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Noted sneakerhead Fat Joe is showing off his latest exclusive pickup, but it’s also his most controversial by far.
As many can separate the artist from the art, the Bronx native is separating the politician from the gaudy kicks.
Joe’s latest pair are of Donald Trump’s sneakers, the “Never Surrender High-Tops.” He claims he’s got the “Friends & Family” version, which likely came at a premium given the regular pair is $399. But not to worry, Joe didn’t pay for them, so he took to Instagram Live to explain why he was okay with being gifted sneakers that support the twice-impeached president.
… And it all boils down to art being art.
“Why? If you really collect art, do you really know what Basquiat was into?” Fat Joe explains. “Do you know what Andy Warhol was into? Any of these artists that you was into. You love the art, so you get it. I guess they separate art from the person.”
He explains that as a sneakerhead, it’s all about the kicks and the hype behind them, explaining he pulled a similar stunt when the world (attempted) to cancel Kanye West amid a string of antisemitic comments.
“Now, me as a sneaker collector,” he continued. “I had to get my hands on the Trumps. Doesn’t matter…Listen, I have thousands of pairs of sneakers. When everyone flipped on Kanye, I went and bought the two most exclusive Kanyes ever.
Joe shows off the black box and orange logo as someone else off-camera says there are only 50 pairs of the Friends and Family edition. Despite having the kicks in hand, Fat Joe makes sure his followers know that he’s in no way a supporter of the MAGA movement.
“I gotta get my hands on them. Once again, I’m not a Trumper; I dislike Trump. I’m not voting for him. Not now, not ever,” he adds. “But I’m a sneaker collector into the art, so I had to find these.”
Joe acknowledges that he will probably receive calls from his famous friends over the decision, including Mayor Eric Adams, but reserves that all is fair regarding sneaker collecting.
See how social media is feeling about the rapper’s latest edition to his sneaker closet.
