The 25 Biggest Celebrity Sneakerheads

Image via Complex Original

As of late, the sneaker game is hitting people harder than the crack got Pookie in New Jack. We're not saying that a few years ago people weren't deep and committed to the game, it just feels like after the last few and upcoming Nike/Jordan releases this thing called "sneakerheads" has become an epidemic. We know that having all the right connects and rubber-banded stacks of cash is the ultimate piece to the equation, but even with all that you have to have the knowledge and hustle to stay up. Complex decided to break down some celebrities who use all those things to their advantage and have been stacking kicks since the original Cement IVs dropped. So catch up and click the gallery to check out The 25 Biggest Celebrity Sneakerheads.

25. Eminem

Complex says: You know Slim Shady is about the sweats, caps, and hundreds of pairs of Nikes and Jordans to pair up with his casual attire. His manager Paul Rosenberg even gave the people a look inside the insanity with stories about his "Encore" Air Jordan IVs and Air Maxes (he's the Air Max LTD king). When you're the decade's highest selling artist you have a few perks during your reign — nothing major, just a pair of these. Jordan did him up some Air Jordan IIs, too. Who knows what's next?

24. DJ AM

Complex says: We had to pay respect to one of the biggest sneaker connoisseurs to ever do it. Adam Goldstein AKA DJ AM, part of the legendary Air Mack$ crew along with Ben Baller and DJ Homicide, was stacking some of the dopest sneakers to ever release and some that never even saw the light of day. And even after his untimely death in 2009, he stayed influencing — his family put up his collection on eBay for fans and collectors. Nike even paid homage to him with his own pair of Dunks — that's a legacy.

23. John Mayer

Complex says: Over the years in the few times John Mayer has been caught out in public he has always had something classic looking and fresh on his feet. From the Kennedy-inspired New Balances that made just about every "best of" list in 2011 to a plethora of Blazers, Dunks, Air Maxes, and other runners. There was even a blog dedicated to his footwear choices — not your usual fangirl stuff. And his love isn't superficial. In 2006, he told the AP "I'm actually into sneakers on a design level. I've got a big design thing going on in my life right now ... I love designing stuff. I mean, my biggest dream, forget Grammys, I want to be able to design an Air Max."

22. Fabolous

Complex says: Since Fab jumped on the scene in '01, he has always kept it together rocking fresh clothes and fresh kicks. He may have gotten busted with some fakes on Bobbito's ESPN show but even MJ missed a game winner or two. No doubt Fab consistently comes with the heat whether he was rocking Jordan X "Chicagos", V "Quai 54s", and just about anything else early.

21. Eric Koston

Complex says: One of the most influential skaters of all-time, Eric Koston has been sponsored since '93, got his first signature kicks in '97 and this past year he teamed up with Nike for his own SB model. While this may have come as a surprise to some, Koston was down with the Swoosh long before he signed on the dotted line. Even before he got on Nike he was building a collection that was heavy on the Jordans (which inspired some of his later signature models). A huge Los Angeles Lakers fan, Koston proudly let his NBA influence shine through. Wearing your own sneakers has to be like listening to your own music though, eventually it gets old and you might be taken as an egomaniac for it. Hardly an issue for Koston since he diversifies his sneakers with a crazy mix of Jordans, Nike SBs, Vans, and he even messes with Gucci. 

20. Va$htie

Complex says: Vashtie Kola AKA Va$htie is getting mad love at Complex this month — mad love. And rightfully so. Do you know another woman who has enough respect in the streets to get to design her own Jordans? With such an eclectic style, she might not come out in a different pair of IIIs every day of the week the same way Birdman switches rides, but her name rings out and gets props from everyone in the industry. Doubt her sneaker knowledge? Check it out right here.

19. Big Sean

Complex says: Kicks, kicks, kicks kicks, kicks... Big Sean has been grinding with 'Ye and company for a minute now and while his debut album didn't drop until this year, we have seen him hitting the stage in various kicks from "Toro Bravo" Vs to "Grape" Vs. adidas recognized his status so they hooked him up with some special-made Superstars last fall. We even caught up with the Detroit native to get his 25 favorite kicks and the list came out legit.

