The All Zip Top — Smif N Wessun

In the last five years, the demand for the Smif-N-Wessun The All Zip Top has exploded. This is due to the "Blokecore" and "90s Hip-Hop Archive" fashion movements. Rappers like Westside Gunn, Action Bronson, and underground legends have been photographed hunting for this specific piece.

This demand has led to a dark side: fakes.

Reproduction markets on Etsy and Instagram are pumping out "custom" All Zip Tops. How to spot a fake?

Tek and Steele themselves have acknowledged the hype. In a 2022 Instagram live, Steele held up a beat-up version of the top and said: "They keep asking me for the All Zip. I don't even have one no more, man. Somebody stole it at a show in DC in '98. If you got it, bring it back." smif n wessun the all zip top

The All is the fifth studio album by the legendary Brooklyn duo Smif-N-Wessun (Steele and Tek), released in 2019. It is a significant project in their discography as it features production entirely from the iconic Beatminerz crew, maintaining that classic 90s boom-bap sound.

If you have never heard "The All Zip Top," imagine the auditory equivalent of a Brooklyn alleyway at 2 AM. The production—widely attributed to the Beatminerz’ extended circle—relies on a deceptively simple loop: a mournful, pitched-down horn stab over a kick drum that sounds like a car door slamming in an empty warehouse.

Lyrically, Tek and Steele do not deviate from their formula, but that is precisely the point. The phrase "All Zip Top" refers to a specific style of leather jacket—a full-zip, often with a high collar and quilted lining—that was currency in the streets of Bedford-Stuyvesant during the mid-90s. In the last five years, the demand for

Key Lyrics explored in the track:

Unlike the radio-friendly singles of the era (think "Sound of da Police" or "Who Got da Props"), "The All Zip Top" is unapologetically insular. It is a song for the riders, the ones who understood that a good leather jacket was a status symbol, a shield against nature, and a uniform all in one.

Here is where the magic happens. The front left chest features the iconic "Smif-N-Wessun" logo in a heavy, gothic/heavy metal font—usually embroidered (never screen printed on the authentic vintage runs). On the back, centered between the shoulder blades, is the massive "Duck Down" pigeon logo. Tek and Steele themselves have acknowledged the hype

However, the "Holy Grail" variant of The All Zip Top features reversed contrast stitching. The stitching on the zipper track is deliberately thick, orange or cream-colored, clashing violently with the dark fleece.

Ask any DJ why they work so hard to track down "Smif N Wessun The All Zip Top," and they will give you a simple answer: Sample clearance.

Unlike the major label releases on Wreck/Nervous Records, this promo track likely contained uncleared samples—possibly a dialogue clip from a kung-fu film or a jazz fusion loop from an obscure European library record. Because it was a promotional item not sold for mass profit, the labels let it slide in 1995. But in 2024, clearing those samples for streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music would cost tens of thousands of dollars.

As a result, "The All Zip Top" lives in the shadows. You won’t find it on the official Smif-N-Wessun artist page. You will find it on YouTube, uploaded by dedicated fans, often accompanied by a grainy photo of the original vinyl label. You might find it on SoundCloud under bootleg podcast accounts.

For purists, this scarcity is a blessing. It forces the listener to engage with the music actively—hunting down the vinyl, trading FLAC files on private forums, or watching crate digging vlogs where collectors show off their prized copy.