You Know the Vibes: All of the J Balvin x Air Jordan Collaborations
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By Stadium Goods |You Know the Vibes: All of the J Balvin x Air Jordan Collaborations
Rounding up all of J Balvin’s colorful collaborations with Jordan Brand to date.
Matt DeSciora
Of all the creatives that have entered the sneaker collaboration space in recent years, few have brought a more artful approach to design than J Balvin. The acclaimed Colombian recording artist’s partnership with Jordan Brand has resulted in one colorful Jordan shoe after another, beginning with the Air Jordan 1 High OG “Colores Y Vibras” in 2020.
Just last month, J Balvin added to his already impressive collection of Jordan sneakers when he debuted his Air Jordan 3 “Medellín Sunset,” a colorway of the classic sneaker inspired by the beautiful sunset that can be seen in his home city in Colombia.
In between the two projects, J Balvin managed to find time in his busy schedule to create eye-grabbing colorways of the Air Jordan 2 and the Jordan Super Play, a contemporary-looking slip-on slide that increased in popularity following the “Prince of Reggaeton’s” co-sign.
It’s anyone’s guess as to where the J Balvin x Jordan Brand collaboration goes from here, but after releasing Air Jordan colorways in numerical order beginning with the Jordan 1, conventional wisdom says that J Balvin and Jordan may be cooking up an Air Jordan 4 in the not-so-distant future.
Until that actually comes to fruition, it’s best to appreciate the sneakers we do have from J Balvin, because, quite frankly, there’s a lot more nuance to each release than what meets the eye.
Here’s a quick look at what makes each of J Balvin’s Jordan Brand collaborations some of the best sneakers on the market.
J Balvin x Air Jordan 1 High OG “Colores Y Vibras”
Released in December 2020, J Balvin’s Air Jordan 1 High OG “Colores Y Vibras” is as creative as any Jordan 1 release there’s ever been in the model’s history, and that includes Off-White’s “The 10” colorway from 2017. Yes, we’re serious. The “Colores Y Vibras” features a rainbow-like assortment of colors on its canvas panels, not to mention a unique-looking jagged collar and sewn-on Swooshes. In releasing the Jordan 1 “Colores Y Vibras,” J Balvin became the first person of Latin descent to collaborate with Jordan Brand.
After years of relative dormancy, the Air Jordan 2 returned to the scene in a big way in late 2021 and 2022 due in no small part to J Balvin’s eye-catching colorway. Unlike any Jordan 2 before—or after—its release, the artist’s take on the retro basketball shoe includes a cloud-like graphic on the heel matched with a light blue ripstop material contrasted with multicolor stitching in between each panel on the upper. As great as other collaborator’s Jordan 2s were from that era, J Balvin’s colorway stands out amongst the crowd.
Released alongside J Balvin’s Air Jordan 2, the Jordan Super Play closely resembles the Reggaeton star’s take on MJ’s second signature model. A cloud-like design appears on the sandal’s cushioned midfoot arch, as does J Balvin’s signature smiley face graphics. The decision to collaborate with Jordan on the low-key Super Play is a bold move, but one that certainly makes sense given J Balvin’s flair for marching to the beat of his own drum.
J Balvin x Air Jordan 3 “Medellín Sunset”
J Balvin’s third Air Jordan sneaker, the Air Jordan 3 “Medellín Sunset,” continues the musician’s partnership with Jordan Brand by celebrating the sunset that takes place in his home city in Colombia. Not only does the collaboration bring color to the Jordan 3, but it also taps into the vintage trend that’s ever-so prevalent in sneakers with pre-aged details. Due to an overall great design and more limited quantities, this has already become his most coveted collaboration with Jordan Brand yet. We’re ready and waiting to see what comes next.