👀 Sneaker of the Week: Lil Yachty x Nike Air Force 1 Low “Concrete Boys”

🔥 The Weekly Lace-Up: Price increases coming from a major player, a new Air Jordan 14 colorway, and so much more

📸 Kicks Cam: Eric Koston Debuts Nike SB x Nike Air Max 95 “Cactus Flower”

🚦 Street Signals: Is the hype era finally over?

Each week, we’ll select one standout pair, be it a classic, sleeper, new drop, or something with a story worth telling. Plus, Chase will give his verdict.

For our inaugural pick, we’ve tapped…

Specifically, the new “Lucky Green” colorway that dropped on May 22nd.

Why?

We’re hyped about what Lil Boat is building with Nike, and now that summer’s here and everyone’s breaking out their boldest, loudest, most chaotic pairs, there may be no more peacocking shoe on the streets right now than this green, red, and gold Uptown.

Before we dive in, let’s just address the obvious, because we can already hear you from a mile away: “But Chase and Alex, Yachty ripped NIGO. This is just a 2000s BAPE STA dupe.”

Yes, it’s clear where Yachty drew inspiration. But no, we’re not clocking this as a rip-off or a replica. This reads as an intentional homage, not a copy.

And it tracks—Yachty’s a true student of the streetwear game. He’s been spotted rocking vintage, NIGO-era BAPE for years (among other brands), and he’s consistently shown an affinity for early-to-mid 2000s streetwear. This isn’t a one-off style choice. It’s part of a larger aesthetic he’s been building for a while now.

Don’t believe us? Just look at the first “Concrete Boys” Air Force 1, done up in an understated “White/Navy” color combination that draws favorably from early 2000s artist-run label promos (like those sweet, sweet Terror Squad and Roc-a-Fella Records Forces).

So yeah, is the “Lucky Green” pair a little loud? Absolutely. But that’s the point. This isn’t just a sneaker, it’s a signal. A continuation of Yachty’s vision, pulling from the past to push something new.

And that’s exactly the kind of energy we’re looking for with Sneaker of the Week—stuff that stands out, sparks a convo, and says something (even if that something is just “look at me”).

Catch us here next week for another pair that earns the spotlight. Until then: wear your kicks, and maybe, just maybe, peacock a little.

One word: Fire.

It’s loud in all the right ways — super clean with that bold pop of color that just feels like summer. If you’re tryna step out and get noticed, that’s the move right there.

But me? I’ve been leaning into something a little smoother. The Lil Yachty x Nike Air Force 1 Low has been in heavy rotation. It’s got that creamy sail upper, buttery materials, and some subtle details that feel really personal to Yachty — like he made ‘em for the people who really care about the culture.

This one’s not about hype — it’s about feel. It’s classic. It’s wearable. It’s one of those pairs you’ll look back on and be glad you didn’t sleep.

This week, Nike is bringing back a classic model from its late ‘90s basketball segment in the form of the Air Flightposite. Debuted in 1999 and worn by NBA royalty like Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Allan Houston, and others, the Air Flightposite was designed by legendary Nike footwear architect Eric Avar (who also created the Air Foamposite One and some heaters from the Kobe x Nike line). It features a sleek design, zip-up shroud, and was part of the “Alpha Project” line. It's now back in a summer-ready “Sail” colorway. Buy them now →

More colorways of Ja Morant’s Nike Ja 2 are on the way. The release of its newest design, the “Scratch NY vs NY,” couldn’t be any timelier, as it references the summer streetball scene in New York City. Buy them now →

Nike just made not one, but two industry-shaking moves. As of June 1, 2025, prices are going up on select adult apparel, equipment, and footwear. But that’s not all—the Swoosh also announced it’s returning to Amazon after a five-year break. Big moves from Beaverton.

According to ABC News, Nike will raise prices by $2 to $10 on select apparel and equipment. For footwear, pairs priced between $100 and $150 will see a $5 bump, while anything over $150 could increase by up to $10.