18. Jerry Ferrara

Complex says: We already told you that Turtle was someone you should watch out for. Just like his character on "Entourage," Ferrara stays chasing the kicks from limited edition AF1s, Dunks, to Jordans — we would be surprised if little homie wasn't all up in your Nike Talk conversation. And as you can see by the photo, he's not one of those dudes who lets his stylist do the heavy lifting.

17. Just Blaze

Complex says: Anyone familiar with one of the greatest producers in hip-hop music knows when Just Blaze goes in he isn't half-steppin, it turns into a full obsession. Whether it is collecting records, Polo gear, or kicks Just Blaze is typically going to reign supreme in some rare SBs. He might not be messin' with sneakers as much as he once was (although his recent Supra drop counters that) but his vault is a problem — confirmed.

16. Kid Cudi

Complex says: Not only did Converse hand-pick Cudi for its Artists Series last year because of the rapper's love for Chuck Taylors, but Cudi's been known to circle through classic Jordans more than most celebrities. It's clear he prefers the IIIs and IVs, but when it's not JB, he'll even do Vans Authentics. Oh, and he also copped six pair of Air MAGs when they dropped.

15. Jim Jones

Complex says: Peep Jones' Twitter and you might catch him messing around and just picking up throwback Js or new releases five, six pairs at a time. You also might catch him up in Flight Club with Joe La Puma grabbing a pair of vintage AJ VIs and throwing it on wax and video. He's not afraid to ball in his kicks, either.

14. Spike Lee

Complex says: What, you don't think Mars Blackmon has a mean kicks game? You can't help but check for Spike's kicks when he gives the Knicks a standing ovation from courtside. His Spizikes fly off the shelves, his face graced the heel of an all-time classic Air Jordan, and the Son of Mars got next. Spike is always wearing something proper and his flicks Do The Right Thing and He Got Game are classic sneakerhead favorites. Plus, he's gotten pairs of game-worn Js straight from Money himself. Yup, it's gotta be the shoes.

13. Theophilus London

Complex says: Theophilus came onto the scene last year strong with a dope mixtape, an ill album, and a mean style game, rocking heat like some Ronnie Fieg Asics collabs, Nike Air Mags, Yeezys, Jordan XIs, VIs, and IIIs. We sat down with the Brooklyn native and he admitted he has always had a passion for flashin' and his new gig has allowed him to go back and get the sneakers he missed as a kid. The 2011 Complex Sneaker Rookie of the Year — no trophy included. He already got his own kicks from Cole Haan, and he's only 24 years old. Sky's the limit.

12. Lil Wayne

Complex says: His sneaker choices might be questionable at times but for as many fails as he has had — he also also bodied people with his bold moves. Snowboard boots to a Lakers game? Why not? Since the young Carter teamed up with Cash Money at the age of nine we have watched him grow as an emcee and display an endless army of adidas, Bapes, Converses, Nikes, and everything else in every damn colorway. Now he's heavy into Vans on the board, and Jeremy Scott adis on stage. It must be the rock-n-roll mentality since Weezy tends to break out something different every time he goes out — new kicks ery'day ery'day is the motto.

11. Jay-Z

Complex says: Growing up in Brooklyn being laced proper is a must. Over the past 15 years, if you look back to about every major hip-hop style influence you can track it back to Jay — not counting the Radiis. Since the come-up in Jordan IVs, his Gucci-inspired Reebok S. Carter, one-wear white-on-whites, "black/cement" Jordan IIIs on the concrete jungle, "white/cement" IIIs on the beach with Bey, and Yeezy IIs courtside at Nets games — Hov has been about that life longer than you've been alive.

10. Big Tigger

Complex says: You won't be able to Google search Tigger and find 13 pages of him rocking heat but being on television and having that wardrobe budget is a good thing to have. Throughtout the years he has made so many connects (hosting Nike events has its benefits — as does having big-name friends) he has a room just stacked with Jordans and Nikes. You know you're doing it big when your sneaker closet has a window.

