The Complex Sneakers Show

The leader of the Wu-Tang Clan, the RZA, joins the Complex Sneakers Show this week to discuss the long history of the Wu-Tang x Nike Dunk High, breaking down how the shoe finally came back as a retro after all these years. RZA runs through his sneaker history, from ducking gangs with ODB in Coney Island to collecting all flavors of Havana Joes. Also in the episode, cohosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty talk about the viral New Balance loafers and the next Coreiz x Nike Air Max 95s.

Michael Vick has one of the NFL’s defining signature sneaker lines with a series of Nike shoes that matched his electric play with the Atlanta Falcons in the 2000s. Before that, he was turning heads by wearing Air Jordan 17s on the field. On this episode, he breaks down how his Nike deal happened, how he got back together with Nike, and why he wants to start his own footwear brand now. Vick touches on the influence his shoes had in Atlanta specifically, where the Nike Vick line was embraced by the likes of T.I. and Young Jeezy. Also in the episode, cohosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty talk Nigo’s upcoming Nike collab and Nike’s incoming CEO, Elliott Hill.

Is the Staple x Nike SB Dunk Low “Pigeon” the best SB Dunk of all time? What about the legendarily rare “FLOM” SB Dunk High by Futura? And does a shoe like the “Chunky Dunky” SB by Ben & Jerry’s even deserve consideration in such a discussion? In this episode, cohosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty give their takes on the best SB Dunks of all time, and respond to some of the recent feedback over the rankings. They also talk about spending big money on grails, hunting for rare shoes, and the generally stale state of Air Jordans right now.

J Balvin is four sneakers deep with Jordan Brand, and it sounds like he has more to come. In this episode, the Colombian artist discusses his relationship with Michael Jordan, his battle against sneaker bots on the Air Jordan 3, and what might be next up for his collaborations. He even touches briefly on that recent Air Jordan 4 custom he wore that Jordan was apparently not too happy about. Elsewhere in the episode, cohosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty talk about finding your true sneaker size, the merits of the Air Max Dn, Wale’s Foams, and getting caught wearing basic sneakers.

Michael Rubin is a billionaire, entrepreneur, and close personal friend to Travis Scott. In this conversation, he talks about Travis’ sneaker business, and even dishes a bit on the ‘White Party’ version of the Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low that popped up this summer. Rubin also talks about Jay-Z gifting him Louis Vuitton Air Force 1s, recounts a business meeting with Nike co-founder Phil Knight, and talks about his own history reselling sneakers in the '90s. At the top of the episode, co-hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty talk Noah Lyles’ sneaker wish, hunting down rare footwear, and the Wizard of Oz x Nike SB Dunk Low.

Who is the most powerful collaborator in sneakers right now? In this episode, cohosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty run down a long list of industry heavyweights to determine who in the industry is generating the most buzz, sales, and genuinely cool sneakers. They discuss how high Jerry Lorenzo’s Fear of God work at Adidas puts him, everything Joe Freshgoods has contributed, and why Travis Scott is still a titan. Also in the episode, some quick catch up on Odell Beckham Jr.’s Nike lawsuit, LeBron 22 updates, and Salehe Bembury’s new challenge at Puma