20 Years Ago, Jay-Z’s ‘S. Carter Collection’ Changed the Sneaker Industry Forever

Twenty years ago, on April 18, 2003, rap icon Jay Z and Reebok released the first run of Jay-Z’s “S. Carter Collection” sneakers, primarily released at Foot Locker locations around the United States. He was the first rapper to have a signature sneaker line. It was priced at $115, and more than 10,000 pairs sold in the first hour. At that time, it was the fastest-selling shoe in Reebok’s history. The S. Carter Collection changed the sneaker industry forever. It started a revolution with footwear endorsements that would change how brands do business. This led to 50 Cent and G-Unit getting their Reebok deals, which were wildly popular and paved the way for Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, and Pusha T a decade later.

Jay-Z was shocked when his S. Collection sneakers sold out. “I didn’t know what to expect,” he told The New York Post in 2003. “I know what’s good on Soundscan, but here I didn’t really have any expectations.”

Jay-Z released a mixtape called The S. Carter Collection to increase awareness of the sneaker collection. This was Jay-Z’s first official mixtape, dropped with his S. Carter sneaker collection. The mixtape came packaged with the box of the first run of Reebok’s “S. Carter I” in April 2003. This mixtape was released before Jay-Z dropped his classic eighth studio album, The Black Album, on November 14, 2003.

The mixtape saw him rapping over various beats from Craig Mack, Joe Budden, 50 Cent, and “King of Pop” Michael Jackson. He even freestyled over “Young Gifted & Black,” the classic 1989 track from rap great and Brooklyn’s own Big Daddy Kane — Jay-Z’s once-mentor. The S. Carter Collection also featured the hit singles “Beware of the Boys” and “La-La-La (Excuse Me, Miss, Again).”

Happy 20th Anniversary, S. Carter Collection!