A social media sneaker critique spilled into an in-person confrontation Saturday at ComplexCon in Las Vegas.

During the convention’s “Sneaker of the Year” discussion, rapper and panel member Lil Yachty addressed a recent Instagram video shared by industry veteran Brandon “Bimma” Williams, who was in the audience. The rapper’s expletive-laced rant lasted nearly seven minutes and was rooted in Williams’ criticisms of Lil Yachty’s upcoming Air Force 1 collaboration.

“It’s like bro, every shoe don’t gotta be fifty f**king colors,” Lil Yachty said. “I wanted to do some real calm, sexy s**t. Like, navy blue is a good-ass color. And white, you feel me?”

The rapper’s Nike “Us Force 1” Air Force 1 collaboration, which is branded with the logos of his Concrete Boys group rather than his own, has received flack from Williams and other social media users for what they perceive as an overly simplistic design reminiscent of Nike’s widely available general release colorways. In his original video shared Nov. 13, Williams plays off of the rapper’s “Lil Boat” nickname, using several puns to dissect the collaboration. 

“Let’s talk about why Lil Boat’s Uptowns probably should have stayed docked,” Williams said. “Look, after a year of unwanted white-on-white Air Force 1 collabs, these just feel like a general release. Maybe throw these overboard.”

Williams, who has parlayed his industry experience into his own collaboration marketing platform, said he believed Lil Yachty’s “It’s Us” branding was too similar to Kith’s “Just Us” mantra. Williams also questioned the rapper’s authenticity as “one of hip-hop’s biggest sneakerheads,” citing a story where Lil Yachty admitted to being unfamiliar with Jay-Z’s music. 

“This is my thing, right?,” Lil Yachty said during Saturday’s panel. “I hate when people act as if all shoes must be like this…I don’t even understand. Everyone has their own take on a sneaker, so if I wanted to make an Air Force and I want it to be white and blue, if you don’t like it, that’s cool.”

Aesthetic aside, what Lil Yachty seemed to take exception with most was Williams questioning his personal ties to hip-hop and sneaker culture. 

The profanity-laden clips circulated on numerous social media accounts Saturday, and Williams took to his own @bimmawilliams Instagram Monday to respond. Once again using nautical puns and Jay-Z references, Williams ran through his resumé and addressed the tense situation. 

“There’s a difference between hate and a critique,” Williams said in the Monday response. “The latter is a gift and in return, you try to reduce me to a hater…and even though ya’ll tried to have standing up there silently, I didn’t need a mic because the community stood with me.”

Lil Yachty’s Concrete Boys x Nike Air Force 1 Low “Us Force 1” collaboration will be released first on Nov. 20 followed by a global release on Dec. 2. Retail pricing has not been confirmed.

Lil Yachty first revealed his “Concrete Boys” edition of the Nike Air Force 1 Low just shy of a year ago, but anticipation for the sneaker was quickly killed by reports that it would be exclusive to friends and family. Hope is now reanimated, however, as retailer images of the AF1 have surfaced along with reports that it will launch at ComplexCon later this month.

Lil Yachty’s Nike Air Force 1 Low “Concrete Boys” sticks to a white and navy color palette with his label’s sledgehammer figure embroidered onto the lateral heel and the fuller construction site logo appearing on the mustache. “It’s Us” appears on the tongue tag along with the Nike Swoosh, and apart from those navy blue marks the upper is rendered entirely in white leather to match the midsole. Navy is then used further for the outsole and sockliner, while the insole appears in a lighter blue.

The only difference between the pair releasing and the one made for friends and family is that the latter featured a “C” logo on the left mustache.

The Air Force 1 Low will mark Lil Yachty’s first collaboration with Nike, although he’s became close to the brand in recent years by helping to reveal Cactus Plant Flea Market’s Air Flea 2 and latest crop of Air Force 1 Lows, as well as Nigel Sylvester’s Air Jordan 4 RM.

He’ll also add his name to a lineage of hip-hop label-affiliated Air Force 1 Lows that includes Fat Joe’s Terror Squad and Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records, as well as following up Travis Scott and Drake’s recent editions of the sneaker.

