Reebok is the latest sneaker brand to tap into the Latinx rap scene, adding Puerto Rican superstar Anuel AA to its roster with the release of two new sneaker collaborations. “The Sky Above The Street’’ capsule, Anuel’s first sneaker collab of any kind, is inspired by both the flag of his hometown Carolina and the sun-faded outdoor basketball courts in its urban neighborhoods.
Nostalgia played a major factor in him connecting with Reebok. When he was a child, Reeboks were his go-to sneaker purchase because they were the most affordable.
“I really came from the bottom. I remember back then I used to want Jordans, I wanted Air Forces, and I didn’t have the money for any of that except for Reebok,” Anuel says. “So now, when I’m brainstorming with my team on which brand to go with for my first sneaker, it has to be Reebok.”
Anuel’s Reebok collection consists of a Classic Leather and a Pump Omni Zone 2 ($100 and $170, respectively) which release on Friday, Aug. 26, exclusively at Foot Locker and Champs. The Puerto Rican rapper mentioned that Reebok chose the pack’s silhouettes and he didn’t put up a fight when he saw Reebok Classic Leathers.
“It’s a sneaker that’s really the story of our lives, everybody had those sneakers back then, and the Reebok Pumps, it’s history,” Anuel says. “There’s two more dropping real soon and it’s gonna be a real big surprise on what it’s going to be.”
Anuel expressed his admiration of Allen Iverson Reeboks, and even bought a pair of Reebok Questions in his episode of Complex’s Sneaker Shopping.
“Everybody remembers Iverson doing his thing with Reebok back in the day and now Cardi is doing her thing, too,” he says. “It’s really a blessing for me to be doing this collaboration with Reebok, and the perfect time. It really worked with them.”
When it came to designing the sneaker, Reebok guided Anuel to help give each pair his essence. His main priority was the colorways, two black and red combos that used his favorite colors as borrowed from the Carolina flag. The shoes also reference his debut album, Real Hasta La Muerte, on the insole, and his jewelry via a metallic dubrae.
The target audience for the Puerto Rican rapper is the streets in Carolina where he grew up, and people in similar circumstances to those he experienced as a child. In support of the collection, Anuel will donate to SER de Puerto Rico, a charity whose mission is to support people with disabilities.
“I’ve always been an organic rapper,” he says, “and I feel like this is the perfect moment and gesture to give back to the community that shows me so much love.”
