We're Just Being Honest: Why Future Should Be the Next Artist to Collaborate With adidas

It's about time Future got his own sneaker collaboration, and adidas needs to give it to him.

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Complex Original

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I just finished moving myriad amounts of sneakers into my Brooklyn apartment and I felt obligated to tour my new neighborhood. The sun was out blessing the locals and I immediately realized this place would teach me a valuable lesson in "savage-ology." Within walking two blocks I heard three different Future songs blaring from three different cars; the final verse of "Codeine Crazy" rang off followed by "Commas," and miraculously the national anthem, "Throw Away," completed my eargasm.

Whether anyone wants to admit it or not, hip-hop dictates pop culture.

It was obvious; Future is the streets. Future is now.

And now is the perfect time for adidas to make him the next Three Stripes artist to receive a sneaker collaboration.

Times are weird for adidas. Its soccer mega-star Lionel Messi recently went H.A.M. during the UEFA Champions League while Kanye West just released the second iteration of his Yeezy Boost sneakers. But while two of its marquee endorsers continue to thrive, adidas' competitors are starting to really flex. Nike recently won the NBA's business as the official provider of on-court apparel, which was formerly held by adidas since 2006. Additionally, Stephen Curry recently put Under Armour on the map after extending Cleveland’s misery by defeating the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.

Adidas spokesperson Lauren Lamkin said in a statement, "We will invest more in telling stories that matter to our consumer and building category-disrupting innovate products." This vision aligns with one of the most disruptive categories in the game and also a sector in which adidas already has a rich history: Hip-hop.

Adidas’ current army of musical tastemakers, which include the likes of Kanye West, Pharrell, Big Sean, and Pusha T, ethers its competition and highlights a lane that they should truly embrace moving forward. Whether anyone wants to admit it or not, hip-hop dictates pop culture. It continues to be the catalyst to what’s current and what’s next. Adidas must capitalize on this, and adding Future to their list of collaborators could be an advantageous start. Who knows, maybe if everyone drops their ego, a "My Adidas 2.0" record could galvanize a movement that we witnessed with Run-D.M.C. almost three decades ago.

The Wizard a.k.a. Future Hendrix is arguably the biggest artist in Rap right now with as many nicknames as he has hits. But Super Future is far from an overnight success. The Mumble Monologue King has been on a winning streak since 2010 and has no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Future is fresh off of three mixtapes (Monster, Beast Mode, and 56 Nights) that have fathered the streets, he stole the show at this year’s Hot 97 Summer Jam, and recently made guest appearances on A$AP Rocky’s "Fine Whine" and Travis Scott’s summer anthem, "3500."

His active fan base is composed of the most loyal hip-hop enthusiasts and some egregious Photoshop users (just explore #FutureHive). But the unique thing about the "Honest" rapper is that his supports runs throughout the industry and you rarely, if ever, see slander about him or his music.

Future also dabbles heavily in high-end fashion from being a rabid advocate of Maison Martin Margiela​ to lacing up Yves Saint Laurent’s footwear. This also aligns with adidas’ longstanding tradition of infusing fashion into the brand's DNA. The Stan Smith seems to be the go-to sneaker for everyone’s lookbook and they’ve rolled out successful collaborations with designers like Jeremy Scott, Rick Owens, and Raf Simons like clockwork. This aspect creates natural synergy between the brand and the artist and eliminates forced creativity, which we have seen in the past with other brands.

A sneaker collaboration with Future will not only bring in an artist that aligns with adidas’ vision to combine innovation with disruptive principles, it will also create an energy in its products that forces consumers to look at them with a more conscious perspective. With Nike and Under Armour continuing to finds ways grow its brands, adidas can do the same by adding Future to the Three Stripes ecosystem.

The self-proclaimed Fire Marshall has star-power and a cult-like following that can take over the Internet with a blink of an eye. Future could be salient to adidas’ focus within pop culture and realistically we could all use a pair of "Codeine Crazy" Stan Smiths.

I’m just being honest.

Joe Sherman is a contributing writer for Complex. You can follow him on Twitter here.