A Complete Guide To Martin's Sneakers

Episode: #1 'Beauty and the Beast' & #11 'The Great Payne Robbery'

Year (of sneaker): 1966

The first slide starts off with a "female" but this is hardly a dope chick in kicks (we got you right here on that). As the pilot starts off, it's actually Martin's memorable character in drag, Sheneneh, that sets off the guide and she got her Vans on wylin' out in the hallway snappin' at Gina and Pam like usual. We promise those shorts and midriff are not coming back anytime soon in this list — at least it wasn't Tracy Morgan.

Episode: #2 'Gift Rapper' & #6 'Forever Sheneneh'

Year (of Sneaker): 1992

This is more like it — throughout the course of the series Martin may be reppin' Detroit, but there is no doubt that Jordan is his guy (er, no conflict there or anything). '92 was also the reign of the Fab Five, so you know Payne was going hard with the murdered-out Js whether he was last-minute gift shopping for Gina or trying to save Kid (from Kid 'N Play) from a date with Sheneneh.

Episode: #10 'The Night He Came Home' & #26 'Baby You Can Drive My Car'

Year (of Sneaker): 1992

Roscoe!!! The building punk was always messing with Gina and trying to con people out of some cash and a few other incentives. While going door-to-door for candy or selling raffle tickets to an SUV, Roscoe is spotted wearing the Air Ballistic Force Highs, which were the shoes that helped Chuck beat Godzilla.

Episode: #11 'The Great Payne Robbery' & #15 'I Saw Gina Kissing Santa Claus'

Year (of Sneaker): 1992

Our main man Roscoe comes correct again rocking the Cardinal Red Jordan VIIs while he breaks into Gina's crib to watch cartoons and trying to finagle gifts from Santa. Season One sneaker champ: Roscoe.

Episode: #13 'Radio Days'

Year (of Sneaker): 1992

The Nike Air Flight Huarache made most famous by the Michigan Fab Five gets a quick cameo in the show while Martin puts in work at WZUP! radio. Further proof that Payne was down for the cause breaking out Jordans and the flyest basketball shoes from '92.

Episode: #29 'Really, Gina Is Not My Lover'

Year (of Sneaker): 1993

With Martin sweating his high school reunion he puts in some last minute work doing some pushups around Gina's crib in hopes of winning Man of the Decade. No better kick then the slip-on Huarache Plus to get right.

Episode: #30 'Got To Be There'

Year (of Sneaker): 1993

This ACG model looks more like a shoe than a sneaker and if you're familiar with the show you know Martin got his grown man on a lot with dress pants and dress shoes, so the Nike Revaderchi was a good mix of style and casual.

Episode: #32 'Baby, It's You', #33 'Workin' Day & Night', #62 'Momma's Baby, Martin's Maybe', & #80 'Wedding Bell Blues'

Year (of Sneaker): 1917

You know the Chucks are always a must, but both appearances are alternate characters for Lawrence. The first spotted is when Martin plays a mechanic turned musician breaking out into some corny-ass country on the hood of Gina's whip. Also, building menace Roscoe breaks them out during one of his standard ambushes at Martin and Gina's apartment.

Episode: #37 'Fat Like Dat'

Year (of Sneaker): 1993

Gina has it in Martin's head that he has put on a few pounds, so dude gets paranoid and starts putting in major work at the gym. The greatest sneaker episode of the series due to various looks, Martin kicks things off with the classic Deion trainers. Pause on the flexible move, though.

Episode: #37 'Fat Like Dat'

Year (of Sneaker): 1993

Another Michigan Fab Five staple, Martin gets caught slippin' on the diet smashing plates of meat, potatoes, and gravy. At least the kicks are durable enough to keep him on point if he starts tipping the scales like Barkley.

Episode: #37 'Fat Like Dat'

Year (of Sneaker): 1993

Another classic basketball shoe, Martin really kept up with the hoop trends more than any other style although he messed with the runners and trainers pretty consistently as well. In the episode where Gina says he is getting fat he checks on his homeboy Tommy who can't keep up with the step class. Just sayin' napping on mats >>> aerobics, that's a no-brainer.

Episode: #57 'I've Got Work To Do'

Year (of Sneaker): 1992

In the early '90s, Dikembe Mutombo was king and no sneaker represented African culture like his adidas signature model from 1992. Guess who's in the house? Jerome (played by Martin) switches it up from the Swoosh for a minute in season three to show some love to a truly iconic shoe... well played pimpin'.

Episode: #59 'Break Up to Make Up' & #66 'Lockin' Boots'

Year (of Sneaker): 1994

The Air Max Lite dropped during taping for season three and got some love among the long line of Nike runners. Martin breaks them out for two episodes again proving he keeps current. We're not mad at the move, you go boy.

