words: Willie G. photos: Colby Katz
Something’s up in Miami…literally. Lately, the Vice City has been on a coke-free rush from its resurgence in the hip hop game. Through the hustles of heavyweights like Rick Ross, DJ Khaled and Pitbull, its vibe is everywhere. But there’s an aspect of the town’s flavor that just might be moving more heads collectively than the recent barrage of street anthems and club-bangers. Something that’ll spin a tourist around quicker than chugging Call-A-Cabs at Wet Willie’s…it’s the high-rise car culture.
Whether you’ve heard them referred to as Donks, Bubbles or Box Chevys (each is actually its own sub-genre), the Miami-born concept of lifting meticulously restored old-school sleds up on wheels as large as 30” in diameter lacks comparison to anything else in automotive tuning. Part lowrider styling, part monster-truck, all detail, its the kind of thing you shake your head at, call stupid, and then end up saving money to do yourself. To help explain the phenomenon, Mass Appeal looked up to local super-producers Cool & Dre for some insight on the scene.
Despite the recent attention, you Miami cats have been doing this for a minute, huh? Can you remember the first time you saw one of these rides?
Dre: Definitely, it was around 2001-02…I was still in high school and had copped my first Range Rover. I was driving around, feeling all big, when up pulls this Chevy that was sitting at eye-level with me. It blew my mind!
Cool: Yeah, I saw my first around then too. I was driving down 119th street here. It was a Grand Marquis with a 24” sticker on the window glass. Car looked like it was a straight-up science project—like it could fly right off the wheels. And the way they were wobbling, I thought it might!
Yeah, some of ‘em don’t look like the most stable whips in the world. Are these things unsafe to have on the streets?
C: Nah. Well, not anymore at least. I’ve heard horror stories though—wheels popping off and rolling down the street…but like anything else it’s evolved. Back in the day, people were just doing backyard mechanics to get the look. Now, shops are making customized frames and suspensions to do it right. You still see some accidents waiting to happen—rims leaning and whatnot. We call them cars bowlegged.
That seems to be the most common misconception—that you can slap on some big wheels, get a lift kit from AutoZone and be done.
D: You’ll see people that have done that, but it’s so far from what these cars are about. The detail put into the ones done right is just incredible. I mean we’re talking stripping a car down to the shell…repainting it, chroming and polishing everything right down to the bolts and fasteners. Then, putting it back together better than the factory did. It’ll take some people three years to get it right due to finances. I’ve been blessed with a couple dollars, and it still took me close to two years to build one of mine up right.
C: The wheels are what get attention the quickest, but anyone who knows their shit will tell you they’re the last thing you worry about. First off, get your engine right! I’ve seen dudes drop 20 grand on paint and interior, then have to tow their shit home cause the car don’t run. Make sure you can drive your car to the shop, man—that’s what it’s all about…being able to drive and be seen.
Word. Otherwise the whole term “automobile” goes out the window. Speaking on presence and being seen, what told you it was time to make “Chevy Riding High”?
D: You know I looked to cities like Atlanta and Houston, speaking about their lifestyles and the way they do things. Houston in particular has so much unique car culture, and they ain’t afraid to claim it as their own. Miami’s a place that lots of people visit, then leave with our swagger and the things we do. Right now we’re in the position where we can glorify our culture, so it was time to let everyone know where this whole thing first came from—Miami.
C: Yeah, not trying to be conceited—it’s hot to see it catching on all over…knowing that it came from our city makes us proud to be part of it all.
Keep your eyes up high and your ear to the streets—with upcoming tracks featuring the likes of Nas, Young Jeezy and the Game, it doesn’t look like Cool & Dre are gonna quit rollin’ big anytime soon.
