The Nike Air Force 1 has been embraced by Hip-Hop since its 1982 debut, but the 90's and early 2000's saw a boom in the presence of the Air Force 1 in Hip-Hop. This year, Nike is releasing a limited edition Air Force 1 to commemorate 50 years of Hip-Hop culture according to Sneaker News.

The sneaker's most obvious nods to Hip-Hop are the tongue label which replaces the traditional Nike logo with a graphic that is reminiscent of classic Hip-Hop flyer artwork with the caption "50 Years of Hip-Hop," and a golden microphone hang tag. In October of last year, Nike introduced an exclusive Air Force 1 honoring the Bronx as Hip-Hop's home.

Nike and The Air Force 1 has been celebrated in Hip Hop over the years. In 1987, Heavy D and The Boyz released "Nike," an ode to the iconic sneaker on their debut album Livin' Large. In 2002, Nelly released "Air Force Ones," a song paying homage to his favorite sneaker. The song, with its hook that stated that he needed at least "two pairs," peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 2007, Nike released "Classic (Better Than I've Ever Been)" featuring DJ Premier, Kanye West, Rakim, and KRS-One. "Classic" was performed at the Nike Air Force 1 anniversary party that aired on MTV and the song was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rap Collaboration at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony in 2008.