Hip-hop and the sneaker game often go hand in hand, so when watching the new video for J-Dilla’s “24K Rap,” featuring Raekwon and Havoc of Mobb Deep, many sneakerheads will notice a familiar backdrop behind the action. Late last month, we gave you a look at some behind the scenes pics from the filming of the video that just so happened to be shot at none other than legendary NYC shop, Alife. Store manager Jesse Villanueva even makes an appearance in the video as a victim who is tied up and robbed in the store. Besides the setting for the video being a sneaker store, there are also some sneaker cameos in the footage, such as Raekwon holding up a pair of LIVESTRONG Mister Cartoon Air Force 1′s. Check out the video here and keep reading for some more inside looks at the video shoot.

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While the Air Max and Greatest Hits portions of the most recent LIVESTRONG x Nike campaign got a lot of attention, some lesser known Nike models will also be joining the fight against cancer. Now that the excitement from the “Holy Grail” collection has faded a little, two new running models will don the LIVESTRONG color scheme for a good cause. The Shox Turbo 9+ is an impressive performance runner with a breathable synthetic/mesh upper and Shox columns in the heel. The shoe sports a Black upper with Metallic Silver and Varsity Maize accents to give it that LIVESTRONG feel.

The other new model is the Air Max Moto+ 7, another very capable running model with a mostly mesh upper and extra Air cushioning in the heel. Like the other pair, these also feature a healthy dose of the LIVESTRONG Varsity Maize, although the Air Max Moto+ 7 goes with a flashier Metallic Silver base on the upper. As with all the LIVESTRONG releases, 100% of the profits from these kicks will go to the Lance Armstrong Foundation to help battle cancer. Do your part in the fight by picking up one or both pairs today at Nikestore.

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The Nike Sportswear and fragment design collaboration All Court Premium Leather sneakers will finally be released at selected Nike Sportswear retailers worldwide this August 22nd with the all White version dropping first followed by the Black version the weekend after on August 29th. The sneakers utilize a premium leather on the upper and feature fragment design branding on the heel. As an added bonus these All Court’s will also feature Nike Zoom Air cushioning for a smoother ride. via honeyee

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Nike will be releasing a new Dunk Hi AC sneaker next month at select Nike Tier Zero retailers. The Nike Dunk Hi AC meshes a Dunk Hi upper with a vulcanized midsole and outsole that gives it a cleaner look to it. The first two colorways of the Nike Dunk Hi AC will be Black with Sail and Medium Grey with Sail. The upper uses a monotone colored canvas while the midsole/outsole come in a Sail colorway to give the shoe some definition. And just in case you were wondering what “AC” stands for, its for Autoclave, in this instance, the process the new sole is made. Also known in the sneaker industry as Vulcanization. And of course TZ stands for Tier Zero, or limited to the premier sneaker accounts or boutiques. Both the Black and Medium Grey Dunk Hi AC will be released at select Nike Tier Zero retailers on September 5th, 2009. via Atmos

Style: 386751-002
Color: Black/Black-Sail

Style: 386751-001
Color: Medium Grey-Medium Grey/Sail

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The Converse Skateboarding line has quietly been making some noise within the sneaker community for their sensible translations of classic Converse models into durable skate-ready kicks. We’ve already seen low, mid and high skate versions of Converse’s legendary Chuck Taylor All-Stars as well as another longtime favorite, the Weapon. Now we get a look at a mid-cut suede version of the Weapon that sports a vulcanized midsole and some extra padding in all the right places. If you’re feeling this latest Converse Skateboarding offering, the Weapon S Mid is now available in red/white and grey/navy at CCS and other select Converse retailers.

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Skate giant éS has teamed up with Crooked Tongues for an intriguing new pack that includes not only some fresh new kicks, but some matching apparel as well. The two sides joined forces with the intention of going about the collaborative process in a different way. Rather than just to design a new colorway of an existing shoe, Crooked Tongues and éS chose to start from scratch with the intention of creating something brand new. The result is the Foothills Project, a collection that consists of three new colorways of a collaboration sneaker, as well as a tech jacket, backpack and hat that each match one of the sneaker’s color schemes.

