Facts: How Kanye Earned His Stripes
As Kanye admits on ‘Real Friends’, he isn’t the best at remembering birthdays – but that doesn’t mean we’re about to forget his.
Ye has had such a momentous impact on sneaker culture that it’s difficult to discuss it without slipping into cliché. He’s influenced buying habits and set an unprecedented standard for how performance brands can work with figureheads outside of athletic spheres. Plus, he’s made the sneaker world a lot more interesting. Covering footwear wouldn’t be the same with Kanye declaring that he’s the ‘Tupac of product’ or releasing a diss track aimed at a global conglomerate.
Today Yeezy turns 40, and, while we can’t give him what he asked for on 2Chainz’s ‘Birthday Song’, we figure that milestones like this are best spent with family. So to celebrate, we’re looking back at the relationship he has forged with adidas. From early shout-outs to his God dream come true, this is how Kanye earned his stripes.
Kanye might have had a dalliance with Nike before finding his feet with adidas, but he’s had an affinity with the Three Stripes since day one. Way back in 2004 – before dropping his breakout album, College Dropout – Ye can be heard big upping adidas with the line,’Yamamoto adidas is sick with the fashion.’ The line can be heard on this remix.
Some might be surprised to learn that Kanye’s first adidas design was not the Yeezy. While Ye’s friend Ibn Jasper caused a stir by claiming that the first Kanye x adidas colab was going to be a model in the ZX series, a former VP of adidas Originals says otherwise. After a fugazi version surfaced last year, Ben Pruess took to Instagram to show off what he claims is the first adidas sneaker concocted by Kanye.
The model choice makes sense given that Gary Aspden, who formerly worked in adidas' entertainment promotions department, told Crepe City that, ’The discussion revolved around working with adidas on versions of the Rod Laver Vintage which was his favourite shoe at that time. After much toing and froing between Kanye’s team and the then head of adidas Originals, the project didn’t end up coming to fruition.’
In an interview with Hot 97’s Angie Martinez from 2013, Kanye announced to the world that he had inked a deal with adidas. After airing his discontent about his partnership with Nike, Kanye went to say that, ‘The new me, with a daughter, takes the adidas deal. Because I have royalties and I have to provide for my family.’ Just a couple of weeks later, the union was made official.
After the deal was made public, Kanye further cemented his relationship with the Three Stripes by attending their 2014 Global Brand Conference. Wearing a pair of Stan Smiths, he performed a litany of hits before giving a sobering speech. While talking about the thrill of creativity through product, he commended the brand for being ‘experienced and brave enough’ to let him create.
At this stage, Kanye hadn’t released his first sneaker with the Three Stripes – but he was still supporting them in other ways. In 2014, he debuted a new song – titled ‘God Level’ – in an ad for adidas’ 2014 FIFA World Cup ‘all or nothing’ campaign. This was the same weekend as Kanye’s wedding and, though the song never officially released, premiering new music via adidas can only be considered as a move of solidarity.
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Kanye wearing the UltraBOOST