Despite its reputation, if it's one thing that the Motor City possesses, it's promise. Detroit has birthed some promising stars with the potential to etch the city’s name into the land of immortality. So far in the realm of rap, Eminem, Royce Da 5’9, Danny Brown and Big Sean have diligently played their part in giving the city life. Now, one new rapper is hoping that her style and grace will imbue positivity to not only her city, but the rap game as well.

Dej Loaf, 24, crashed the proverbial party of Hip-Hop with her infectious street banger “Try Me.” Her 2014 banger earned her notoriety and respect from rap savants including Eminem, Drake, Wiz Khalifa, Meek Mill and more. Her single crossed over into the land of sports as prime-time athletes like Kevin Durant and John Wall have paid her homage on numerous occasions. Her crooning abilities have landed her on tracks with big time tracks like Kid Ink’s “Be Real”, Game’s “Ridah”, and Omarion’s “Posed To Be (Remix).” Last month, XXL tabbed her as one of their Freshmen 10 alongside the likes of Fetty Wap, Tink, K.Camp, and more.

Other than boasting the deft ability for penning catchy hooks, Dej is also an avid sneaker collector. The sneaker aficionado occasionally takes to her Instagram to show off her dope collection which consists of Jordans and Huaraches. The young rapper is not only killing it on the music scene, but her kick game is vicious.

Dej sat down with Myspace to discuss her love for sneakers, her crazy collection, where her style originated from, Detroit style, her favorite sneakers, relationship with Meek Mill, and why she won’t be a one-hit wonder.

At what age did you develop a love and affinity for sneakers? 

Hmm, that's a good question. I would say like third grade. Definitely around third grade was when I started knowing like I have to have cool shoes, you know what I mean? I always had shoes right after the dropped. I would start asking my mom, 'Can we please pick these up? Can we please pick these up?' I would say about—how old was in third grade? Like 9 years old? 

What age did you start collecting sneakers because I know you're a crazy collector?

Probably like eighth, ninth grade. I mean, when I was in the eighth grade, I used to get shoes. There were some shoes that I didn't like, but I collected them and got them.  When I was in high school, I kind of made it my thing to kind of have shoe boxes stacked up all in my room. That was like 2009. Well, I was out of high school in 2009, but all of those years I was definitely into collecting. 

If you had to pick any artist, who would you say you emulated growing up style wise?

I would say I really admired Kanye West's style. You know when he was doing the Polo when he first came out? 

Yeah, with the pink Polo swag.

Yeah, I was into what he was wearing. But women-wise, I don't know. I wasn't into too many people. I think I just wanted to wear what I wanted to wear. [Laughs] I was a tomboy, so I just put on whatever.

How would you describe Detroit style for someone like me who's never been there?

Well, first you gotta have you Cartier glasses. [Laughs] Everybody has a pair of those. Those are very popular. I'm gonna say the new furs and the gator shoes. Those are big. [You need] some Gucci Loafers. I would say like a pimp type of look, but in a way you're still classy. 

If you could only rock either Jordans or Huaraches, which ones are you taking? Because I know you're a fan of both. 

I'm gonna go with my Mikes always. Like I love my Huaraches, but I'm gonna stick to the Mikes. I like Jordans. [Laughs]

Can't go wrong with Jordans. I personally miss the days when people used to wear throwback jerseys. If you could pick any trends from the '90s or 2000s to come back, which one would you choose? 

I would say I love the '90s. I miss the '80s. Everybody's doing it now with the '90s look with the jerseys and the headbands. Even the girls’ style was great. I miss those days. Those days were golden. I remember those days. I used to have older cousins who used to come around and aunties—even my mom—they used to be fly, you know what I mean? I used to be like, "Man." But, I had kid clothes on while they were wearing all these fly clothes. They used to be fly. I used to have old pictures of my dad and in those days he was fly, too.

I hear that. What I thought was dope was the theme you had with your mixtape titles revolving around sneakers. The first tape was Just Do It and the next tape was Sell Sole. What made you decide to go with that type of theme?

I was very much into shoes. I was into collecting them and all I had was my shoes. Like if I didn't have anything else, I had my shoes and my shoe collection that I love so much. You know, my doing music, it just went right with it. So that's exactly where I got it from. 

What number range are you at in terms of your collection of sneakers? I remember when you spoke to Complex a couple of months ago, you were at the 300-400 range. 

