Sneaker enthusiasts and resellers have been obsessed with Air Jordans for decades. What started as an obsession with Michael Jordan himself, has evolved into countless colorways, collaborations, and stories that drive a huge portion of the resale market today. The names associated with Air Jordan releases used to be athletes who wore player exclusives and retro versions of the iconic Jordan signature models. However, that formula has become old news over the last decade as Jordan Brand opened up to partnering with the likes of Travis Scott, Virgil Abloh, and DJ Khaled. With the upcoming release of the DJ Khaled x Air Jordan 5 “Crimson Bliss,” it’s important to understand Khaled’s journey from Air Jordan fanboy to collaborative partner during the most important time of the year.
Khaled’s connection to sneaker culture was always apparent to sneakerheads, from his music videos to his meme-worthy appearance on Complex Closets, his passion for kicks was well-documented from the early days of his success. Somehow, Khaled turned Snapchat into a daily show for his fans, that at one point saw him lost at sea on a jet ski after a lunch meeting with his friend, Rick Ross. As his fame grew and his follower count began to blow up, his passion for sneakers became such a big deal that even the New York Times was talking about it. It was about that time, Khaled started putting in work with Jordan Brand.
In 2017, DJ Khaled and Jordan Brand created their first official collaboration, the “Grateful” Air Jordan 3 (which we helped him give away!). The University Red and Elephant Print was the perfect combination of timeless colors and nostalgia, presented in an exciting new way. For sneaker resellers, this exclusive established a connection between DJ Khaled and the hype needed to drive resale prices through the roof. Khaled and Jordan Brand created a follow-up in 2018 that flipped the colorway to blue as a promotional piece for the release of Khaled’s “Father of Asahd” album, as well as a similar colorway known as “Another One.” The limited editions helped build even more value in Khaled’s brand for sneaker resellers, and Jordan Brand spun the “Blue Cement” concept into its own release not long after.
Five years after his name first officially landed on a pair of Air Jordans, DJ Khaled is preparing to drop his most on-brand collab yet. The DJ Khaled x Air Jordan 5 “Crimson Bliss” moves away from the traditional Air Jordan colorways and introduces themes more closely related to Khaled’s hometown of Miami. With a number of Air Jordan 5s and matching apparel from the upcoming collection already previewed, it’s just a matter of time before Khaled and his collaborators at Jordan will be yelling “We The Best” to celebrate the success of this upcoming release.
Be sure to consign your pairs of the ”Crimson Bliss” DJ Khaled x Air Jordan 5 to Stadium Goods as soon as possible to cash in on the hype of this release.
StadiumSupply Blog 