It all started in 1986 when Adidas gave Run DMC a sneaker. It’s since gone on to be one of the most influential sectors in sneaker industry, at least when it comes to the youth market that’s obsessed with celebrity and entertainers. And, hey, this is Complex, this is our world, so what did we do? We took all the current rapper x sneaker collaborations going on at the moment and ranked them from worst to best based off the merit of the current stuff. But it had to be current. So someone like JAY-Z or Eminem aren't here. Leave your anger in the comments.
25.
It all started in 1986 when Adidas gave Run DMC a sneaker. It’s since gone on to be one of the most influential sectors in sneaker industry, at least when it comes to the youth market that’s obsessed with celebrity and entertainers. And, hey, this is Complex, this is our world, so what did we do? We took all the current rapper x sneaker collaborations going on at the moment and ranked them from worst to best based off the merit of the current stuff. But it had to be current. So someone like JAY-Z or Eminem aren't here. Leave your anger in the comments.
24.Big Sean
23.
Brand: Puma
Thank u, next. -Matt Welty
22.Donald Glover
21.
Brand: Adidas
Why did this happen? I get it. Donald Glover is a huge name. Adidas needs to work with big artists. But he’s not a sneaker guy, and they made sneakers for people who aren’t into sneakers. The Lacombe, originally in the brand’s SPZL range, was OK at best. But the rest sucked. Don’t do this again. -Matt Welty
20.Action Bronson
19.
Brand: Adidas
The best thing about Action Bronson’s sneakers aren’t the shoes themselves, but the story behind them. He debuted them in a video with GQ, showing off multiple pairs of Adidas Ultra Boost inspired by RealTree camo and workwear. The shoes never came out. Then he came on Full Size Run, sat next to yours truly, and said, “Adidas are fucking shitty people.” Goes on to say that the brand fucked him over, never made the shoe, and that it was some bullshit. Long story short, Adidas heard it, listened, and made the shoes for Mr. Bam Bam Baklava. That’s the FSR difference. Adidas ended up making friends-and-family pairs for Bronson. This past week ge posted on Twitter, “If I gave you a pair of my Ultra Boost and you sold them fuck you. You are scum.” That makes the sneakers even more awesome, even if they didn’t come out. -Matt Welty
18.Pusha T
17.
Brand: Adidas
Truth be told, Pusha T’s sneaker recent sneaker output hasn’t been his best work, but that’s not enough to knock him out of contention. He got his first chance at an Adidas shoe in 2014, remixing the EQT Running Guidance 93 with details inspired directly by his drug dealing lyrics. The shoe feature cracked Italian leather, genuine carp fish scales, and an outsole that resembles the Pyrex glassware the rapper’s known for romanticising.
They followed things up the next year with a black version and have since introduced Boost cushioning to the concept. Most recently, he’s had his name tied to less-inspired—but not bad by any means—colorways of the Ozweego [Editor's note: These aren't it, Push or Adidas, do better]. Pusha has the potential to be one of the top names on this list, but he’ll have to find the right balance between designer and street if he wants to hold his position. -Riley Jones
16.G-Dragon
15.
Brand: Nike
G-Dragon is the artist you might be the least familiar with on this list, but he’s huge in Korea. Big enough, and influential enough, to get his own Nike collaboration on the Air Force 1 at the end of the year. And it’s a big deal and a good shoe. A black and white Air Force 1 with an upper that wears away with time. Even if you don’t know his songs, you wanted the shoes. All that matters sometimes. -Matt Welty
14.Skepta
13.
Brand: Nike
Now four projects deep with Nike, Skepta is a rapper whose collaborations are very authentic. His initial offering in 2017 was an Air Max 97 colored to resemble 1999’s Air Tuned Max, a cult classic in the UK he recalled saving up his money to buy as a child. An Air Max BW/97 hybrid, Air Max Deluxe, and Shox TL all followed. While not as popular stateside, each model has a much deeper connection within London’s street style, meaning the Grime rapper has stayed committed to paying homage to his home in the UK with each and every release. All of the projects have been solid, but none have been able to garner the hype that the original pair did. Some have even gone on sale despite solid execution. With yet another project rumored to arrive in 2020, let’s see if Skepta can keep up the consistency in the new decade. -Mike DeStefano
12.Drake
11.
Brand: TBD
Drake doesn't have a sneaker deal right now. His Jordan situation fell through. His Adidas situation fell through. Is he on Nike? He's been hinting at it. His Jordans weren't great. More merch than sneakers. But people will like them. I could say, "That boy up to something," but I'd have to immediately kick myself in the nuts and resign from my post. -Matt Welty
10.Tyler, The Creator
9.
