A History of Nike x Travis Scott Sneaker Collabs
In 2019, Travis Scott wasn’t only one of the dominant forces in hip hop. While his third full-length album “ASTROWORLD” gained both commercial success and critical acclaim, the Houston rapper also cemented his status in sneaker culture. With an impressive run of highly coveted releases, he might be the closest contender to Kanye West when it comes to the hip hop sneaker throne. That’s why we decided to put together a little run-down of Nike x Travis Scott collabs.
Title image via @sneakersofberlin
Cactus Jack in Sicko Mode
The hype that only intensifies with every new drop is not the only thing that brings back memories of Kanye’s stint with Nike though. Like the GOOD Music head, Travis Scott often adds personal details like his home state of Texas to the sneakers. Then again, his sneakers feature outlandish characteristics that really set them apart – like a reverse Swoosh or the stash pockets at the ankle. That the rapper gets to work on fan-favorite models like the Air Force 1, or the Air Jordan 1, 4 and 6 doesn’t hurt either of course.
Right now, the Travis Scott Nike collabs still are notoriously limited and there’s no sign that this might change soon. In return, that means whoever is lucky enough to have a pair in their collection isn’t shy about flexing on IG with their prized possessions. So along the way of putting together our little overview, we also picked some of our favorite shots from the ‘gram for every sneaker. Check them out below.
DID YOU KNOW?
Before his deal with the Swoosh brand, Travis Scott already had another footwear project. When the rapper collaborated with Helmut Lang for a full collection in 2017, it also included two pairs of shoes. The Italian-made Nylon High Top and Low Top featured a bull graphic on the tongue as a nod to Travis’ Texan roots.
Travis Scott x Air Jordan Trunner LX “Cactus Jack”
Release Date: 2017 (Friends & Family only)
Price: N/A
Style Code: N/A
Needless to mention, the Jordan Trunner training shoe isn’t really a must-have among Jordan Heads (or any sneakerhead, really). It’s not a main line model, it’s not even a basketball sneaker at all. But while the training shoe never released officially it already gave us a glimpse of what’s to come from Trav’s partnership with Nike and Jordan Brand. The most memorable story around his first Jumpman collab might be a sample pair ending up at NYC thrift shop Beacon’s Closet for $55 USD.
Travis Scott x Nike Air Force 1 Low “AF100”
Release Date: December 5, 2017
Price: 150 €
Style Code: AQ4211-100
Travis Scott’s first proper release with Nike went down on the ocassion of the AF100 campaign in 2017. Celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Air Force 1 (and its white-on-white colorway in particular), the brand enlisted several creatives to come up with their very own spin on the shoe. Trav’s take gave a nod to his signature style, featuring interchangeable velcro Swooshes and a grillz-inspired Deubré.
Travis Scott x Air Jordan 4 “Cactus Jack”
Release Date: June 22, 2018
Price: 200 €
Style Code: 308497-406
The first “proper” Air Jordan collab on the list, as the Cactus Jack 4s actually released to the public in 2018. Well documented in throwback pics like this one, the Air Jordan 4 always was a favorite for the rapper. Seeing the colorway in NBA courtside appearances by Travis Scott himself or even in-game on the feet of Houston Rockets forward P.J. Tucker several months before the release only added to the hype. The shoe’s striking colorway references the Houston Oilers – the predecessor of today’s Tennesse Titans NFL team.
Travis Scott x Air Jordan 4 “Purple Suede”
Release Date: 2018 (Friends & Family only)
Price: N/A
Style Code: N/A
Another unreleased pair only given to people from La Flame’s inner circle like his tour DJ Chase B. Shattering hopes for an official release, Chase also recently confirmed on Full Size Run that those Friends & Family 4s will never come out. And given the universal appeal of 4s and the increased popularity of Travis Scott Jordans, don’t expect these to randomly pop up at thrift stores.
Travis Scott x Air Jordan 4 “Olive”
Release Date: 2018 (Friends & Family only)
Price: N/A
Style Code: N/A
As for the Purple 4s not releasing to the public, same goes for this colorway unfortunately. So if you’re not kicking it with the man himself on a private plane, chances are you won’t be gifted a pair of the Olives either. But then again, these proved to be somewhat of a blueprint to what eventually would become the “Cactus Jack” AJ6 later on.
Travis Scott x Nike Air Force 1 Low “Sail”
Release Date: August 10, 2018
Price: 150 €
Style Code: AQ4211-101
Not even one year after the AF100 pair, Travis and Nike released another Air Force 1 that looks almost exactly like the aforementioned colorway. Even though the upper now uses a more muted Sail tone, all the details remain the same and it’s actually pretty hard to tell the two apart in pictures. Nevertheless, the shoe was just as popular as the AF100 version and gave those who struck out on that one another chance.
Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low “Grammys”
Release Date: Unreleased
Price: N/A
Style Code: N/A
Chances are that this is the rarest pair on this list. And chances also are that we will never see that one again until it appears on another Lil Yachty episode of Sneaker Closets in 15 years or something like that. Travis wore this (probably 1-of-1) colorway of the Air Jordan 1 in his 2019 Grammy performance – which is quite the occassion to stunt with a rare sneaker like that.
Travis Scott x Air Jordan 33 NRG “Cactus Jack”
Release Date: February 14, 2019
Price: 210 €
Style Code: CD5965-300
The newer Air Jordan models aren’t nearly as popular as the ones from back in the day. So if you’re working at Jordan Brand’s marketing departement and suddenly got a Travis Scott collab to promote the latest in-line model, your work probably gets a lot easier. Despite the familiar color scheme and “Cactus Jack” branding, resale prices for these aren’t nearly as high as for the other Jordan collabs.
Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 High OG “Cactus Jack”
Release Date: May 11, 2019
Price: 190 €
Style Code: CD4487-100
While the Grammy pair didn’t release at all, this Air Jordan 1 popped up via a surprise SNKRS drop during Trav’s performance. A wider – though still very limited – release then went down several months later and this might still be the most coveted shoe of all La Flame sneakers. The fact that Nike allowed them to flip the Swoosh alone makes the AJ1 Highs an absolute standout.
Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low “Cactus Jack”
Release Date: July 19, 2019
Price: 130 €
Style Code: CQ4277-001
Usually, the low top Jordans are shunned as a kind of makeshift solution for when you couldn’t get the proper high top. With exclusive colorways of this caliber, it’s a whole nother story though. Featuring a similar colorway to his own AJ1s with darker tones dominating slightly, this low top launched as a shock drop and sold out as quickly as expected.
Travis Scott x Air Jordan 6 Retro “Cactus Jack”
Release Date: October 11, 2019
Price: 250 €
Style Code: CN1084-200
With the “Cactus Jack” 6s, Travis brought his signature design approach to another classic Jordan silhoutte. The Air Jordan 6 received an olive nubuck upper with hits of red and black contrasts, while unique extras like the stash pocket at the ankle set this one apart from regular versions of the silhouette. This might be the next best thing to the Olive 4s we’ll never have.
Travis Scott x Nike Air Force 1 “Cactus Jack”
Release Date: November 16, 2019
Price: 160 €
Style Code: CN2405-900
Another Air Force 1 – but with a design that completely contrasts the previous releases. Instead of a crisp white upper, this colorway features a wild mix of patterns and materials as well as removable zip lace covers and heel tabs. When they first leaked, a lot of people pretended to hate them… but just watch them sell out and flood our feeds soon.
