Rapping, DJing, graffiti and breakdancing formed the basis of the culture.
Nike is set to launch its first-ever breakdancing sneaker to coincide with the sport’s debut in the Olympics this month. The sport served as one of the four pillars of hip-hop when the culture began to take shape in the ’70s, and Nike is bringing in another original element through the shoe’s first collaboration.
The Futura x Nike Jam will bring together breakdancing and graffiti, quintessential hip-hop elements along with rapping and DJing. The legendary graffiti artist’s contribution to the silhouette is more subtle than normal and a far cry from his recently released SB Dunk Low. His signature style is applied to the shoe’s multi-color insole and lining, as well as the pull tabs on the heel. Futura’s signature and name is also printed onto the insole.
Aside from those graffiti-style accents that peek out, the exterior of of Futura’s Jam is quite unassuming in a mix of whites, grey and black. Suede, leather and mesh are used for the upper’s construction.
Having been in development by Nike for seven years, the Jam is tailored to breakdancing with its drop-in foam midsole. The outsole is curved to guide transitions from move to move, while different rubbers are applied at spots tailored to either glide or grip the floor. And because breakdancers are prone to spending signficant amounts of time upside down, the Nike Swoosh has been rotated 180 degrees on the midsole to ensure there’s always a Swoosh oriented right side up.
A release date hasn’t been set yet for the Futura x Nike Jam, but it’s likely to be pegged to the Paris Olympics, which begin July 26. The in-line variants of the sneaker, however, are set to release July 24 for $120.
Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.
