Hip-hop popularized Timberland boots in the 1990s.
Timberland originally built its reputation around rugged, waterproof work boots, especially the six-inch Yellow Boot introduced in 1973. During the 1980s and 1990s, rappers and hip-hop communities in New York and other American cities adopted the boots as part of an urban style that mixed workwear, streetwear, and luxury-brand fashion.
The boots became known informally as “Timbs” or “Butters,” and their visibility in songs, videos, and everyday street fashion helped turn a practical work boot into a cultural symbol. Artists associated with Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur, and many others contributed to that association.
A common mix-up is crediting grunge, punk, or goth culture. Those scenes had distinctive footwear traditions, but Timberland’s defining 1990s cultural breakthrough was its connection with hip-hop. The producer Timbaland even took his stage name from the brand.