The Lil Yachty x Nike Air Force 1 Low “Concrete Boys” will reportedly release November 16 at ComplexCon, and the Foot Patrol images published here suggest a wider release will follow. Pricing has not yet been confirmed.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

The ComplexCon culture festival has returned for its 2023 iteration, complete with a range of experiences, events and more.

This year’s occasion, held from Nov. 18 to 19 in Long Beach, Calif., has included a wide variety of musical performances, speaking panels, market-style stalls and more focusing on fashion, music, food and various cultural topics. During the first day of the festival, Kid Cudi was spotted arriving in the market in a pair of red and white sneakers.

At the event, Jeff Staple hosted LG Styler’s game show-style activation — which supported the brand’s launch of technological cleaners in the U.S. — and spoke to FN‘s Charlie Carballo on his top sneaker-cleaning tips.

“There are sprays that they sell that waterproof the shoe prior so you can protect it — that’s actually 90% of the battle, because if you waterproof, you actually can wipe it off easier,” Staple said, in addition to having a sturdy “beater” sneaker and using Mr. Clean Magic Sponges. 

ComplexCon notably features a wide variety of limited-edition product, fashion and accessory drops, collaborations and releases in a market-style shopping space. This year’s festival includes displays from Marc Jacobs x Cactus Plant Flea Market, Lewis Hamilton x Takashi Murakami, RCNSTRCT Studio and more.

On the food front, ComplexCon’s lineup notably included a tailgate event hosted by YouTube series “Hot Ones,” the L.A. Chargers and its host, Sean Evans. The occasion, titled the First We Feast Lagoon, celebrated season 2 of the show’s “Truth or Dab — L.A. Chargers Edition” spinoff program.

ComplexCon also featured a wide array of musical performances. This year’s lineup included Lil Yachty, YG, Zack Bia, Don Toliver and more taking the stage for the occasion.

ComplexCon is a culture festival highlighting sneakers, music, food and more with a range of speaking panels, live performances and marketplace vendors. The 2023 event, held in Long Beach, Calif., included appearances from Kid Cudi, Don Toliver, YG and more.

About the Author:

Aaron Royce is the Digital Editor for Footwear News, where he writes stories on trending news, celebrity style, collaborations and in-depth profile interviews. Prior to joining Footwear News, Aaron wrote for publications including PAPER, Grazia and the Daily Front Row. He currently holds a B.S. in mass communications from Virginia Commonwealth University.

ComplexCon 2023: Kid Cudi, Lil Yachty & More Highlights

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Lil Yachty took to his Instagram “Close Friends” list Wednesday to reveal his forthcoming Nike Air Force 1 collaboration. Naturally, the images didn’t remain within his green list for long.

The musician’s Air Force 1 Low is predominately white save for the outsole, sock liner, and branding appearing in navy. A logo for Concrete Boys, the name of Lil Yachty’s music label imprint and a song from “2020,” is embroidered onto the lateral heel while the Nike logo has been altered to read “It’s Us” beneath the Swoosh on the tongue tag and insole.

These alterations are only slight but are similar to Fat Joe’s Air Force 1 Low “Terror Squad” releases from earlier this year.

Lil Yachty first revealed the existence of his own AF1 in a video from the sneaker resale shop Cool Kicks’ YouTube channel. There have been conflicting reports on if the sneaker will actually release to the public, with Complex saying it’ll be a friends and family exclusive and the reliable leak account @Ovrnunder saying it’ll drop in 2024.

The truth could be somewhere in the middle, with this version being F&F only and another variant designated for a wider release. More information should arrive in the coming months, but it wouldn’t be a surprise for Nike to release a Yachty collaboration based on how big of a year he’s had in 2023. He also played a major role in the rollout for Cactus Plant Flea Market’s recently released Nike Air Flea 2.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

A Wednesday Instagram post by Lil Yachty may have had many people focusing on his newly shorn hair, but sneakerheads would have been looking further down to see what’s on his feet. The artist showed off an unreleased pair of the Cactus Plant Flea Market x Nike Air Flea 2, which will reportedly arrive during the upcoming holiday season. And on his Finsta, the artist gave an even better look at the kicks in-box.

