You've seen him on MTV and BET. You KNOW him from Vibe, Marc Ecko Ventures, Giant Magazine and ESSENCE just to name a few. If you're anything like me, you grew up with him in the 90's as he taught the world about hip-hop's impact on not just pop culture, but culture period. Lets be clear, under his tenure, Vibe Magazine won its first National Magazine Award for General Excellence beating out Wired and the New Yorker. He, him, is none other than style and media savant, Emil Wilbekin.

As I pondered who to feature for the unveiling of my new channel, The Gud Foot©, there was no one else that crossed my mind except for Emil. Emil embodies what being on The Gud Foot© means to me - being on point, at all times, with complete comfort and confidence of self. We had the pleasure of sitting with him to talk style, life, and of course shoes. Just as I expected, Emil's collection was full of versatility and most certainly ejected a point of view. Like his collection, Emil is a worldly, multifaceted being. With the recent launch of his digital platform the World of Wilbekin, readers are welcomed into a life that is free.

I could go on and on, but that would be no fun. So sit back, relax, and enjoy.

Welcome to The Gud Foot©....

TGF: Why does good footwear matter?

EW: For me good footwear matters because it’s the way that you walk and the way that you stand. It’s really your foundation and your support. You could be wearing jeans and a t-shirt, but as long as you have amazing shoes, you will look amazing, you will feel amazing, and you will project amazing.

TGF: Pursuing your passion is…

EW: Like breathing. You have to find your passion, but your passion is a part of who you are. It is what makes you live, what makes you glow, what makes you happy, and what brings you joy.

TGF: Who are your style influencers?

EW: Gordon Parks, Tom Ford, James Bond, Ralph Lauren {Thank you Ralph} and Diddy! {TGF: Come through Harlem. People sleep on Diddy} The thing they sleep on with Diddy is he can give you casual and street and couture and high-end and it all works. Its thoughtful, its put together right, and its fly!

TGF: If you could meet one person past or present who would it be?

EW: Michelle Obama. Believe it or not I’ve never met the First Lady. I’ve met President Obama twice, but never her. I’m dying to meet her. I don’t fan out on people, but I would fan out on her. I think she's an amazing role model and an inspiration. She's such an authentic person. I’ve already charged my friend Johnny Wright – her hairstylist – to make it happen and he promises he will.

TGF: Your look can be defined as....

EW: Classic, modern, masculine, and a rockstar with edge.

TGF: What is your most memorable footwear and what did you buy?

EW: My first purchase – imma take you all the way back – by myself was a pair of Giorgio Brutini’s. Kinda like crocheted leather loafers with a very flat heel. And that should've been my key very early on that a loafer with a flat heel was my thing and that’s why I love Gucci loafers . The flat low heel is almost like a ballet slipper for men and its just very comfortable.