From 8 Mile to Air Max: Chronicling Eminem's Nike Collabs

Marshall Bruce Mathers III—best known across the globe as "Eminem"—is synonymous with some of the rarest Air Jordan sneakers of all-time. The award-winning, multi-platinum-selling artist surely has more projects with "His Airness" under wraps, but, savvy footwear fans might be wondering when "Slim Shady" will release another Nike Air Max project.

Before Eminem worked on his "Encore" Air Jordan 4, which almost went down as the first-ever Air Jordan collaboration, the Detroit-representative lent his creative vision to the more obscure Air Max Burst. Part of an "Artist Series" initiative by Nike, the pair kicked off what's been a fruitful partnership between Mathers and the Swoosh conglomerate—one that's produced at least 15 proper collaborative styles (more if you include samples and one-offs).

In celebration of the "Motor City"'s unofficial "313 Day" (March 13) and on-going coverage of visible Air cushioning for Nike's Air Max Month, we've put together a brief chronicle of Eminem's Air Max collabs thus far. Many pairs featured were extremely limited upon their "release," with most being exclusive to Friends & Family of the artist, promotional items, or lots for charity auctions.

In any case, you can check out Nike.com, as well as after-market platforms KICKS CREW and StockX, to pick up Air Max footwear if Em's design history inspires you.

The Foundation: Nike's "Artist Series"

The early 2000s were an experimental time for the Swoosh. Although collaborations weren't as commonplace as they are today and most product followed a "function over fashion" design ethos, the Oregon-based company championed the innovative, playful spirit of its forefathers in many initiatives, efforts, concepts, and products. One such example of this approach was "Artist Series," an initiative that invited celebrities and creatives from a number of fields to lend their vision to a variety of Nike footwear.

Eminem was invited to the inaugural cohort, landing on the Air Max Burst (1994) as his canvas.

While much more understated than what ESPO (Stephen Powers) and Stash (Josh Franklin) produced, Em's proposal has gone on to be considered a "grail" for diehard fans of Air Max. The sneaker's light grey medley is versatile and subtle, like Mathers himself. "Air Slim Shady" messaging on the tongue cements the artist in the annals of Swoosh history; "E" and "Shady Records" logos on the insole and outsole, respectively reaffirm it.

The Air Max Burst by Eminem is said to have been limited to just 1,000 pairs, making those in possession of it amongst the luckiest footwear collectors of all-time.

No Sophomore Slump: "Charity Series"

By the late 2000s, Eminem and the Nike, Inc. conglomerate were a household relationship within the niche world of collaborative athletic footwear. Slim Shady showed his affinity for the Air Force 1 by reimagining several pairs of the "presidential" silhouette, but he never lost sight of the Air Max line.

In 2006, the company hosted "Best In Show" events at Nike Town locations across the United Kingdom and Europe. There, auctions were held for a multi-pair project between Mathers and the Swoosh. Eight different Air Max models were included in the collection, with only eight units of each style having been made for a total of 64 sets.

One of each sneaker—which included the Air Max 97, Air Max 95, and Air Max 180—was auctioned off at Nike Town, with remaining units being auctioned off via eBay. Proceeds from these efforts went to the Marshall Mathers Foundation and NineMillion.org, a United Nations campaign that aimed to help refugee youth around the world.

Standout details from the "Charity Series" range include tributes to Proof, Em's late friend and D12 member; "Shady Records" branding; hand-drawings by Mathers; and state-of-the-art Air Max 360 in a brown-and-pink color scheme.

Unofficial Official Co-Sign: Air Max Wright

Eminem and the Swoosh never officially worked on the mall-mainstay that was the Air Max Wright, but that never stopped the Detroit evangelist to rock the model.

Built with clear references to the Air Max 90, the Wright isn't too dissimilar from the Air Max LTD series you still find lingering in Nike Factory stores across the world. The shoe's widespread availability, accessible price point, color versatility, and plump heel Airbag must've helped make it Em's go-to on-stage shoe throughout the 2010s.

In 2017, a pair worn and signed by Mathers was auctioned off through StockX, making it an unofficial part of the Eminem x Nike Air Max catalog.