Raekwon x Packer Shoes x Didadora N.9000 “Purple Tape” Release Date

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Currently on tour with partner in rhyme, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon is moving throughout the country and beyond to celebrate a feat many artists only dream of. His debut album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, widely revered among the best hip hop albums of all time and certainly the standard for all Wu Tan Clan releases that would follow, turned 20-years old earlier this month.

Back in 1995, if you were lucky enough to live in a region that stocked this rare gem in cassette form, you were able to get your hands on the “Purple Tape.” Recently re-released to commemorate its creativity and all around badassness, the coveted tape now acts as the guiding force for the Raekwon x Packer Shoes x Diadora N.9000 collaborative release.

A well-known sneaker aficionado, Rae pairs with New Jersey-based retailer Packer Shoes and a brand he’s referenced on multiple occasions in song (most notably “Sneakers” from his Immobilarity album), Italian footwear brand Diadora. Utilizing the N.9000 as a creative canvas, the shoe is hued exclusively in purple tones through a mixture of suede and mesh fabrication.

But even better than that, references from the tape appear all throughout the shoe – the tongue highlights a Parental Advisory label as host for branding, while the heel boasts notations for “Side 1” and “Side 2” of the cassette. Track listings for each side of the tape rest in the footbed making for a unique and sentimental addition. The look is capped with “1995” embroidery at the paneling to pay tribute to the year the legendary opus hit record stores.

The Raekwon x Packer Shoes x Diadora N.9000 “Purple Tape” drops on August 20th exclusively at S.O.B.’s in NYC in line with a special Raekwon performance of the famed album.