Inspired by the rolling green foothills that surround éS headquarters, the kicks have been thoughtfully designed and created using some premium materials such as brushed rubber, pig suedes, meshes, ripstop polyester, weave canvas, oiled nubucks and full grain pebble leathers, not to mention some innovative technological aspects like the System 02 airbag. If this Foothills Project collabo grabs your interest, be aware that the collection has just become available in limited quantities from CrookedTongues and a handful of select retailers, so act fast.

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Nike has been pulling out all the stops to promote its IAM1 Journey, a retrospective of the history of the Air Max 1 and its evolution into the Air Maxim 1. After making a big splash in London, the IAM1 Journey set course for Taipei, where artists from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan were invited to honor the Air Max 1 legacy in each of their own unique ways. Artists such as ANO, Phalanx Studio, Alien, Silly Thing and Lei Lei each provided their own take on the legendary shoe, using a variety of mediums to get the point across. From Phalanx Studios’ vinyl toy figures, to Silly Thing’s light-up Air Max 1 sculpture, to Alien’s “Evolution Studio” installation, the event was crammed with wall-to-wall visual stimulation, all with an underlying Air Max 1 theme. Keep reading after the jump for a video and a ton of pics from this eye-catching event. Via Freshness.

For more info on the history of the Air Max 1 and the creation of the Air Maxim 1, you can also check out the in-depth feature on Freshness.

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This new pair of Air Jordan 1 Retro for Girls features a similar colorway to the latest Air Jordan Fusion IV (AJF 4) for Girls, both utilize Cool Grey, Hot Red, and White. On the Air Jordan 1 however a Heather Grey cotton material is used on the shoe’s toe box and upper to give it more comfortability, this was also seen on two Nike sneakers from this season in the Vandal for Women’s and Terminator High for Men’s. This pair of Air Jordan 1 Retro’s specifically for the females has just hit select Jordan Brand retailers in the US, including Concepts and ALIFE.

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More lifestyle sneakers from the Gourmet Fall 2009 Collection have hit retailers including Proper, located in Long Beach, California. Some of the new models that have been released as a part of this new drop of Fall 2009 Gourmet footwear include the Dieci in two colorways, the Due Leather, the Cinque, the Quadici, the Quattro C in two colorways, the Uno C in two colorways, and the Uno L. It seems that many lifestyle sneakerheads have all been receptive to the Quadici which is a mid cut sneaker that is inspired by a Duck Boot. In this initial season the Quadici comes in Black and featurs some visible air in the midfoot. via Proper

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The success of the Zoom Kobe IV has motivated the release of an almost countless number of colorways, and now it’s time for a few more. The low-cut lightweight basketball model is back again in three simple new color schemes. All three take a basic team shoe approach, using the same color blocking on all of them. The three new colorways each use a white base for the upper with a white midsole and tongue. Whether it be the purple, green or black version, color accents can be found on the Flywire midpanel and heel cap as well as the outsole and lining. If you are still in the market for new Zoom Kobe IV colorways, you can find all three pairs now at RMKstore and be sure to check out detailed views of each after the jump.

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Jeremy Scott’s outrageous adidas have featured prominent enhancements to their tongues.  This latest example has a foldover tongue so big it needs buckles to stay in place.  Because of this massive, ‘adidas’-impressed foldover, it’s easy to overlook the buttery soft black leather construction.  Don’t make that mistake: look at more photos after the jump and stick with Sneaker News for updates.  via HS

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Although many sneakerheads have expressed concern over the seemingly never-ending wave of Air Jordan 1 colorways that have been dropping lately, there are definitely a few color schemes that have managed to stand out from the rest. This Black/Shadow Grey version definitely belongs in that category. The shoe sports a traditional look with a Black full-grain leather upper that is contrasted by sections of Shadow Grey on the Swoosh and toe box, as well as on the heel and ankle panels. It’s hard to see in these pics, but the Shadow Grey areas are covered with a faint Elephant print, giving the otherwise simple style a nice stylish touch. These aren’t scheduled to hit stores until September, but you can grab a pair early from shi2p on eBay.

Color: Black/Shadow Grey-White
Style: 332550-001

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