“Forever I Love Atlanta” — or FILA, for those who get it — hits a little different for me these days. I was raised in Virginia, but growing up, Atlanta wasn’t just a dot on the map. It was the soundtrack of my adolescence, the style blueprint, and the attitude that seeped into my everyday life. Atlanta’s cultural reach has always stretched far beyond Georgia’s borders, shaping what we wore, how we spoke, and what we listened to — from the unmistakable sounds of Usher and Ludacris to the elegant grit of Kelly Rowland’s influence.
So when I returned to ATL this April to celebrate 404 Day with Adidas Originals, everything came full circle. Suddenly, all the ways Atlanta had colored my life felt not just influential, but intimate. It reminded me why, no matter your zip code, Atlanta has probably shaped you too.
A City That Doesn’t Just Welcome You — It Embraces You
My first trip to Atlanta was at sixteen, and I’ll never forget stepping off the plane and feeling like the trees were greener and the energy richer. The unapologetic Blackness of the city wrapped around me like a warm hug. Atlanta wasn’t just diverse — it was proud, bold, and built on generations of culture that knew its worth.
And 404 Day? It captures that essence perfectly. Named after the city’s original area code, the day has become a city-wide celebration of everything that makes Atlanta… Atlanta. Think of it like a cultural homecoming, one that centers music, fashion, art, sports, and especially community.
This year, Adidas partnered with The Athlete’s Foot and the 404 Collective — a powerhouse team made up of Atlanta Influences Everything, Butter ATL, Finish First, and the Trap Music Museum. The collaboration didn’t just bring together brands — it brought together pillars of the community to create something bigger than any single entity could on its own.
More Than Just a Party
I sat down with Jahi “Jah” Rawlings — a man who wears many hats, including CEO of the Atlanta Entertainment Basketball League (AEBL), founder of Finish First Marketing, and one-fourth of the 404 Collective. He told me something that stuck: “We were all creating these dope moments for 404 Day, but we realized the city needed a unified front. We didn’t just want a party — we wanted impact.”
That mission came to life through the city’s first-ever 404 Day parade, where thousands turned out to march and celebrate ATL pride. But it doesn’t stop there. The 404 Festival is already in the works — a multi-day cultural experience aiming to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with events like Dreamville and One Music Fest.
Jah said it best: “The next five years, Atlanta’s going to be the cultural focal point of the country. We’re building something that reflects that energy.”
The Culture of Kicks
Atlanta’s influence doesn’t end with music and parades. It lives in the streetwear and sneakers too — and that’s where Darrius Billings comes in. As the Director of Marketing at The Athlete’s Foot (and fellow HBCU grad — HU, you know!), Darrius is leading efforts to make sure Atlanta’s soul is represented from the ground up.
Teaming up with Adidas and the 404 Collective, they launched the Adidas x 404 sneaker — a tribute in textile. The design is rich with symbolism: red bottoms nodding to Atlanta’s luxury flair, a gold grill detail on the tongue repping ATL’s swagger, and a sock liner mapped out with the city’s zones.
But Darrius sees the work as deeper than design. “Atlanta is Hollywood and it’s hood,” he told me. “We wanted to make a shoe that reflects both sides.” His stores aren’t just places to cop the latest drop. They host tutoring sessions, open mics, and community conversations. “We want people to feel like they belong,” he said. “Our store owners are community members first.”
That hyperlocal approach sets them apart. It’s also why they were the perfect partner to bring the 404 sneaker to life — because this wasn’t about hype. It was about heritage.
Building a Pipeline, Not Just a Product
Beyond the kicks, Darrius is helping build bridges into the sneaker industry itself through his leadership in the Black Footwear Forum. “If you don’t know, you don’t know,” he said. “So we break it down — marketing, legal, operations — there’s space for all of us.”
Representation in design is important, but visibility in every layer of the business? That’s the real game-changer.
More Than a Celebration — It’s a Movement
Between Jah’s community-driven vision and Darrius’ mission to carve out space for the next generation of Black creatives, one thing is clear: 404 Day is no longer just a holiday. It’s a cultural reclamation. A gathering point. A blueprint for how cities can celebrate themselves and push forward at the same time.
For me, it reaffirmed what I already knew in my gut. Atlanta is more than a location. It’s a vibe. A legacy. A heartbeat that keeps pulsing through American culture in ways big and small. And even though I’ll always claim Virginia, every time I touch down in ATL, it feels like I’m coming home.
Because maybe home isn’t where you’re from. Maybe it’s where you’re understood.
