Wu-Tang Clan’s Colabs Ain’t Nothing To F* With: All-Time Greatest
Formed in the early 1990s in Staten Island, New York, are one of the most influential rap groups in history. Known for their unflinching blend of raw East Coast hip hop and deep cuts from classic kung fu movies, Wu-Tang’s original line-up included RZA (the group’s de facto leader and producer), GZA, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Six years after they dropped their classic debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Wu-Tang unveiled a grail that’s since achieved Shogun status. Scheduled to skewer hearts again this week, the Wu-Tang x Dunk on November 9. But there’s plenty more gas in the Shaolin shadow boxers’ footwear archive. Let’s dig in…
Wu-Tang x Nike Dunk High (1999, 2024)
The grail that started it all. Originally appearing in 1999, only 36 pairs of the Nike Dunk High ‘Wu-Tang’ were reportedly made – a homage to the group’s Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) album. Legend has it this Dunk was crafted as a friends and family exclusive for select members of the Wu-Tang Clan and their inner circle. The model is dressed in the yellow-and-black of the ‘Be True To Your School’ University of Iowa colourway and proudly displays Wu-Tang’s iconic W logo. Fun fact: the logo was originally crafted by Wu-Tang member Mathematics in 1993 for the group’s debut album.
To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Nike resurrected the God-tier Wu-Tang Dunk and brought it to the public – a controversial move that sparked antipathy in some OG sneakerheads. Still, among Wu-Tang Clan members like RZA, the retro release was a nostalgic ode to hip hop and its connection to sneaker culture. ‘The shoe has already carved out a legacy as a silhouette people were striving to possess, and now thousands of people will have a chance to own a pair,’ RZA said. ‘These sneakers are a trophy.’ Regardless of where you’re positioned on the retro, it’s hard to underestimate the impact that the OG Wu-Tang Dunks had on sneaker culture.
Wu-Tang x Clarks Wallabee (2018, 2019)
In 2018, Wu-Tang teamed up with Clarks, a brand deeply connected to NYC hip hop, to release a trio of special edition Wallabees. Falling under the Wu Wear imprint, the official clothing line of Wu-Tang Clan, the collection featured a stealthy black edition, a buttery yellow, and a light brown suede with navy accents. Both pairs featured Wu Wear logos on the heels, a variation of the legendary Wu-Tang Clan ‘W’ logo, featuring a stylised globe integrated into the emblem. One year later, Wu Wear revealed their sequel, a collection of three Wallabees each inspired by Raekwon’s solo debut Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, particularly the track, ‘Glaciers of Ice’, which makes multiple references to the crepe-soled moccasin. The designs incorporated swirling patterns and mixed colours, reminiscent of melting and swirling ice cream, as referenced in the track when Ghostface Killah raps about dying his Clarks in rich, swirling patterns, ‘dripping like marble cake’.
Wu-Tang x Alife (2007)
Founded by Rob Cristofaro, Arnaud Delecolle, Tony Arcabascio, and Tammy Brainard, the crew at the New York City streetwear imprint Alife hooked up with the Wu-Tang Clan in 2007. Appropriately dubbed the Everybody HI Classic, the model once again utilised the yellow-and-black colour scheme made famous by the group’s debut LP Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) and the Dunks that followed six years later. Originally introduced by Alife in the early 2000s, the Everybody HI borrowed so liberally from the Dunk’s design blueprints that you could be forgiven for thinking it was the 1980s hooper at first glance. On this particular collaboration, the model featured yellow faux croc leather uppers with black suede overlays. The branding included a woven label on the tongue that read ‘A WU TANG LIFE NY’ – a homage to both Wu-Tang’s and Alife’s place of birth.
Wu-Tang x Crocs (2022)
This isn’t one we had on our bingo cards for 2022, but with Crocs exploding in popularity during global lockdowns, it perhaps made sense that Wu-heads slipped on their slides and went digging through their old record collections. Featuring a classic black clog, a yellow slide, a kid’s yellow clog, and a bounty of unique Wu-Tang jibbitz, the Wu-Tang x Crocs collaboration no doubt brought an entirely new generation to the group’s Staten Island beats. But it's not the first time Crocs has hooked up with a cultural powerhouse to legitimise their standing in the streetwear sweepstakes. In recent years, they’ve collaborated with names like JJJJound, Palace, CLOT, and meme-lords MSCHF. They even appointed NYC designer Salehe Bembury as the Creative Director of the Crocs x Pollex Pod collection. Crocs rules everything around me...
Wu-Tang x HUF HR-1 (2014)
In 2014, HUF and Wu-Tang Clan collaborated to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Wu-Tang Clan's debut album. This limited-edition collection featured a football jersey, strapback hat, jacquard socks and HR-1 shoes. Manufactured in full-grain black leather with heavy duck canvas underlays, the model also featured a debossed gold Wu-Tang ‘W’ logo on the heels and album artwork on the insoles. Originally a hiking-inspired boot, the HR-1 also featured heavy duty rope laces.
Wu-Tang x FILA ‘Cream Classics’ (2007) and Weathertech Boot (2008)
Another one well outside the shoebox, Wu-Tang and first collaborated in 2007 for the ‘Cream Classics’, a special edition version of the Original Tennis model. This model featured the Wu-Tang ‘W’ logo on the heel with the inscription ‘Cream’ above it, referencing the group's famous track ‘C.R.E.A.M.’. One year later, the two parties linked up again, this time for a Weathertech boot. A rugged model built for inclement winter conditions, the collaboration was constructed in a suede upper and rubberised, waterproof forefoot. Again, the boot prominently display the Wu-Tang ‘W’ insignia.
Raekwon and Packer Diadora N9000 ‘Cuban Linx’ (2020)
Cast your mind back to the simpler days of 2015 and you may recall a killer colab between , Wu-Tang Clan heavyweight , and on the . The velvety purple people heaters celebrated the 20th anniversary of Rae’s seminal Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… at the time, and some sharp-eyed sneakerheads may have spotted a red and yellow unreleased sample on the feet of ‘The Chef’ himself. Five years later, the Cuban Linx turned 25 years old, and it just so happens the N9000 celebrated its 30th. So, Packer helped reunite the three parties to drop a new colab! The N9000 ‘Cuban Linx’ is based off the original album artwork of the aforementioned album, which heavily features red and yellow tones. This is translated with perforated red leather quarters with healthy tonal suede accents, and stark black toe boxes. Pony hair overlays and ostrich tongues differentiate this release from the OG sample, while adding extra luxury. Clever finishing touches include ‘1995’ embroidery on the heel counter – in purple, of course – and a co-branded Packer x Raekwon x Diadora tongue label modelled on the RIAA’s Parental Advisory label. The colab is packaged in a translucent purple Ziploc bag labelled on both sides, which, of course, references the ‘Purple Tape’ (the other name of Cuban Linx).