just dropped a question that got a lot of people thinking.
Sneaker Freaker recently posted a throwback of him skating in some Nike Air Max 95s back in the late nineties.
The caption read: “Old-school cool ✌️ @steviewilliams skating in the @nike Air Max 95 'Neon' in 1996-97 🛹 Who is hyped for the 2025 retro?”
The post took off with more than sixteen thousand likes and plenty of love in the comments. People were hyped to see him rocking the Neon colorway while skating Philly’s Love Park, way before Nike SB was even a thing.
But Lord Williams wasn’t just feeling nostalgic. He reposted the clip and asked something that hit way deeper.
His question was simple but heavy: Did Nike SB take from Black skate culture, or was it Eric Koston?
If you’ve been following Lord Williams for a while, this won’t be too surprising.
He has spoken before about how certain styles, tricks, and overall looks in skateboarding have been taken from Black skaters without giving them proper credit.
As we previously reported, he mentioned Eric Koston directly in the past, saying he copied his tricks and whole style during the early days when skating in Air Maxes was part of his everyday look.
Now, with Nike SB planning to bring back the Air Max 95 “Run Skate Chill” in 2025, the timing of this question feels intentional.
This is not just about sneakers. It’s about who really set the tone back in the day. He was already skating in these kicks in the mid-nineties, mixing streetwear and skating before it was cool or accepted by the bigger brands.
Now those same brands are making money off a look that came straight from the streets and from Black skaters like him.
The responses have been all over the place. Some people are standing with Lord Williams, saying it’s time the industry starts giving credit where it’s due.
Others think he’s just trying to stir the pot or that this is all just part of the game. But either way, the question is out there now, and skaters are chiming in.
This conversation is way bigger than just one skater or one brand. It’s about the history of skateboarding and who actually helped shape it.
According to the DGK boss, he’s the king of this sh*t and has been leading the way in style, creativity, and attitude for years. The problem is, he’s often left out of the story when it’s retold.
Lord Williams isn’t letting that slide. He’s speaking up and asking everyone to think twice about who really started what. And honestly, it’s a question that deserves more than just a quick scroll.