Cool Hunting

Pairings between sportswear giants and hip hop stars regularly make style blog headlines these days, but few come from a genuine partnership like the latest collaboration between Nike, Dizzee Rascal and his longtime collaborator and digital distributor 7 Digital's creative director Ben Drury. Named the Nike Air Max 90 Tongue N' Cheek, after Dizzee's new drop, the shoe has sneaker freaks around the globe jocking it already.

With a nearly all-tan outer, offset by a pink tongue n’ cheek logo designed by Drury on the tongue, and complimented by the London rapper’s independent label logo on the sole, the shoe channels Dizzee's style and personality perfectly.

Since launching at the Nike 1948 shop and community sports space in Shoreditch last Friday, the limited edition shoe has been literally running out across London with rumors only 20 pairs remain in the U.K.

Debuting the shoe alongside the release of his fourth album, Dizzee spoke openly about the collaboration and his genuine appreciation for the Nike Air Max 90 series, "I've always loved these shoes and I got maybe 65 pairs at home. When the call came up, I was like all for it because it's a good shoe innit? The Air Max is the street shoe, so it just made sense."

Continuing his down-to-earth spiel, he lashed out at those who will dismiss his latest album as too pop, "It's like, whatever! Shut up! I make music. I'm an artist. I make what I want and I do what I want. I work with the best. I'm not naming names, but people say 'why haven’t you worked with this or that person?' It's like why would I pay $250,000 to work with someone like Kanye, when I can pay nothing and work with someone who’s just as talented and skilled as he is?"

For more info on the availability of the Nike Air Max 90 Tongue N' Cheek, contact Nike 1948 using the info below. The Tongue N’ Cheek album is available here or from 7 Digital in the U.K. You can pre-order from Amazon in the U.S.

See more images after the jump.

Nike 1948
Arches 477/478
Batemans Row
Shoreditch EC2A 3HH map
tel. +44 (0)207 729 7688