Man, I don't know yet. I just looked and realized I got so many shoes. [Laughs] I don't know where I'm at with it now. I ain't even set up my closet yet. I'm trying to find a place and stuff to just set up the shoes and whatever. It's getting crazy.

But I finally decided that I'm gonna rid of my boxes and just have my shoes somewhere. I need to get some shoe racks or something because the shoe boxes take so much space. 

We might as well do an MTV Cribs version just for your kicks because I know it's looking crazy. [Laughs]

I thought I was gonna stop, but I'm still going. [Laughs]

When "Try Me" dropped, you had dudes like Drake and Wiz gushing about the record. In the NBA, you had stars like Kevin Durant and John Wall raving about the track. How did it feel to not only have success in the music world, but to also be loved on the sports scene, as well?

It's dope. I used to play basketball a little bit. It's just like with everything going on, it's all love. From the athletes to the rappers embracing my music and welcoming me with open arms, all of that is crazy to me. They don't have to show love. They don't have to reach out like, "Yo, I like your music," but they do. So I love it.

Do you have a favorite team or player, by any chance?

Nah, I mean, once I stopped playing, I stopped watching basketball. Not on purpose, but I just didn't watch TV as much. I don't know a lot about sports, but I know it's the playoffs right now. [Laughs] I know a couple of teams in there, but I don't really have a favorite. I mean, I used to watch the Pistons when they were hot, you know what I mean? When they were hot, I was into Rasheed Wallace. But I love LeBron James though, just off top.

Shout out to LeBron on that one. I know you definitely have a good relationship with Meek Mill. How has the relationship been since his release from jail?

It's been dope. I just texted him last night like, "You're my motivation, man. Like you're killing the game right now without an album out."

Everything he does, everything he posts on Instagram, is just motivation. He's a hungry dude. You can't help but to love what he's doing. From the team, to the music, he's delivering right now. If there's anybody that's doing it right now, it's him.

I appreciate him reaching out to me. And another thing, he doesn't embrace me like a new artist. He's not one of those, "Oh, you're gonna steal my shine type." He shows love. He's a genuine guy. 

How does it feel being one of the openers for Nicki Minaj's The PinkPrint Tour, with you, Tinashe, Meek, and Rae Sremmurd? 

Yo, it's crazy. I haven't been on the road [in awhile.] I'm sure it's gonna be a blur from performing every night. It's a blessing to be on that tour.

How many kicks do you normally bring on the road? How many sneakers are you going to try to bring for that tour?

Um, depends on how many days we're doing. When I touchdown, I always go to the sneaker store. I stopped doing that because I'm gonna have more luggage and then somebody's gonna try to steal my boxes on the road [Laughs].

I'm just gonna bring enough shoes. I normally would be three to four pair of shoes, but when I touchdown it gets crazy. 

I hear that. You've been doing your thing on features as of late. Kid Ink's "Be Real" is doing well and you were just featured on Omarion's "Post To Be (Remix)." What's your favorite feature that you've hopped on recently that you've enjoyed doing the most?

Boy... [Pauses]. Have you heard of the Game song ["Ridah"]?

Dej Loaf performs during the 2015 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival on June 11, 2015 in Manchester, Tennessee. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)

You know what? It grew on me crazy.  

Yeah! It did that to me, too! Because when I first recorded it, it was like just one 16 I think and they he chopped it up crazy. I was like, "Wow." Then we had the video and it was crazy. I like that way more because I liked the way he chopped it up and put it up.

It definitely grew on me. I've had songs that at times I didn't like or I wasn't sure about and was like, 'Uh, it's alright.' Like I didn't think the Kid Ink record was gonna be as big as it was. I liked it, but I didn't know people would love it. Everybody went crazy for that song. 

Because "Try Me" was a such a banger, do you feel the pressure of having to come with a bigger record because they loved the single so much?

I mean, in a way, kind of. I feel like the fans who are really into me, they know all the music and been following majority of what I've been doing.

You have people who only expect the "Try Me" records, you know what I mean? Not saying as big as it was, but the content of it. But I have different songs. I got people saying, "You got a big record. Now you gotta come with something way bigger than that." I think I got it.

I mean, I don't really care much. I've been writing music for so long. I'm just gonna keep doing what I do. I didn't think "Try Me" was gonna be as big as it is. You know, you have artists who don't even have records on the radio and they still do well. So I don't wanna try to think about that pressure too much. I don't want to be like, "Oh, I'm failing in life because I don't have a song on the radio." [Laughs]

I know people who live very nice lives, you know what I mean? But we're gonna stick it out.