UPDATED 11/19, 1:00 p.m.: The members of Run the Jewels were spotted yesterday wearing their forthcoming Nike SB Dunk High collab. The shoe features a two-tone upper black and pink upper, with jewel-styled Swooshes and yellow shoelaces. El-P himself also shared a teaser shot of the shoe on Instagram today, revealing that it will feature special lace locks designed after their signature logo. The Run the Jewels x Nike SB Dunks is currently slated to hit retail in April 20, 2023.
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Rap duo Run the Jewels is working with Nike SB on a sneaker collaboration that’s scheduled to launch next year, sources with knowledge of the upcoming release tell Complex. The project will see RTJ rappers El-P and Killer Mike team up for a Nike SB Dunk High and a Nike SB Dunk Low, sources say.
A first photo of the shoes leaked on Monday via @zsneakerheadz on Instagram, who previewed a pair with the group’s logos on the heel.
Nike did not respond to a request for comment on the upcoming Run the Jewels x Nike SB Dunks—the brand generally does not comment on leaks. Reps for the rappers also did not respond to a request for comment. Killer Mike, through a third party, declined to comment.
According to one person who’s been briefed on the shoes, Nike plans to release the Run the Jewels SB Dunks around April 20, 2023, which could situate them in the long line of 4/20-themed sneakers from the brand’s skateboarding division. Sneaker release dates have been shaky across the industry as of late due to global supply chain issues, so it’s possible the sneakers won’t arrive at retail by then.
While the Run the Jewels x Nike SB project is the first proper sneaker collaboration for the group, El-P was briefly involved in footwear in his past life as the head of indie rap label Definitive Jux. In 2008, his label released a Def Jux sneaker designed with the help of graffiti legend Phase2.
