Aaron Hope 
Though the Air Jordan 1s that Jay-Z’s been so fond of wearing lately are the only kicks specifically namechecked on their new new album, it’s Kanye West’s upcoming collaboration with Nike Sportswear that has people quite literally watching the throne in hopes of catching a glimpse at the next big thing. The Nike Air Yeezy 2 is now starting to build up a head of steam as the Jay-and-Ye world tour continues to roll on, this black and pink edition showing up now again while Yeezy rocks the same black leather ensemble, but images from the stage this time are among the clearest we’ve seen of this sneaker sasquatch. It’s clear that the Air Yeezy 2 is more reliant upon textural contrasts than its predecessor, a molded heel somewhere between the Air Jordan II and Hussein Chalayan’s Puma Urban Swift. The tongues also feature a diamond pattern that could perhaps indicate the use of a layered mesh material like Torch — could this indicate that the Air Yeezy 2 will outperform its forebear? We’ll have to wait to wear a pair to find out, but you can get a better sense of what they’ll look like in the meantime, and be sure to stick with Sneaker News for updates including the Nike Air Yeezy 2 release date. via DJ Proto J on NT
