Twenty-three years after its original release, 50 Cent and Reebok announced they would be bringing the shoe back in its original white, red and blue colour scheme, and keeping the design the same as the model’s victorious 2003 run.
While some may be surprised at the high demand the shoe is having two decades later, 50 Cent is not. In a brief email interview with FN, the “Stunt 101” rapper says that the fans’ reactions to the shoe is not about nostalgia but more so about the impact it made. He says he knew they had something special from the start. 50 has remained a mainstay in pop culture through various business enterprises, his music and his long list of TV projects like the Starz “Power” franchise.
The $130 retro recreation of the original 2003 white, red, and blue colorway moved through Reebok, JD Sports, and Finish Line so fast that inventory couldn’t keep up. 50 credited New York for the demand, saying the city’s support made the difference while taking shots at anyone trying to compare their numbers to his. The original G6 launched back in 2003 alongside 50’s classic debut Get Rich or Die Tryin’ and became a cultural moment. That partnership moved over 3.8 million pairs and reportedly earned 50 more than $80 million. He wasn’t just slapping his name on somebody else’s shoe either. 50 was hands-on with the design, marketing, and presentation, which is why the sneaker still hits different more than two decades later. The fact that it sold out in 120 minutes proves the original formula was right from day one.