Turnstile bassist Franz Lyons debuted the sneaker in its predominantly black colorway in July at Miami’s Rolling Loud festival, and now Yachty has given us a better look at the more colorful version. Faded Spruce forms the base layer, although it’s heavily shrouded by beefy straps and an even bulkier tread that climbs well up past the outsole, both in black. The straps also come with a number of custom pins, including one that says “Boat” and was likely made just for Yachty. Mismatched panels on the sole’s heel also appear in red and brown — and, of course, we can’t forget the massive, bulbous Swoosh affixed to the lateral sides in an off-white “Alabaster.”

While hardly any less weird, the industrial-meets-gorp Air Flea 2 makes a wholesale departure from the first Air Flea that released in November 2022. Nicknamed “The Grinch,” the sneaker features a furry green upper across a sole unit that looks like cement. An additional Air Flea followed in December with a more archetypal upper in a sandy, tonal suede. Going back, Nike and Cactus Plant Flea Market also kept it weird with their Swarovski crystal-covered Dunk from 2020 and their debut link-up on the Air Vapormax in 2019.

Both versions of the Air Flea 2 are slated to release before the end of the year, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see one in November followed by another in December just like the Air Flea rollout last year. Pricing will reportedly be $220 a piece, and there should be availability through both the SNKRS app and CPFM’s own site at the very least.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

Lil Yachty, DJ Scheme and K.O. from Atlanta-based sneaker community ATATF — in partnership with Rolling Loud — will host a livestream via livestream shopping platform Whatnot today at 8:30 p.m. ET. During the livestream, they will be giving away VIP tickets and travel to Rolling Loud California for one winner. Not only will the winner meet the rap star, but he or she will also get his stage-worn sneakers after his set. Lil Yachty is scheduled to hit the stage on Saturday.

Lil Yachty, a well-known sneakerhead with one of the most revered celebrity collections, will also reveal the sneakers he will wear on stage during the Whatnot livestream. 

Aside from the initiative with Lil Yachty, the Whatnot livestream will also offer limited, pre-release Rolling Loud 2023 merchandise including sweat sets, chains and more.

In 2016, Lil Yachty — a then 18-year-old rising rap star — spoke with FN about his personal style and must-have kicks. He also shared info on his first-ever pair.

“The first pair of Jordan shoes I remember getting was a fake pair of Jordan 7s — they were black and purple. In Atlanta, everybody had fakes. I was, like, 7 years old then, but looking back, I know now that colorway was never made,” Lil Yachty told FN.

Whatnot is a livestream shopping platform with more than 100 different categories including trading cards, comics, fashion, sneakers and more. Last year, Whatnot said in a statement that more than over 100 sellers sold $1 million-plus in merchandise each through livestreams. This effort with Lil Yachty and Rolling Loud is the latest in a series of Whatnot activations with artists. Past initiatives include Post Malone challenging a fan to beat him in “Magic: The Gathering” with a chance to win a $100,000 prize. 

New Balance last week filed suit against Authentic Brands Group and its owned label Nautica over its use of the letter “N” on footwear and apparel — claiming such use counts as trademark infringement of New Balance’s design patent.

“Nautica’s use of a block letter ‘N’  on footwear and apparel is likely to cause confusion among consumers and/or suggest an affiliation, connection, or association between New Balance and Nautica; dilutes the distinctive quality of New Balance’s famous ‘Block N Marks;’ and constitutes unfair competition,” the lawsuit, filed in a Massachusetts district court on Aug. 21 — and first reported by The Fashion Law — alleged.

New Balance further claimed in court documents that it “exclusively” used the “Block N Footwear Marks” in commerce since the 1970s and the “Block N Apparel Mark “since at least as early as 1996.”

