Matt Varga Fat Joe is well canonized in sneakers, owner of a collection that can go toe to toe with quite literally anyone in the hobby. In alignment with that, we’re used to the Terror Squad MC making headlines with extremely limited pairs, but Joe outdid himself with his most recent showcase.
Already one of the hottest commodities in sneakers, an Off-White Air Force 1 was his choice this time around, a genuine never-before-seen edition at that. The Arabic text emblazoned below the Swooshes appears to be a translation of Abloh’s “Off-White for Nike” trademark that became a calling card throughout his collaborative catalog. Combine that with the oversized, crinkly Swoosh and an exposed foam tongue and this is almost assuredly some sort of sample version of Virgil’s MoMA Air Force 1.
While the eventual Louis Vuitton head obviously pulled inspiration from wide-ranging sources, dipping into the Arabic language is really a move without precedent. None of his footwear or apparel work (that we’ve seen, at least) utilized anything similar; only his direction of Lil Uzi Vert’s “X0 Tour Life” music video stands out as a potentially contemporaneous comparison point.
Perhaps at a later date Joe will reveal the story behind this grail pair; he’s certainly piqued our interest. For now, check out the detailed in-hand shots that Joe shared embedded just below.
