As you can tell by watching this video I was really impressed with these two items as one is to wear and one is to display. I have heard of this brand for sometime now, and in the video you will get to learn more about them, the details about these collectibles after unboxing them, and more. Therefore, watch and subscribe to the channel above and read below for all the details, photos, and how to get one for yourself!
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Background


Set Free with the Ron English collab on the left (image source: ONS Manual.On Clothing) Kyle Lowry wearing the signature Compound hat (image source: Reddit)
Maybe you haven’t heard about the brand COMPOUND before but it is more than likely you’ve come across one of their products. From their sculptures to NFT art, or more than likely their signature hats with the number 7 on the crown. You’ve seen these on a bunch of NBA players from Carmelo Anthony to Kyle Lowry. But what you may not know is that Compound is a creative lifestyle brand that brings different worlds together from music, sports, art, and pop culture. They’re products and approach is authentic and frankly, I wouldn’t expect anything less since the founder is Set Free Richardson. Set Free who has a lot of experience in marketing has built an impressive resume having worked with companies such as EA Sports, Universal Music, and Nike. However, he is arguably most known for his work with AND1 and creating the mixtapes. However, since then he has gone to other endeavours including developing an awesome brand with COMPOUND resulting in some awesome collectibles whether it is to display or wear.
Item 1: “The Dragon King” – Bruce Lee Statue from Compound x Kano Kid x Carmelo Anthony x ToyQube x Bruce Lee Foundation

As you saw in the video this is the first item that was unboxed and anytime I walk into the room and I see it I am always impressed. This collectible stands at a spectacular 20 inches tall and is limited as only 150 were produced of this colourway (there is another one in silver but only 150 were made in that as well). It’s honestly incredible to see so many different collaborators on this one project. I believe this was originally a sculpture that was created by Kano Kid and ToyQube which already a distinct look to it but SetFree & Carmelo Anthony put their own unique spin on it to represent themselves better. SetFree mentioned in an interview on Hot 97 that he loved watching cartoons and other things that were part of his childhood but they never looked like him, so he wanted something that can put a different twist on things to depict that. It’s really cool to see as it has several different branding components from the different collaborators (the 7, ying yang, Bruce Lee’s signature kick logo, and subtle compound branding. I also love that this comes with a miniature set of nunchucks. However, one of the main reasons why I wanted this is because as I grew up I learned more about Bruce Lee and his impact to the culture which is why it would be great to have this item in the back of my videos in the future. To learn more about that, check out this blog spot here.
Packaging





Price
Originally these were priced at $400 but since it was released a while ago this has now been marked down to $200 USD. Fortunately, I used welcome10 for 10% off so it came down to $180 but I believe you do need to sign up for their emails. In terms of pricing this is great because when you compare to the biggest bearbrick which is the “1000%” sizing, it is 70 cm tall but costs at least $1,200 CAD. In terms of shipping it wasn’t terrible but I had to pay an initial $20 for both items however it was clear it was just for the hat, because the collectible was shipped from a different warehouse I had to pay another $75 for shipping and $85 for duties. Sure this adds up, but I still think it is worth it in my opinion. I definitely recommend reaching out to them a week or 2 if you haven’t heard anything from them because when I reached out they were very quick and helpful when responding.
Item 2: “Lotus” New Era Fitted Hat from Compound x Concepts x Kyrie Irving

This fitted is one of my favourites I own. As stated in the video, this was part of a special collection that celebrated Kyrie Irving’s 7th signature sneaker and the special colourway “Horus” designed by Boston based brand, Concepts. The entire capsule collection has a plethora of different items from clothing to ceramic dishes, what stood out to me was this cap. I have been wearing this a lot during the heatwave in Toronto and it grabs the attention of many whenever I am in a public space. The orange is bright but not overpowering and that sky blue/turqoise provides such a beautiful contrast. I actually had a New Era hat in a bit brighter shade of orange but I donated it for charity so it was nice to get this cap that was reminiscent of that but looks much better with the special lotus embroidered on the side. I definitely love it when the under visor (uv) is a different colour and in this instance it is blue which seems to be the same colour that is embroidered at the back that states the 2 main collaborators Compound and Concepts.
Price
Since the cap was part of a limited release I believe only Concepts & Compound were the only ones who sold them. That’s why this was not eligible for discount and unfortunately has sold out, but I would recommend looking at after market sites to see if prices go down. I paid $55 USD for this, and I think it was worth it. To put it in this perspective, I paid $55 CAD (plus shipping) for a fitted from a local brand so the fact that this special and limited collaboration fitted was priced at that is why it was a great deal.



Overall




Cop or drop? 100% a cop! These are great collectibles, I get a lot of enjoyment walking into my room and seeing the statue as well wearing this fitted cap. It definitely grabs your eye and gets people intrigued.
Packaging? The packaging is great especially for the Bruce Lee collectible, I think as a gift or even just to display it is nice to look at. The hat did come in a small box with some Compound stickers on top near the shipping info which was nice. I believe it was of Luke Skywalker, but I can be wrong.
Quality? The quality is great, it was a bit weird to see those things (it’s not a stain or a mark so not sure what to call it) on the statue but like I said in the video this was released 3 years ago and has been in that package for that long so it was a bit expected but it doesn’t take away from the craftsmanship and overall quality of the statue. The quality on the fitted is insane, love the stitching and overall feel of the cap.
All in all, I really enjoy displaying and wearing these collectibles and telling people about COMPOUND because of SetFree Richardson’s contribution to the culture and because of these collaborations the various different collaborators and how talented they are from Kano Kid, Concepts, and of course Bruce Lee. Let me know what your thoughts are and I hope you enjoyed the unboxing video. Please subscribe to the channel here, and give a follow on Instagram and Facebook, it’s always appreciated! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below or on the social media posts!

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