Words by Kimberly Haddad
Southern California street artist and originator of Sushi Kicks, Ro has developed a unique form of art—transforming trending sneakers into edible treats. From deconstructed sashimi to sticky white rice and pureed black beans, Ro has utilized common kitchen fare to recreate some of today’s most hyped-up sneaker products. The artist has collaborated with major streetwear brands, including Jordan, Nike, Adidas, and has been recently featured in The Art of Sneakers, a book celebrating multi-faceted artists and the sneaker movement.
BASIC: Tell us about your upbringing and what encouraged your creative career.
Ro: Hi! I’m Ro, more known as Eat Like You’re on Death Row on Instagram. I was born in the Philippines and immigrated to the U.S. after college. I used to make bento [boxes] for my kids, but my edible sneakers came about after my dad passed away. It was a cathartic way for me to cope with the grief and get myself and my mind busy. It just got the attention of known rappers like The Game when I made the Nike SB Waffle Dunks. I incorporated the hyped sneakers and deconstructed a known food to recreate an edible version of them. That’s when I figured sushi was a great piece of food that can easily be deconstructed.
BASIC: Sneaker culture is such a huge part of our generation. Talk to us about the Edible Sneakers concept and what it means to you.
Ro: This concept is one that I’ll always be proud of. I am the first one who deconstructed sushi to recreate hyped sneakers. I made one when the emergence and hype of streetwear and sneakers heightened.
BASIC: What kind of emotions or conversations do you hope your work will convey to the world?
Ro: In awe, followed by just pure happiness, like that moment you take a W on the [Nike] SNKRS app, haha. There’s just pure joy in putting a genuine smile on someone’s face when they figure out what my art is!
BASIC: You have collaborated with Jordan, Nike, Adidas, Pumas, Filas and more. Tell us about your favorite collaboration.
Ro: I am always grateful and thankful for the opportunity and trust that major brands give me, but I can honestly say that my favorite was with Nike SB Blazer Frog Skateboards. I recreated their video of the frog popping in and out of the swoosh, but I had to do stop motion video of my edible sneaker and took so many shots. Putting it all together was just too fun.
BASIC: What is your favorite pair of shoes in your closet and why?
Ro: Right now my faves are my Nike SB’s LA to Chicago! Just waiting for the to peel off to reveal the inner colors.
