If you were outside in 1987, you didn’t just see Troop—you felt it.
Before the internet, before hypebeast culture, and decades before luxury houses like Gucci acknowledged street culture, there was a brief, explosive moment where a brand called Troop held the crown. They were the first to treat sneakers and tracksuits not as athletic wear, but as status symbols. They were the uniform of the Golden Era, worn by LL Cool J, Public Enemy, and the drug dealers who set the trends in New York, LA, and Chicago.
And then, almost overnight, they were gone.
The story of Troop is one of the most volatile case studies in fashion history, rivaling the rise and fall of Airwalk. It is a lesson in branding, the power of the Black consumer dollar, and the destructive force of “fake news” long before the term existed. This is the true story of Troop Sport and how a multi-million dollar empire was dismantled by a lie.
The Origins: “Troop is for the Jungle”
Founded in 1985 by Teddy Held (a Jewish manufacturer) and William Kim (a Korean distributor), Troop was an anomaly. At the time, the sneaker market was dominated by giants: Nike, Adidas, and Reebok. These brands were fighting for on-court dominance, selling performance.
Troop didn’t care about performance. They cared about the flex.
They were arguably the first brand to bypass the athlete and market directly to the “urban” consumer. The marketing slogan, “Troop is for the Jungle,” was a direct nod to the concrete jungle of New York City. They understood that in the hood, fashion was armor. It had to be loud, it had to be expensive, and it had to look regal.
The Aesthetic of Excess
Look at any vintage catalog scan of Troop gear (like the SPX and Troop spread often circulated on forums) and you’ll see the blueprint for modern streetwear.
- Material: While Nike was using mesh and nylon, Troop was using heavy, full-grain leather.
- Branding: The logos were massive. Gold chains, embroidered maps, and crests that looked like military insignias.
- Price Point: This was the major differentiator. In 1987, a pair of Air Jordans was expensive. But a full Troop leather tracksuit? That was an investment. Jackets retailed for upwards of $300 (nearly $850 adjusted for inflation).
Troop wasn’t selling sportswear; they were selling “ghetto fabulous” before the term was coined. They were tapping into the same energy that Dapper Dan was harnessing in Harlem, but they were doing it at a mass-retail scale. By 1988, the brand was generating an estimated $70 million in annual sales.
The Cultural co-sign: Hip-Hop’s First Luxury Brand
To understand how big Troop was, you have to look at who was wearing it.
- LL Cool J: In the late 80s, LL was the biggest rapper on the planet. His endorsement of the brand (often seen wearing the “Cobra” jacket) was worth more than a Super Bowl commercial.
- Public Enemy: Chuck D and Flavor Flav were frequently spotted in the gear, cementing it as the uniform of the conscious, militant wing of hip-hop.
- Ultramagnetic MCs: The Bronx legends were unofficial ambassadors for the brand’s futuristic, leather-heavy look.
For a moment, Troop had defeated the giants. They had successfully cornered the most influential demographic in America. But their meteoric rise created a vulnerability: when you are the hottest brand in the streets, you are also the most watched.
The “Troop Destroyer”: Anatomy of a Conspiracy Theory
The downfall of Troop is perhaps the first viral cancellation in pop culture history. It didn’t happen because the quality dropped. It didn’t happen because styles changed. It happened because of a rumor that, to this day, many people still believe is true.
Around late 1988, whispers began to circulate in high schools and barbershops across America. The rumor was simple and devastating: “Did you know Troop is owned by the KKK?”
The Acronym Myth
The story mutated as it spread. The most common version was that “TROOP” was actually an acronym standing for:
- “To Rule Over Oppressed People”
- “Total Rule Of Oppressed People”
The “Lining” Legend
Another variation of the rumor claimed that if you cut open the lining of a Troop leather jacket or the insole of a sneaker, you would find a hidden message. Kids swore that inside the stitching were the words “Thank you n*****s for making us rich” or even “Kill all n*****s.”