“[New Balance] has sold hundreds of millions of pairs of shoes and pieces of apparel bearing the marks worldwide, which represent many billions of dollars in sales,” New Balance claimed. “’The Block N Marks’ are famous and embody an enormous amount of goodwill. They are among the company’s most valuable assets.”

The lawsuit alleges that only recently did Nautica — which ABG acquired from VF Corp. in 2018 — start using the letter “N” on its footwear and apparel. It goes on to note that both brands have similar distribution partners — namely Kohl’s and Macy’s — and have even enlisted similar entertainers and celebrities to promote their products.

Among its most interesting claims, New Balance points out in the suit a supposed affinity for its wares on the part of Nautica brand endorser and rapper Lil Yachty.

“In 2017 and 2018, Nautica partnered with rapper and designer Lil Yachty … Yachty is a well-known New Balance supporter, even ‘name-dropping’ the brand in his hit song ‘Minnesota,’” the suit reads. “Lil Yachty professed on an episode of Complex’s Sneaker Shopping, ‘Oh my god, I love New Balance.’”

Alleging both patent and trademark infringement as well as unfair competition on the part of Nautica, New Balance is seeking unspecified damages — including Nautica’s profits on products bearing the block letter “N;” an injunction compelling Nautica to discontinue its use of the block letter “N;” and a recall of all of Nautica’s footwear and apparel products bearing the letter symbol — among other remedies.

Nautica parent firm ABG did not immediately respond to FN’s request for comment.

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Ugg and Lil Yachty Probably Weren’t a Good Match — Why Some Celebrity Endorsements Don’t Work

Perhaps the sheepskin boot brand — which found favor with Oprah Winfrey and drew a cult following among suburban sorority girls in the early 2000s — doesn’t readily call to memory images of 21-year-old rapper Lil Yachty.

While both the brand and the music artist have their undeniable buzz in common, that may be precisely where the harmony ends, according to a new report by research firm Spotted Inc.

Exclusively for FN, the company, which analyzes millions of data points in the celebrity endorsement space, assessed 240 footwear/celebrity endorsement deals from 2017 to 2018 and determined that the partnership between Lil Yachty and Ugg was among the worst.

“There’s a huge disparity and mismatch between the consumer who [Lil Yachty] appeals to and influences, and the Ugg customer base,” said Spotted co-founder and CEO Janet Comenos. “One of the major issues is that the household income of the people he influences is far below people who are [typically] able to buy Ugg product. Consumers do not believe he embodies the traits of the Ugg brand. Third, he does not score high when it comes to trust and ‘relatability.’”

Spotted ranked the endorsement campaigns based on three factors: perception analysis — scoring celebrities based on how recognizable they are; risk assessment — looking at the recency and frequency of controversies surrounding the celebrity such as arrests; and audience match — the overlap between a brand’s online audience and that of the celebrity’s based on age, gender, income and location.

Other partnerships that scored low on Spotted’s rankings were Sofia Richie and Adidas; Gisele Bündchen for Under Armour; and Wiz Khalifa for Gap.

According to Comenos, more often than not, for the lowest-performing campaigns, the prevalent issue is that the kind of consumer to whom the celebrity appeals is misaligned with the consumer who buys the brand’s products.

“The way these very expensive, high-visibility campaigns are [orchestrated] is that it’s typically a single marketer or group of marketers sitting around a table saying, ‘I know this person is really cool; I feel like they’re really popular; I feel like they’re a really good fit for our brand’ — it’s a lot of ‘I think’ and ‘I feel’ type of talk,” Comenos explained. “Brands are not actually using data to form these decisions, and these [campaigns] end up flopping or turning off consumers.”

To be fair, brands — and Ugg is one example — will often tap new and unique endorsers for new initiatives aimed at expanding their presence and engaging new audiences. So it’s not altogether ineffective when labels opt to step outside the box for new partnerships. The key, however, is for companies to “introduce these partnerships in a way that doesn’t create a polarizing effect on [their] existing customers,” Comenos said.

According to the Spotted report, some celebrity partnerships that fared well during the past year include Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Under Armour as well as Drew Barrymore for Crocs.