In December 2014, Reebok, looking to reclaim some of their past glory (and market share), signed Kendrick Lamar to a deal that would make him the face of their upcoming Ventilator campaign. Lamar wouldn’t just be a part of their marketing plan, though. In the months that followed, he was incredibly active in the company’s strategy for the Ventilator’s 25th anniversary, and was putting together some of his own designs for shoes that would debut later in the year. Those designs are now seeing the light of day.

Drawing on his experiences growing up in Compton surrounded by rival gangs, the Lamar-designed Ventilators are off-white with alternating red and blue accents. One shoe has “blue” etched on the heel, and the other has “red.” Both shoes have a blue or red tag that reads “neutral” on the tongue. The rapper’s name and TDE (Top Dawg) logo appear on the front of the tongue and on the inside.

Got the drop at Smoking Section . . .