From Michael Jordan’s mouth himself, he was like, ‘I want to do it, but you know, I’m not into the rap beef and all these problems and this and that. That’s when 50 Cent beef was really, really on. “I met with him like six times, we were coming up with the design and everything. “I was supposed to be the first artist ever to collaborate with Jordan,” Joe said an interview with radio DJ Lord Sear, as reported by William Ketchum III. Michael Jordan and Fat Joe at the 2005 Michael Jordan Classic Basketball Game in New York City, 2005 (Johnny Nunez/WireImage) Jay and Joe weren’t just stepping on each other’s toes on the charts they were competing for clout in the shoe game. While already famous for the Terror Squad exclusive Air Force 1s sent to Nike by his crew, Joe was inches away from being the first artist to have a collaboration with Jordan Brand. Uptown in the Bronx, Fat Joe was having a sneaker situation of his own. Carter crushed upon arrival, Jay and Reebok - the lead sponsor of the EBC - had plenty of pairs they needed to move for both back-to-school and the holiday season. Early runs of the pairs came packaged with a CD that included snippets of The Black Album months before its release. Jay-Z’s introductory signature shoe sold for $150 a pop and was based on Gucci’s hustler-approved tennis silo from 1984. Carter was Reebok’s fastest-selling shoe of all time. That sneaker was selling, and the whole excitement around that tournament was giving credence to the shoe.”Īfter debuting in April 2003, the S. “He also wanted me to do a documentary on his basketball team. “Jay reached out to me with an idea to do a commercial for this Reebok sneaker,” hip-hop pioneer Fab 5 Freddy recalled to Sports Illustrated.

Facing off against Fat Joe’s Terror Squad team at the EBC wasn’t just the climax of a war of words between the two rappers it was all part of Jay-Z’s marketing plan to push both his signature footwear and his upcoming record. Coming off back-to-back Blueprint albums and a Reebok shoe release, Jay-Z had plenty of clout and plenty to promote.

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