8 Sneaker Trends That Started with Hip Hop

The Adidas Superstar has come in and out of fashion since its launch in 1970. Originally made as a baskeball shoe, the Superstar was taken over by hip hop artists. After releasing their song "My Adidas," Run DMC would wear all Adidas tracksuits and Superstars without laces during their performaces. As their look became more popular and attracted more customers to Adidas, the sportswear company sponsored Run DMC. The collaboration between Adidas and Run DMC was one of the first times a sportswear brand had collaborated with musicians, and paved the way for the relationship between sportswear, hip hop, and sneakerheads we see today. 

The Air Force 1s has always been one of hip-hop's go-to sneakers. Like Run DMC with "My Adidas," hip hop artist Nelly dropped one of the biggest sneaker anthems of the early 2000s with his song "Air Force Ones." The Air Force 1 is a classic shoe for any sneakerhead's collection. With rappers such as A$AP Rocky and Travis Scott wearing the sneaker, it's no secret that the Air Force One will always be a staple shoe in hip hop.

A shoe that needs no introduction, the Air Jordan 1. The first shoe to be created under Michael Jordan's collaboration with Nike, the Air Jordan 1 was the first sneaker to show a symbol of status. Not only did it take over the courts in the NBA, but the iconic sneaker took over the streets as well. 

As men's fashion staritng becoming more of a prominent topic in the 90s with the rise of hip-hop and streetwear fashion, the Jordan 1 was the sneaker that fit right into the aesthetic. It was a sporty shoe that held a hirearchy due to its celebrity status and rarity. It was one of the first basketball shoes that had a sleek shape and played aroung with color combinations. 

Now the Air Jordan 1 has been used as a vessel to combine hip-hop with fashion and shoes. Hip-hop artists such as Travis Scott has collaborated with the brand to create exclusive designs, and other artists, such as Nas, and Teyana Taylor have modelled for the brand. 

In the late '80s and early '90s, the Timberland boot became the style of choice. Artists such as Kanye West, the Notorious B.I.G, and Tupac wore the 6" Timberland boots religiously. 

Orignally made for blue collar workers, Timberland boots were bought up by New York City locals due to their sturdiness and ability to stay dry no matter the weather. As more and more people began to jump on the Timberland bandwagon, the boots became more and more prominent in the hip hop scene in the Big Apple.

Now the Timberland boot is associated with debatably the best era for hip hop and R&B music, and continues to remain popular in New York City and among hip hop lovers today. 

Not as recognized in hip-hops culture today, the Clark Wallabee is an underrated staple for New York based hip-hop artists. Orignally made for British Army men in the desert, the Clark Wallabee had high popularity with dancehall musicians in Jamacia. From Jamaica, the Wallabee found its way into New York City hip-hop thanks to the Wu-Tang Clan. Having worn their Wallabees on stage, in music videos, fans of Wu-Tuang Clan were drawn to the shoe. Other rappers of the time, such as Ghostface Killah and Raekwon, rapped about their love for the shoe as well.

Now the Wallabee is making a return to the fashion world thanks to collaborations with brands such as Aimé Leon Dore, and from having more and more celebrities, such as Kanye West, style the shoe. 

The Puma Suede is another shoe that had roots in sports, but was taken over by the hip hop scene. B-boy crews and hip hop groups, such as the New York City Breakers and Rocksteady Crew, adopted the Puma suede due to its durability and sleekness. Breakdancers swore by this sneaker and rocked their suedes while dancing. 

The breakdancers and hip hop artists of the 1980s who were wearing the Puma suede reached entire demographic of consumers that Puma's marketing team couldn't reach, and were giving the brand free promotion for the sneaker.

Now, Puma has reinveted the sneaker with the Puma Suede Classic XXI, and have enlisted aritsts such as Cordae to rebrand and promote the shoe. 

Although not as popular as the other athletic shoes in the roster, the Patrick Ewing 33 Hi has deep roots in hip hop. It's one of the only shoes that has collaborations with hip hop groups, such as Naughty by Nature, to make custom editions, and also with record labels. In 2019, Ewing Athletics partnered with Death Row Records, one of hip hop's most famous labels, to create a limited edition version of the Ewing-33 Hi. 

These tennis shoes were made popular by hip hop artists, like Snoop Dogg, on the West Coast. K Swiss fully embraced their role in hip hop culture, and even embarked on a documentary journey from California to the UK that discusses hiphop and its impact. The documentary is called "K-Swiss California Love" after Snoop Dogg and Tupac's song. The brand recently partnered with rapper YG for his own custom pair of K Swiss Tennis Classics.