Considered one of the rarest releases of Air Jordan 4s, the Eminem “Encore” has become a long sought-after addition to many collectors.
The Air Jordan 4, a highly popular model in the Air Jordan line, was designed by renowned Nike designer Tinker Hatfield as his second creation for the brand. Notably, it marked the second Air Jordan to feature visible Air technology. Initially released in 1989, the Air Jordan 4 came in four colorways: white and cement grey, white black and red, off-white and military blue, and black and red (Bred). Its immense popularity led to numerous innovative collaborations over the years.
In 2005, Eminem partnered with Nike to produce a unique blue, red, and black version of the Air Jordan 4. Known as the ‘Encore’, the pair pays tribute to his Encore album release. It was rumored that only fifty pairs of this original release were distributed among friends and family. The ‘Encore’ edition is celebrated for its rarity and desirability, with a design featuring blue synthetic nubuck uppers, black netting on the tongue and mid-panel, black “wings” supporting the lacing, and red Jumpman logos on the heel and tongue.
Exceptionally rare, this Air Jordan 4s ‘Encore’ features Eminem’s signature on each shoe, as well as a “2005” inscription. The sneakers are accompanied by a letter from James Spence Authentication in regards to the signature.
Those interested can check out the shoe at Sotheby’s, now available for auction. Celebrated for its rarity and desirability, the shoe is estimated to hit between $40,000 to $60,000 USD. At the time of writing, the shoe’s current bid is $30,000 USD.