John Kim 
For decades, athletic footwear brands have relied on hip-hop celebrities to garner popularity of sneakers at zero cost. But with Swizz Beatz officially joining the Reebok team in 2011 and Kanye West’s Air Yeezy being so wildly popular, it’s clear that the sneakerhead-celebrity is a powerful marketing tool and employing the services of a well-known figure would be a positive move. Joining Swizz Beatz on Team Reebok is hip-hop artist and MMG head Rick Ross, who, ironically, has been well-documented as a fan of Air Jordans and Nike so much that he appeared in a Nike commercial in 2010 alongside Bo Jackson, Tim Tebow, and a slew of other Nike-branded athletes.
However, the move may not come as a huge surprise if you can remember his participation with Swizz and Reebok Basketball star John Wall in the shooting of ‘Reebok Back’, so perhaps Ross and ‘Bok were in talks since that time. Will Rick Ross have a creative role with Reebok lifestyle, or is this another move of chess pieces in the battle for sneaker supremacy? Let us know your thoughts on Rick Ross’ newfound allegiance with Reebok and we’ll keep you updated on any new developments.
