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Update: Oct. 16, 2024 at 2:15 p.m. ET
After Nike shock dropped a limited amount of the “Wu-Tang” Dunk Highs in September, the once-mythical sneaker will finally receive a wider public release for the first time ever this fall.
Following September’s shock drop, the Nike Dunk High “Wu-Tang” will be officially released on Saturday, Nov. 9 for a retail price of $150. The “Black/Pollen/White” sneakers feature an all-leather upper and are designated as a Premium release, making their materials and overall build a bit higher quality than that of a standard Dunk.
The shoes feature Wu-Tang’s “W” logo embroidered in black at the heel and appearing in yellow on the woven tongue label, the latter of which replaces the shoe’s usual “Nike Air” branding.
Aside from the branding tweaks, the colorway itself is a near one-to-one match of the classic “Iowa” Dunk High from Nike’s original “Be True to Your School” series. According to Nike employees who worked on the original 1999 “Wu-Tang” sneaker, the design was conceptualized to create buzz around the Dunk model. It’s safe to say the gamble paid off, as the Dunk and its SB relative eventually became one of the most important Nike shoes of the 2000s.
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In 2018, Wu-Tang Clan member Method Man appeared on consignment store Flight Club’s social media and asked Nike to bring back the sneakers in honor of the 25th anniversary of the group’s debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). “I think the fans should holler at Nike and let them know how much we need this shoe back,” Method Man said.
Six years later, Nike is delivering with the first-ever wide release of the “Wu-Tang” Dunk High. Readers can sign up for release notifications via Wu-Tang Clan’s official website here.
Update: Sept. 28, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET
It’s the sort of sneaker release that didn’t feel real until it actually happened, but at midnight Saturday, Nike released a shock drop of the mythical “Wu-Tang” Dunk High on the brand’s SNKRS app.
Whispers of a Nike Dunk High “Wu-Tang” shock drop had been circulating on social media Friday but didn’t materialize during the day, leaving many fans to assume the surprise release wouldn’t take place. Then, at midnight, the “Black/Pollen/White” colorway appeared on Nike’s SNKRS app in highly limited quantities. Unsurprisingly, the pair was quick to sell out, and as of Saturday afternoon is reselling for as much as $898 according to StockX sales data. On resale platform GOAT, a size 15 in the sneaker is listed for $1,046.
The public release of the “Wu-Tang” Dunk Highs is one of the first once-mythical sneaker releases Nike has in the works. Dubbed “opening the vault” by some fans, other extremely coveted shoes that are set to hit stores include the Undefeated x Air Jordan 4. Nike’s legendary PlayStation x Air Force 1 is also rumored to be rereleased in 2025.
Nike’s shock drops are often highly anticipated by sneaker fans and typically don’t follow caveats aside from arriving earlier than official release dates. The brand will often use the feature to create buzz around upcoming Air Jordan Retro releases.
For patient fans who are hesitant to spend premium prices on the sold-out sneakers, there will still be more chances to pick up the sneakers, which were once exclusive to the Wu-Tang Clan’s friends and family. Retailers including Atmos have the “Wu-Tang” Dunk Highs on the release schedule for this fall, and other stores have also confirmed the launch. Whether or not the shoe will receive a secondary SNKRS launch has not yet been determined.
Update: Aug. 25, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. ET
After Nike’s not-so-subtle social media teaser in June, the brand’s mythical Dunk High “Wu-Tang” sneaker is now confirmed to return.
Ahead of a formal announcement from the Beaverton, Ore.-based brand, product images have surfaced courtesy of Japanese retailer Atmos. The shots reveal that the Nike Dunk High “Wu-Tang” will return in all its original two-tone glory.
The black-and-yellow (or “Pollen” as they’re officially named) shoes are constructed with leather uppers and include the legendary hip-hop group’s logo on both the woven tongue tag and embroidered heel hit. Based on these images, the updated 2024 pair looks as close as one will get to the original 1999 promotional iteration without shelling out five figures.
The ’99 pair was created in part by former Nike employee Drew Greer, who said that only 100 pairs of that early version were created. This time around, the sneaker is expected to have far wider availability, although it still may not be easily attainable due to high demand.
Readers can expect the Wu-Tang Clan to appear in promotional campaigns for the sneaker, which will be treated as an official collaboration. The ’24 Wu-Tang Clan x Nike Dunk High has a SKU of HJ4320-001 and will retail for $150 with a release date set for sometime in September. For now, find a detailed look at the ’24 version below.
What We Originally Reported on June 20, 2024
One of Nike’s most fabled sneakers could soon be returning, if a recent post from the brand’s official Instagram account is any indication.
Nike Sportswear teased today a rerelease of the “Wu-Tang” Nike Dunk High. Originally produced in 1999 as an exclusive for friends and family of the Wu-Tang Clan, the style has gone on to attain legendary status among sneaker collectors and hip-hop enthusiasts.
Specific details surrounding the original ’99 version are somewhat hazy; sneaker culture had yet to become a mainstream phenomenon, and the internet wasn’t equipped to document the latest drops. Some accounts of the ’99 iteration point to as few as 36 total pairs being produced — a nod to Wu-Tang Clan’s debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). However, former Nike employee Drew Greer, who worked on the sneaker, in 2021 said that 100 pairs were actually made.
The sneaker itself is a redesign of an original Nike Dunk High from 1985. Part of the line’s original “Be True to Your School Series,” the black-and-yellow Dunk High colorway was created for the University of Iowa. Traditionally constructed from leather, the shoe is also nicknamed “Goldenrod” and has received various reworkings since its original ’85 release. Wu-Tang Clan’s rare version of the shoe features the group’s logo on the tongues and it’s also embroidered on the heel.
Due to its extremely limited nature, the original “Wu-Tang” Nike Dunk High rarely pops up on the aftermarket. A size 7.5 pair is currently available from Sotheby’s for $27,500.
The Nike Dunk High “Wu-Tang” has never been released to the public, but today’s Instagram post seems to hint at a forthcoming drop. Nike typically does not announce large collaboration projects such as this on Instagram, but the brand has recently been experimenting with ways to get ahead of leaked information with features like SNKRS Showcase.
According to leaker @zsneakerheadz, the Nike Dunk High “Wu-Tang” will finally be released during fall 2024. Retail pricing for the “Black/Pollen/White” colorway has not been confirmed.
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