Kanye West took to Twitter today to comment on a new Nike style and his thoughts were somewhat surprising. The Yeezy founder posted a photo of the Nike ISPA Road Warrior, writing, “Wow so cool Nike … Keep innovating. The world needs it … great job.”
WOW SO COOL NIKE … KEEP INNOVATING … THE WOLRD NEEDS IT … GREAT JOB pic.twitter.com/2QJDPVvUVF
— ye (@kanyewest) August 20, 2020
The praise comes after some history between Nike and West. The entrepreneur has spoken out against Nike many times since he began working with Adidas in 2013. In 2018, for instance, West sat down with Charlamagne Tha God from iHeartRadio’s The Breakfast Club to dicuss why he left Nike. West said, “When I was at Nike, they weren’t willing to change anything… It was heartbreaking for me to have to leave Nike, but they refused to allow me to get royalty on my shoe. And I knew I had the hottest shoe in the world. I knew Yeezy was the hottest brand in the world.”
In 2018, West brazenly called out Nike, suggesting the brand’s M2K Tekno silhouette was a rip-off of his Adidas Yeezy Boost 700 Wave Runner. Although he eventually deleted the tweet.
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At one point, West said he would turn down a $1 billion deal from the Swoosh. It was in 2016 and West recently released his song “Facts,” which took aim at Nike. In the song, West raps, “Nike, Nike treat employees just like slaves/Gave LeBron a billi’ not to run away.” The song’s hook, “Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy just jumped over Jumpman,” alluded to his sneakers surpassing Air Jordans in popularity. At Los Angeles airport shortly after the song released, a TMZ reporter asked West if he would accept $1 billion from Nike. “That’s a good question,” West said at the time. “It’s not about the money. It’s about the respect. Communication. Adidas is my family.”
Most recently, however, West has changed his tune towards Nike. In April, West said he’d be OK with Nike re-releasing his original Air Yeezy sneakers during an interview with GQ. When asked how he would feel if Nike were to retro, or re-release, his original Air Yeezy 1 and Air Yeezy 2 sneakers, West didn’t voice any qualms or hesitations: “Man, I’m with everything.”
As for the Nike ISPA Road Warrior, which is part of the athletic company’s five-shoe range of bold and innovative footwear under its unique set of creating and problem-solving design principles — Improvise, Scavenge, Protect and Adapt (known as Nike ISPA), West couldn’t help but appreciate its creativity.
“These bring me back to my chilhood,” he also posted on Twitter. “I need a pair.”
THESE BRING ME BACK TO MY CHILDHOOD … GROWING UP ON ANIME … I NEED A PAIR pic.twitter.com/EeeNwNZ6m4
— ye (@kanyewest) August 20, 2020
The style released on July 10, retailing for $500 and has since sold out. It uses innovations from Nike’s running, basketball, training and outdoor categories and is built with a floating heel reminiscent of early Shox prototypes and utilizes double-stacked Zoom pods and double underfoot plates.
