One cannot deny the influence of Kanye West on the sneaker culture. Even before the release of his Nike Air Yeezy, West had been shaping the sneaker preferences of the community by drawing attention to the kicks he wore. The award-winning rapper used to fantasize about owning Nike sneakers as a kid. Who could have imagined that the little boy from Illinois would eventually become a brand partner for the very sneakers he once dreamt of owning? But adding to this is Nike’s latest kicks based on West’s popular album.

A decade after the termination of Kanye West’s partnership with Nike, the $154.93 Billion sneaker giant decided to fuse the iconic chic of the Jordan 3 silhouette with the rapper’s most striking cover illustrations. Jarrod Saunders released the Air Jordan 3 sneaker concept, paying homage to Kanye West’s ‘Graduation’ album. Kanye West’s album covers have always been visually appealing. The same goes for the vibrant ‘Graduation’ cover, which depicts a bear catapulting into the atmosphere. 

Featuring Dropout Bear’s iconic brown accents, the new sneaker model combined pale ivory tumbled leather with the unmistakable brown perforated tongue and eyelet. The tip of the tongue, however, had a purple hue emanating the same imagery as the sky in Ye’s cover art. Finally, a sleek leather trim graces the sneaker, rocking a smooth shift from purple to pink to orange, with those chill white clouds. 

Ever since the sneaker went viral on X, formerly Twitter, fans have been flooding the comments expressing their excitement. 

Kanye West ‘Graduation’ inspired sneaker sending fans into a frenzy

An X page, JustFreshKicks shared the newly launched sneakers with a caption saying, “Kanye West x Nike Dunk Low “Graduation” concepts”. Amid the ongoing tension with Ye’s Yeezy reselling by Adidas, this heartfelt tribute to the rapper won a lot of hearts on the web. Fans took to the comments, expressing their delight over Nike’s nod to the rapper. Saunders’ brainchild received a warm response as fire emojis flooded in to highlight their coolness. 

Many fans extended their approval for the sneakers. A fan even thanked Nike for crafting this model, especially during a challenging period for West’s sneaker legacy. 

However, there was also a section of fans who did not care much about the Air Jordan 3 concept. 

A fan even questioned why they could not draw inspiration from the ‘College Dropout’ theme. The ‘College Dropout’ theme also featured a bear, representing Kanye West’s college life. While it is not sure when Adidas will resume selling the leftover stocks of Yeezy after the sudden stoppage, the newest launch by Nike is definitely a big hit with the crowd. 

What do you think about the Air Jordan 3 x Kanye West ‘Graduation’? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!