While musician sneaker deals are commonplace these days, they were relatively unheard of when Jay-Z signed with Reebok in 2002. The rapper famously teamed up with the brand to launch a line of signature footwear and apparel, including the Gucci-inspired S. Carter sneakers. The signing of Jay-Z, along with 50 Cent, led to a short 'boom' period for Reebok, during which it experienced an 11% jump in footwear sales and a 20% gain in shares. Jay's partnership with Reebok continued for four years before the two went their separate ways.
Due to the abrupt ending of the partnership, not only is S. Carter product scarce, but Jay is hardly ever spotted wearing it. He's been locked in with Puma in various roles since 2018 and it's not surprising to see him Nikes or Air Jordans. However, he never breaks out a pair of his signature Reeboks—until Super Bowl LVIII.
At the game with his family tonight, Jay-Z stunned the sneaker world by wearing the Reebok S. Carter in the original Gucci-inspired colorway. While one would assume that he dusted off a pair from the vault, Jay's pair is from a brand new run that was produced exclusively for him. As of now, plans to retro the S. Carter have not been confirmed.