Episode: #64 'Get a Job' & #66 'Lockin' Boots'

Year (of Sneaker): 1994

If you want to be the greatest you have to rock the greatest. In seasons one and two, we catch Martin messin' with some heat but it isn't until season three that his footwear game gets any discussion on the show. We also get to check out his hoopin' skills — but on a six-foot hoop *insert short jokes* stompin' in his Jordan Xs.

Episode: #75 'Mother of the Bride'

Year (of Sneaker): 1994

The Air Max2 Sweeps were an actual tennis shoe rocked by the G-O-D Pete Sampras during his 1994 season. Martin was moving on up the world in season three — guess homie was feeling a little upscale with these joints. No fault.

Episode: #76 'C.R.E.A.M.'

Year (of Sneaker): 1995

Martin is chasing that paper with his old boss Stan played by always-skeezy-on-TV Garrett Morris. In the episode we get a quick look at the must-haves from '95, the Nike Air Max2 Uptempo made famous by the Dukies. Martin goes with the blacked-out colorway, staying true to his style.

Epiosde: #83 'Kill Him With Kindness'

Year (of Sneaker): 1994

Martin kicks the politics of his relationship in the park with his boys rocking some Jordan IIs, which had just been retroed for the first time when the season was shot. Dude is convinced that Gina got a life insurance policy on him because she wants to kill him and collect. Martin gets to steppin' when he realzies it is complete foolishness, but the IIs — correct state of mind.

Epsiode: #85 'Ring A Ding, Ding, Gone' & # #89 'Old School Loving'

Year (of Sneaker): 1995

You remember these joints on the feet of Penny Hardaway and even Mike himself rocked them for a game. In season four, Martin goes a little more mainstream trading in the trainers and runners for the now-classic basketball line from the mid-'90s. Damn Nike, we need you guys to bring these back.

Episode: #92 'Three Homies & a Baby' & #100 'The Love Jones Connection'

Year (of Sneaker): 1995

Keeping up with the basketball releases, Martin couldn't front on the Penny Is. These were arguably one of the sickest releases in a year of b-ball kicks that might go down in history as the greatest. In the 100th episode Martin rocks them when Lil' Penny himself, Chris Rock, makes an appearance as Sheneneh's love interest. Respect.

Episode: #93 'Headin' for Trouble' & #106 'D.M.V. Blues'

Year (of Sneaker): 1995

The Air Tenacity might not have made as much noise as other releases in '95, but the model was a clean and good look that fit Mr. Payne's grown man steez. You can file these under basketball shoes, but that doesn't mean Martin won't try and box an elderly woman getting smart at the D.M.V. Chill, it's only TV.

Episode: #102 'Homeo & Juliet'

Year (of Sneaker): 1995

If you're going to go simpin' on some chick, what better sneaker than the timeless Jordan XIs featuring a clean cut and black patent leather? Alright, it didn't quite work for Martin, transforming Gina's dreams of starring in a play into a mockery by flippin' the script from the epitome of a gentleman caller to a thugged-out cat caller. Bravo, bravo.

Episode: #104 'The Tooth Will Set You Free'

Year (of Sneaker): 1996

One of the pillowiest basketball shoes Nike has ever produced makes its way on the sneaker guide when Pam gets hypnotized at the dentist's office and the crew is trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with her. Conclusion to season four, and proof that this was Lawrence's strongest run on the show footwear wise.

Episode: #110 'Back in Trouble'

Year (of Sneaker): 1996

Not quite as dope as the "Concords," but we can't fault the choice of any XI model or colorway. The first sneaker we see Martin rock in season five takes place after Martin hurts his back and is contemplating playing in a three-on-three tournament regardless. That's heart, fam.

Episode: #114 'Banging Hard in the School Yard'

Year (of Sneaker): 1996

Not to be confused with the kicks Penny rocked in the '96 Olympics, the Air Flight was a takedown of the Zoom Flight '96 without the Zoom and a slightly less complex upper. Martin used the lightweight sneakers for some hoops with the squad.

Episode: #115 'The Life You Save May Make You Rich' & #118 'Scrooge'

Year (of Sneaker): 1996

After saving a prince's life, Martin gets hit up with a gang of gifts including a pair of new Jordan XIIs. A few episodes later though, our main man has a "Ghosts of Christmases Past" moment and gives away his kicks to a much less fortunate kid who has a bummy pair of sneakers. Martin schooling people on the concept of paying it forward.

Episode: #120 'You Play Too Much'

Year (of Sneaker): 1996

If you were an avid watcher of Martin you know in season five his presence wasn't really all over the show. He transitioned more into his films and let his partners take over the storylines, only making brief cameos in the majority of the episodes except for the final two. One of the last looks we get of Martin Payne in sneakers are the Nike Air Adjust Force which was the rage on the courts thanks the removable straps in a variety of colors so you could rep your squad on the floor and your corner on the streets. He went strapless, letting the metal mesh on the tongue shine through.