Nike’s Mythical ‘Wu-Tang’ Dunk High Will Be Released in September

Riley Jones

August 26, 2024 at 2:41 AM·4 min read

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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.

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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.