# Rapper Alter Ego Sneakers The New 'King-fu Kenny' Nike Cortez Honors Kendrick Lamar By Riley von Niessen | Published 2017-12-20 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kungfu-kenny References: [highsnobiety](https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/kendrick-lamar-nike-cortez-first-look/) & [nike](http://nike.com/?sdjhbjhfsa) Kendrick Lamar recently collaborated with [Nike](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cortez-sneaker-model) to create a new look for its popular '[Cortez](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cortez-sneaker)' model, which was dubbed the 'Kung-Fu Kenny,' to reflect the alter ego that the rapper uses. The sneakers boast a sleek and narrow build, with the uppers overtaken primarily by a deep hue of vivid red and white, with the latter providing some contrast and marking Nike's iconic Swoosh logos on the sides. Overlaying the black laces is a matching band that goes through the entirety of the tongues, which boast the words "DON'T TRIP" in a Gothic white lettering. In addition, Chinese lettering marks the sides of toes in white, which is said to have a double entendre meaning that translates to "Supposed to Die" and "Damn." ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.4/10 - Popularity: 39% | Activity: 26% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) > [Celeb Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/celebfashion) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Collaborative Sneaker Design:** While musicians and artists have been collaborating with sneaker brands for years, the popularity of these unique designs creates the opportunity for further collaborations to produce disruptive innovations. - **Personalized Fashion Statements:** The success of the 'Kung-Fu Kenny' design shows that consumers are interested in more than just function when it comes to footwear, presenting an opportunity for brands to create personalized, statement-making designs. - **Cultural Inclusivity:** The incorporation of Chinese lettering on the shoe demonstrates a push for cultural inclusivity, which presents an opportunity for other sneakers to incorporate cultural elements and embrace diversity in their designs. ### Who This Affects Most - **Athletic Footwear:** The sneaker industry can explore collaborations that incorporate cultural elements to create statement-making designs that appeal to a wider audience. - **Fashion and Music:** The collaboration between musicians and fashion brands is a growing trend, presenting an opportunity for further exploration and experimentation in design crossovers. - **Streetwear:** The popularity of streetwear fashion presents an opportunity for sneaker brands to create designs that cater to this demographic, embracing unique and edgy designs. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Luxurious Satin Texture Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cortez-sneaker.md) - [Retro Perforated Leather Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cortez-sneaker-model.md) - [Villain-Centric Collaboration Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tekken-8.md) - [Metallic-Tinged Retro Sneaker Models](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/metallic-gold-1.md) - [Rapper-Collaborative Textural Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/concrete-boys-air-force-1.md) - [Minimalist Suede Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/morse-code-cortez.md) - [Stealthy Stitched Lifestyle Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/killshot-1-premium.md) - [Rapper-Collab Juxtaposing Dynamic Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/something-for-thee-hotties.md) - [Stealthy Monochromatic Court Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/killshot-2-sneaker.md)