9. Kanye West

Complex says: Kanye basically invented the whole sneaker spotted back when he was hitting up MTV to market his debut album and would rock rare Nikes and Bapes with polos and blazers having stans on SOHH all wet trying to imitate the style. Now there's a whole blog dedicated to how you can dress like him. How about 2007 when he had the internet going nuts with the red patent leather Ato Matsumotos at Summer Jam? Who else has his own 100-slide "best of sneakers" on Complex, a deal with Nike where he gets to help design his own shoe (three Yeezys confirmed to date), and a line of upscale Louis Vuitton kicks? Not to mention what must be an endless supply of black/cement Air Jordan IIIs. Just a college dropout. 

8. Pharrell 

Complex says: Always a style king as well as a musical genius, Pharrell was about the Jordans, Bapes — really anything that accurately accented the style. Possibly one of the most influential people when it came to sneakers over the past decade, once Skateboard P wore Bape it was huge in America. Reebok hit him up to put out his own line of Ice Cream sneakers inspired by his BBC movement that had teenage kids stashing that lunch money for a pair. Oh yeah, and there was the little matter of the Dunk High he got to do in 2004.

7. Bun B

Complex says: How many rappers celebrate their birthday at the Nice Kicks One Year Anniversary Party just chopping it up with fans about shoes and music because they're that passionate and connected to their craft? Bun B. Most importantly we mess with Bun because he breaks his kicks fresh out of the box as soon as he purchases them — none of that UNDSing months or years later. Respect to one of the greatest on the mic and with one of the most solid collections, one that even gets other rappers hype.

6. Biz Markie

Complex says: Not as flashy about it as others, Biz is sitting on a collection of about 4,000 - 5,000 pairs according to Clark Kent. That's serious. He's been holding it down since the '80s in classics like Nike Safaris (which he put on the map), AF1s, and Bapes, and has put in work DJing for damn near every major sneaker company at one time or another. Most recently, PRO-Keds blessed him with his own joints. But man, even 30 years in those kind of collection numbers have him blazin' past Imelda Marcos status. Biz, you may want to attend a meeting or something.

5. DJ Greg Street

Complex says: Another Clark Kent co-sign, Greg Street might not have the same kind of numbers as some of the other celebs on this list but when it comes to the exclusives he going to come away with a pair. His collection includes the "UNDFTD" and Shady-made "Encore" Air Jordan IVs, Euro-only Air Maxes, and enough "one-ofs" that you probably never even knew existed. Its always cool to trump someone in terms of quantity, but quality is king. 

4. Fat Joe

Complex says: You can catch Fat Joe courtside at a Knicks game in a different pair of Nikes or Js on any given night — the difference between his and yours is he is usually going with player editions while you copped yours at Foot Locker. Fat Joe also had his own shoe with Protegé and many Terror Squad branded AF1s. And who can forget the top five iconic moment from ESPN's "It's The Shoes" — licking his kicks on camera. Often imitated but never duplicated.

3. Wale

Complex says: The Foamposite king. Wale is a beast when it comes to sneakers and simply spits it how he lives it. If you stay connected to our "spotted" section you know he stunts so often with classics, hard-to-find quickstrikes, and shit you are saving up for still, that we half-jokingly have been referring to his posts as "Wale Watch." Plus, no one's messing with his Instagram game. No one.

2. Chi McBride

Complex says: Veteran actor Chi McBride may be 50 now, but his shoe game is still so strong. The Chicago native (hence the "Chi"), has got Jordans like MJ, Yeezys like 'Ye, and is friends with Nike's creative whiz Mark Smith. When you are getting some of the hardest Js to find without even making a call, getting pairs of XI lows months early, and even getting your own custom Jordan golf cleats — it's over. Honestly, it's hard to tell where you have the best shot at seeing the newest Nikes — on the Beaverton campus, or on Chi's feet.

1. DJ Clark Kent

Complex says: Clark Kent has cooked up some of your favorite classic Jay-Z beats and some of the illest exclusive Nikes including his "112" series, various designs of Nike LeBrons, and his "Black Friday" AF1s. As long as he has been breaking records he has been breaking necks with a serious arsenal of kicks. Not to mention he is so connected in the game we had him breakdown who he thought was pushing weight. If a rapper needs something you can't get in the stores, odds are you are going through Nike corporate or Clark Kent — who Nike has been known to consult on projects beside his own. Add in his legendary "one a days" (a fresh-out-the-box pair every day for years now) and the fact that he's given away more sneakers than most serious collectors have even owned, there's no doubt who's on top.