some of my younger friends say this term.
is this an urban/rap thing?

no i see online tennis shoes are advertised this way.

 

I believe it is a urban thing. Just as using the term 'threads' for clothing.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slang

 

The term "threads" has been around since at least the early '60's...maybe longer. I think certain terms are more of a regional thing sometimes. When I was growing up down south, all sneakers we called tennis shoes (even if they were high-top basketball shoes or running shoes). When I moved north to PA, everyone calls them sneakers. I can think of similar examples like Coke vs Soda vs Pop or "cut off the light" vs "turn off the light". It's mostly regional.

 

Probably the same year pretty much all grammar, annunciation, and English language were abandoned.

 

Enunciation,


As far as when sneakers became kicks, I don't know. I'm willing to bet it spread during the mid-80's and early 90's along with a ton of new slang.

 

Dang I was close; the two are somewhat in the same category.

 

When i was out in NC visiting a friend 7 years ago, they called my shoes "kicks" and my pants "Britches" :lmao:

 

most likely some time in the 90's i remember saying it back in HS around 95 or so, so any time before 95

 

typically you dont call all shoes kicks, boots are boots, shoes are shoes, but basketball shoes/sneakers are called kicks.

try to read ebonics. lol