Brand: Converse
Tyler, the Creator’s history of footwear partnerships is certainly one that makes a lot of sense. When he exploded in popularity back in 2011 with his song “Yonkers,” he was pretty much exclusively dressed in Vans Old Skools and Supreme T-shirts. That transformed into an official partnership with the footwear brand that resulted in numerous releases covered in the vibrant colors and Odd Future logos the young rapper was synonymous with.
While the Vans were popular in their own right, his most notable work to date has been through his partnership with Converse that kicked off back in 2017. The Golf Le Fleur, a One Star with floral branding inspired by his then-most recent album Flower Boy, has gone on to drop in dozens of unique variations. In a 2019 interview with Kerwin Frost, the rapper even admitted Converse has been very open to his creative choices, and he can essentially do ‘whatever the fuck [he wants].’ More recently, the line has expanded to include Chuck 70s and even his first original silhouette, a hiking-inspired model dubbed the Gianno, in November 2019. While his work isn’t as hyped up as that of some of his peers, it is among some of the best. Expect to continue to see it at a rapid clip, rivaled only by that of Kanye West’s Yeezy line in the rapper space, as long as his loyal fanbase has something to say about it. -Mike DeStefano
8.Kendrick Lamar
7.
Brand: Nike
Kendrick Lamar’s sneaker history can be split into two chapters; his partnership with Reebok, which began in late 2014, and his most recent collaborations with Nike. Lamar signed with the Swoosh in 2017, immediately aligning himself with the west coast staple Cortez sneaker.
His Reeboks focused on storytelling, bringing the gang unification themes of his music to silhouettes like the Ventilator and Classic Leather. Meanwhile, his Nike collabs have touched on everything from his 2017 album Damn to his love for house shoes.
Resale-wise, Lamar’s collabs are all across the board, with some of his rarer Cortez commanding especially high prices on the aftermarket. But the biggest takeaway is that the Compton, California artist may have the most unpredictable run of collabs—you never really know what you’re going to get next, and that’s very much a good thing in a space that’s polluted with a lot of similar concepts. -Riley Jones
6.Pharrell Williams
5.
Brand: Adidas
Pharrell is one of the pioneers to this shit. He goes back to having his own line with Ice Cream through Reebok. A Bathing Ape collaborations. His own Nike Dunk, which is one of the greatest. He’s been working with Adidas since it was announced that he had a deal in 2014, joining the company with friends Kanye West and Nigo. He did over 50 Superstars at once. Stan Smiths. Had his own shoes, most notably the Hu NMD. Some pairs go for over $10,000. He’s done collaborations with his group, NERD, and with fashion label Chanel. Made basketball sneakers. As of late, the line has hit a snag. Some of the stuff hasn’t been that great, but the overall body of work is solid. His friends-and-family shoes are grails and in the trophy cases at consignment shops. He’s done actual performance tennis shoes and ones inspired by Adidas’ back catalog. He needs to find his next hit, though. -Matt Welty
4.Travis Scott
3.
Brand: Nike, Jordan Brand
Travis Scott had about as strong of a 2019 as possible when it comes to being a sneaker collaborator. He has been working with the Jordan Brand and Nike for a few years now, but 2019 is when he truly hit his stride.
Sitting atop the music industry’s most popular genre, it makes plenty of sense that just about any sneaker Scott puts his name on becomes on instant success. Between his Jordan I, his Jordan I Low, his Jordan VI, and his Air Force I, Scott made a statement to the rest of the sneaker world, proving that his name belongs near the top of this list.
As 2020 approaches, we already have word of two more upcoming Cactus Jack sneaker collabs including an Air Max 270 and a Nike SB Dunk. If these past 12 months are any indication, it would be safe to assume that these aren’t the only two shoes that will come out of Scott’s camp this year. -Ben Felderstein
2.Kanye West
1.
Brand: Adidas, Yeezy
Whether you are talking about right now or the history of rapper collaborations in the sneaker industry, it is hard to argue Kanye West’s spot at the top. From his timeless Air Yeezy classics with Nike to his billion dollar Yeezy empire with Adidas, West has truly changed the sneaker world and will likely continue to do so.
As far as this power ranking goes, we are focusing a bit more on the now and West’s doings with the Three Stripes. We all know about the Yeezy Boost 350 v2 and its seemingly endless array of neutral color schemes. It has been said time and time again, the 350 is quickly turning into the newest generation of sneakerhead’s Air Jordan 1 or Adidas Superstar.
All that being said, Kanye might have an even better 2020 ahead of him. It appears that there is no sign of the 350 slowing down and West has a number of new silhouettes to work with as well. Between the Yeezy Boost 380, the 700v3, and the cost-efficient Foam Runner, Kanye’s stranglehold at the top of this list is not likely to loosen any time soon. -Ben Felderstein