A new season means new trends in sneakers, and summer 2025 is no exception. A few silhouettes are definitely getting more love than usual as the temps heat up. Take a look.

Slim Retro Silhouettes

Slim retro silhouettes are still trending in a big way heading into summer. As noted in this roundup of summer 2025 sneaker trends, sleek, low-profile styles like the Puma Speedcat, adidas SL 72, and Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 are still popping up across timelines and sidewalks alike.

It’s easy to see why. These low-slung shoes pair effortlessly with shorts, have a timeless design, and are comfy enough to go from beach to brunch and everywhere in between.

Y2K Revival

Another trend that has a stronghold on the culture right now is the Y2K wave. Early 2000s nostalgia is in, and that means we’re seeing models like New Balance’s Abzorb 2000 and Nike’s Total 90, now with flat soles, making waves in streetwear circles.

Sport-Inspired Styles

Bad Bunny’s new adidas Ballerina is having a moment. Sneakers inspired by ballet, taekwondo, and boxing are gaining traction. Notably, the Puma Speedcat Ballet merges racing shoe design with ballet flat aesthetics, offering a unique blend of sport and style.

The shift toward these styles is a clear indication of sneaker culture’s willingness to step outside of its comfort zone. It’s also an indication that the chunky dad shoe wave is in its waning days… for now.

Every week, we spotlight a standout sneaker moment caught on social, whether it’s from our own Culture Kicks feed or a fit check from an athlete, celebrity, or style-forward creator.

For the first-ever Kick Flick, we’re spotlighting the Nike SB Air Max 95 “Cactus Flower,” recently unveiled by skate legend Eric Koston.

While details are still scarce at the time of this writing, early buzz suggests we can expect several skate-ready tweaks to be added to the iconic Air Max 95 silhouette for the first time in its history. The collab marks a notable crossover between Nike SB and one of Nike’s most legendary Air Max lines. 

Koston, who previously released versions of the Nike SB x Air Jordan 1 Low in 2019, is no stranger to high-profile SB collaborations, and this release continues Nike SB’s growing trend of fusing with other iconic Nike divisions.

For the better part of a decade…no, for the better part of the last fifteen years, sneaker culture has run on adrenaline: countdown timers, SNKRS L’s, Discord leaks, and resale prices that made even the most loyal fans feel locked out. 

But lately, something’s shifted. There’s a new vibe in the air, and it has less to do with the chase and more about the wear. The question no one wanted to ask a few years ago is now impossible to ignore: Is the hype era finally burning out?

It’s not that people have stopped caring about sneakers, it’s that they’re tired of caring this much. Between bots, inflated resale markets, and the endless stream of “collabs” that feel more like cash grabs, even diehard sneakerheads are losing steam.

Reddit threads and IG comments that once drooled over heat drops now read like forums for burnout therapy: “I miss when I actually wore my sneakers,” one user posted on r/Sneakers, summing up the mood.

Nike, adidas, and New Balance aren’t blind to the shift. We’re seeing more GRs (general releases) with serious design chops, wider availability on collabs, and a return to storytelling over scarcity. Adidas’s recent Campus 00s campaign focused on wearability and skate-style authenticity, not resale value. New Balance continues to win by simply… making good shoes you can actually buy. What a novel thought.

Even smaller brands like Hoka and Salomon, which were once dismissed as “dadcore,” are thriving because they offer something hype couldn’t: function, comfort, and a break from the rat race.

What we’re witnessing isn’t the death of hype, but a recalibration or a vibe shift, if you will. The energy is still there, no doubt. It’s just moving differently. Instead of flexing the rarest drop, people are flexing vintage pairs, weird niche models no algorithm is tracking, or gasp, worn-in beaters (but to be clear, clapped-out Forces will never, ever be cool, sorry.) 

Style over clout. Rotation over resale.