In Photos: Kendrick Lamar spotted rocking $150 Kobe Bryant's Adidas Crazy 8 for Paris fashion show
Before his signing with Nike, one of Kobe Bryant's most iconic shoes was the Adidas Crazy 8. The shoes feature a unique black and white pattern resembling the Reebok Kamikaze II shoes by Shawn Kemp and the Shaqnosis shoes by Shaquille O'Neal. Over the years, they have grown in popularity, with Adidas recently re-releasing them last year.
This week, rapper Kendrick Lamar was seen wearing the Adidas Crazy 8. He was spotted rocking the unique and iconic kicks at the Paris Fashion Week. The shoes notably feature an embroidered number eight on the toe box as a tribute to Bryant.
Bryant wore the shoes early in his career and his first All-Star game. While he didn't always wear the black and white colorway that Lamar was wearing, the Crazy 8 is synonymous with Bryant.
Lamar is wearing the shoes when Bryant's sneakers are becoming increasingly popular. With restocks selling out faster and plenty of fake Kobe shoes flooding the resale market, it's no wonder the rapper turned heads.
The time Kendrick Lamar narrated a Kobe Bryant commercial
After the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant several years back, Nike launched "Mamba Week." It was a seven-day tribute to Bryant and his legacy in the NBA. The timing of the celebration coincided with what would have been Bryant's 42nd birthday on August 23rd.
At the time, Nike released a commercial narrated by Kendrick Lamar in honor of the five-time NBA champ. In the ad, which features several Bryant highlights from throughout his career, Lamar says, in part:
"Kobe taught us to be better. A better dreamer. Better waker. Better stretcher. Better walker."
"Better talker. Better walking the walk and talking the talk. Better blocker. Better sprinter. Better loser."
"Better winner. Just be better."
"Better form. Focus. Better friend. Better fighter. Better rider."
"Better eater. Better leader. Better generation. Better nation. Just be better."
"Can you do that?"
Over the years, Lamar has also paid tribute to Bryant on many occasions. After meeting the LA Lakers legend before his tragic passing, Lamar has continued to keep the Hall of Famer's memory alive.
In 2022, Lamar used AI for a music video to transform himself into several iconic black entertainers and athletes, including Bryant. The video even caught the attention of LeBron James, who took to Twitter to share his reaction.