The Oprah Winfrey Connection
The nail in the coffin was a completely fabricated story involving Oprah Winfrey. The legend went that LL Cool J was a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show. As the story was told, Oprah asked him about his jacket, and in a moment of revelation, he ripped it open on live TV to reveal the racist anti-Black inscription inside.
Fact Check: LL Cool J has confirmed in interviews he never did this. The owners of Troop had no connection to the Ku Klux Klan. The company was run by Jewish and Korean families. But in 1989, there was no Twitter to debunk the thread. There was no Snopes.
The Collapse: From Penthouse to Bankruptcy
The speed of the brand’s collapse was terrifying.
Once the rumor took hold, the streets turned on Troop immediately. Wearing a Troop jacket went from a badge of honor to a target on your back. People were getting jumped, robbed, and ridiculed for wearing the “racist” brand.
- Retail Revolt: Inner-city retailers, fearing boycotts or violence, dumped their stock.
- Sales Freefall: Revenue plummeted from $70 million to near zero in a matter of months.
- Bankruptcy: By the early 90s, Troop Sport filed for bankruptcy. The brand that had rivaled Nike was dead.
The “Troop rumors” became a template for future urban legends (similar rumors would later plague Tommy Hilfiger and Timberland), but Troop was the only one that didn’t survive the hit.
The Aftermath: Why Did the Lie Stick?
Why was the community so ready to believe the worst about Troop?
Cultural historians point to the tension of the era. The late 80s was a time of heightened racial consciousness and economic frustration. The idea that a non-Black-owned company was extracting millions of dollars from the Black community while secretly despising them resonated with the political climate. It was a manifestation of the “Black Tax” anxiety—the fear of being exploited by outsiders.
Troop was the perfect scapegoat: they were flashy, they were expensive, and they were everywhere.
Resurrection: The “World of Troop” Returns
For nearly a decade, Troop existed only in thrift stores and music videos from the Golden Era. But you can’t kill a logo that iconic.
In the early 2000s, rap superstar Nelly—who had a keen eye for leveraging hip-hop nostalgia—helped spark a brief revival by wearing vintage Troop jackets in his videos. It was a signal that the stigma had finally faded. Nelly was such a fan that he actually acquired the license in 2008 to help bring the brand back.
Troop Today
Today, the brand has been resurrected as World of Troop. While they no longer command the market share they did in 1987, they have carved out a sustainable niche as a heritage brand.
They have leaned all the way into their history. If you visit their site today, you can buy retros of the exact shoes that defined 1987:
- The Ice Lamb: A low-top staple that rivals the Reebok Classic.
- The Pro Edition: The high-top basketball sneaker that was a status symbol in ’88.
- The Arrow Jacket: The leather-sleeved varsity jacket that started it all.
Conclusion: The Legacy of the Crown
Troop serves as a reminder of the power of the street. It proved that the “urban market” wasn’t just a niche—it was the driver of global fashion trends.
Troop laid the groundwork for Karl Kani, FUBU, Sean John, and Rocawear. It showed entrepreneurs that hip-hop culture demanded its own luxury tier. They were the sacrificial lamb of the industry, destroyed by a rumor, but their DNA is in every drop from Supreme to Off-White.
So, if you see a fresh pair of Troop Cobras on the shelf today, don’t cut them open looking for a secret message. The only message there is that true style never really dies—it just waits for the rumors to fade.
Frequently Asked Questions About Troop
Was Troop owned by the KKK? No. This was a false urban legend that spread in the late 1980s. The brand was founded by Teddy Held and William Kim. There is no evidence connecting the brand to the Ku Klux Klan.
What did the acronym TROOP stand for? The rumor claimed it stood for “To Rule Over Oppressed People,” but this was fabricated. The name “Troop” was simply chosen to represent a group or unit, fitting the military-style branding.
Can you still buy Troop clothing? Yes. The brand has relaunched as “World of Troop” and sells retro versions of their classic 1980s sneakers and jackets.
