Run DMC adidas
The Gamechangers. Run DMC adidas Created an Unstoppable Sportswear Revolution
How the Run DMC adidas collab started a $325 billion streetwear category
the collab that earned adidas its stripes
In the 1980s, the destruction of three walls altered the course of human history. One was the Berlin Wall marking the end of the Cold War. The other was between Aerosmith and Run-DMC in the Run-DMC’s 1986 cover of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way.” The last was between Sports wear and the street and Run DMC adidas smashed that wide open.
The legendary three-piece from Queens, New York, made history by popularising the iconic adidas Superstar. When Darryl “D.M.C.” McDaniels silhouetted figure kicks through the back wall of the stage and the rappers strut down the steps onto the Aerosmith stage, their unlaced, box-fresh adidas shell toes became an instant social icon, a way into the new underground rap scene. Run DMC & adidas blazed a Superstar-clad trail that led to hip-hop and streetwear becoming the dominant global youth culture with adidas at the heart of it.
And that business boomed. This was the first collaboration between music and a sports brand, and it’s directly responsible for creating the streetwear category.
adidas x Run DMC blaze a trail for a $325 Billion streetwear category
Launched in 1969, the adidas Superstar was always a revolutionary basketball shoe. The adidas sleek, shell-toe low top is instantly recognisable. But it was Run-DMC who propelled the Superstar into pop culture.
If we spin it back to the early eighties the hip-hop scene was young and growing. DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, and Grandmaster Flash, were niche and cool but Public Enemy, Salt-N-Pepa or the Beastie Boys still hadn’t broken and crossed over. Rap was underground in the early 1980s. Music was dominated by dance-pop- Micheal Jackson, Madonna and Whitney Houston. Post-punk bands like Blondie, The Talking Heads, and Joy Division. Hair Metal – Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, and Bon Jovi dominated the airwaves and MTV with singalong choruses. Think ‘Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Jovi or ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard.
Hip Hop crossed over, when adidas, Run-DMC, and Def Jam records subverted one of those anthems, and brought rap and streetwear to a load of suburban kids.
My adidas RUN DMC & Walk This way
The stage was set for an adidas Run–D.M.C. deal with “My Adidas” the first single from their album Raising Hell. “My Adidas” was selling adidas products.
My Adidas” wasn’t just a song—it was a movement. Fans wanted a piece of Run-DMC’s signature style: box-fresh adidas Superstars, three-stripe tracksuits, and Kangol hats. The look was more than fashion; it was a symbol of identity and cultural pride, amped by the group’s authenticity and swag.
But no one had done a sports music crossover marketing deal at that point so this adidas Run DMC lock up wasn’t a done deal by any means. That took visionary adidas executive Angelo Anastasio. Angelo was invited to Madison Square Garden in NY by Def Jam & later Warner Music leader Lyor Cohen. Knowing that Anastasio was going to be present, Run told everyone in the audience to hold up their adidas gear. This got the ball bouncing but it was “Walk this Way” that blew it up.
“
I’ll never forget one iconic moment. Out of 24,000 people, 20,000 were waving their shoes, jackets, anything they had in the air. It was a wave of adidas stripes. The energy was surreal. That partnership made adidas cool again. Back then, Nike and Reebok were dominating. adidas was seen as stale. But with Run-D.M.C. adidas, we revitalised the brand. The Superstar sneakers were reborn as a cultural symbol. Those shoes weren’t just about basketball anymore; they became a style statement.
Angelo Anastasio – adidas
The Chemistry
Produced by a young Rick Rubin – an extraordinary creator who produced Adele, JayZ, U2, Johnny Cash, Metallica, and Joe Strummer. Rick was running Def Jam records from his bedroom when he spotted that Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way” could work as a rap record. The two groups were at completely different points in their careers before this unlikely collaboration changed the course of both of their histories. Aerosmith was having a rock god midlife crisis downswing having gone from sell-out arenas to barely selling 500 tickets. They weren’t cool. Run DMC was slowly ascendant.
Aerosmith’s manager Tim Collins answered a phone call from hip-hop producer Rick Rubin, proposing a collaboration with Run-DMC, Collins’ answer, according to The Guardian, was, “What’s rap?”.
But Aerosmith’s label Geffen Records, suggested that the band get involved and that zeitgeisty combo of the song’s percussive intro, Aerosmith, Steve Tyler’s vocal, Rap bubbling up, and Run DMC’s look and attitude was a stone-dropping into the cultural millpond.
From Run-DMC to the Future of Drops
The adidas x Run-DMC story highlights that drops are about more than scarcity—they’re about authenticity and connection. Run-DMC didn’t just endorse the Superstar; they made it part of their identity, inviting their audience to share in that experience. This fusion of music, culture, and fashion marked the birth of what we now know as hype culture.
Today, every major drop—from Nike’s SNKRS releases to Louis Vuitton’s capsule collections—follows the principles Run-DMC pioneered:
- A product with cultural relevance.
- A limited-time opportunity to own it.
- A community that amplifies its value.
The drop culture didn’t start in the boardroom. It started on stage, with three MCs, a pair of unlaced sneakers, and an anthem that changed fashion forever.
Why is adidas x Run DMC Important?
01 Mainstreamed Sportswear
The adidas x Run DMC crossover started the category which has taken off. From Japan’s B-Boys to Grime in London, they are all wearing sports wear brands. The global sportswear market size was $335 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.9% from 2024 to 2030. Today the visibility provided by collabs influences 45% or $170 billion of sportswear consumer purchasing decisions.
02 Scarcity not exclusivity
Traditional luxury fashion finds exclusivity through price. Streetwear earns through “if-you-know-you-know” low key cool. It creates value from cultural awareness and scarcity. Drops, limited releases, and insider knowledge drive its appeal—exclusivity isn’t bought, it’s earned.
In streetwear, belonging is the aspiration.
03 Hype Through Culture:
Even Louis Vuitton x Supreme owes a debt to the “My Adidas” moment. The must-have, box-fresh, gone-before-it-arrived vibe that Louis Vuitton embraced with New York’s Supreme represented 23% of LVMH’s total income for the first half of 2017, reaching $23 billion dollars in revenues.
04 TRUTH
Run DMC were adidas fans before they got a deal. They were hyping adidas because of love. adidas x Run DMC is about more than a product—it’s about being true and part of a movement. That resonates as strongly today as it did then.
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