LACEDMATT

COLE

RAPPERS + SNEAKERSTHE Ins & Outs of Their

Relationship

“My Adidas and Me Close as can be. We make a good team, my Adidas and Me. We get around together, rhyme forever, and we won’t be mad when worn in bad weather... my Adidas!”

That’s D.M.C. on Run-D.M.C.’s “My Adidas,” a song about the relationship between a rapper and his sneakers, in his case his Adidas. Believe it or not, “My Adidas” is not the only song on which a rapper boasts about his shoes. Matter of fact, if you swung a bat in a room full of rap songs, you’re bound to hit more than a few that showcase exactly that. Rappers are perfect ex-amples of what make up a true sneakerhead. A sneakerhead is an individual who stays up to date on the latest sneaker releases and re-releases, cop-ping a few pairs before they fly off the shelves within minutes of their drop dates. Being a rapper who’s an avid sneakerhead comes with its perks, perks the normal sneakerheads out there would kill for. For example, UK rap-per-singer Theophilus London has made no attempt to hide

DJ Clark Kent’s partial collection of Nike LeBron 8s

The adidas Originals-Jeremy Scott “Flower Bear” that Lil Wayne debuted at the 54th Grammy Awards

his sneaker obsession. That not going unnoticed, Queens’ own Ronnie Fieg has laced the up-and-comer with kicks from his impressive line of ASICS collaborations, his latest being the GT-II Super Red 2s. Sneaker designers and rappers have built quite the rapport with one another. The relationships have become so cogent, designers have been debuting their latest products on the feet of their rapping friends. Take Jeremy Scott, for example. He confided in the self-proclaimed best rapper alive, Lil Wayne, to debut his new “Flower Bear” shoes at the 54th Grammy awards. Not only are rappers being targeted to debut new sneak-ers at events, but some are taking it upon themselves to reveal unreleased models and samples through photos and videos. DJ Clark Kent, dubbed by my many as the biggest celebrity sneakerhead, has a massive collection of Nike LeBron 8s in his closet. Every so often, the renowned DJ will pull out a few old samples or a few unreleased colorways to show his follow sneakerheads.

Theophilus London debuting the Ronnie Fieg-ASICS GT-II “Super Red 2”

DJ Clark Kent’s partial collection of Nike LeBron 8s

The adidas Originals-Jeremy Scott “Flower Bear” that Lil Wayne debuted at the 54th Grammy Awards

There are only a handful of rappers that push the limits of a sneakerhead and design their own sneaker. Jay-Z did it. Kanye West is designing a shoe every two for under Nike. Rick Ross joins Swizz Beatz under Reebok. Lil Wayne is working with a major shoe company outside of Nike and adidas to design his first signature shoe. Those guys are pushing the limits.