[Update 9 Sep] The KD 15 Producer Pack release cycle has begun! The “Cardo” was released yesterday on the 8th, and 9th Wonder’s “Charles Douthit” will be dropping on the 15th, concluding with Boi-1da’s on the 22nd. Head over to Nike and Foot Locker to get yours. Let the rhythm hit ’em.

Basketball and hip-hop have long revolved around each other’s orbit, together shaping an entire archipelago in the world of street culture. An influence so strong, so ubiquitous, it had to be placed under the umbrella term: mainstream. Allen Iverson isn’t the first to bridge the two but he’s the one that made that bridge as famous as the Golden Gate.

Since then, we see basketball players dress like rappers, and rappers turning basketball players into metaphors in their lyrics. Once in a while, we see them crossover. We’d witness artistes like J. Cole playing in celebrity games and foreign leagues, and players like Damian Lillard (amongst a long list that includes Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant himself) dropping their own records. As the contemporary adage goes: rappers want to be ballers, and ballers want to be rappers.

KD himself is a product of this connection, evident in previous releases of the KD 13—”Chill” and “Hype”. Like Eric B. and Rakim, the homage gets paid in full again, with the KD 15 Producer Pack; featuring hitmakers Cardo and Boi 1da, culminating with the legendary 9th Wonder.

His iteration is inspired by his 2020 album Zion V: The Ballad Of Charles Douthit. Just as he samples old records and gives them a vibrant reimagining, the same MO is applied to the KD 15.

With disparation as the motif, streaks of purple and orange intersperse over the left and right pair, dashing across the mudguard, sock lining and heel tab. The laces alternate as well between black and sail, although the package does come with an optional purple and orange too.

The dual-branding elements aren’t overlooked with “KD” and “9th” stitched on the tongue, while “Charles Douthit” is embroidered on the underside. Visible through the crystal outsole is a topographic urban map with “STAY GROUNDED” printed on the toe.

None in the Producer Pack have an official release date yet but if one of them gets one, we can wait for the other shoes to drop as well.

Elsewhere in the NBA, while Paul George goes for broke next season, his PG 6 goes “Baroque”. Check it out!