Nigel Sylvester often found himself either developing his BMX skills on his grandmother’s driveway or watching “Family Matters” with her. Now, in a campaign video for his latest Air Jordan sneaker collaboration, Jo Marie Payton, who played the matriarch on the show, stars as the woman whose driveway helped shape Sylvester’s professional career.
Releasing on July 20, the Nigel Sylvester x Air Jordan 4 RM “Grandma’s Driveway” is his most personal sneaker yet in his decade-long collaboration with Jordan Brand and Nike. The design, featuring a nubuck color matching the emerald green fence of his grandmother’s driveway, is paired with a script penned by Sylvester and narrated by Payton. The story captures Sylvester’s journey from Jamaica, Queens, to global stardom.
Sylvester first envisioned this tribute after his 2018 Air Jordan 1 collaboration, which included distressing to mimic the wear from his BMX rides. The pandemic and a shift to Jordan Brand, where he became the first BMX rider signed in 2021, delayed the project until now.
Speaking at Dumbo House in Brooklyn, Sylvester expressed excitement for his first sneaker release in six years. Filming the campaign in his childhood driveway with family and friends was surreal. “I grew up watching ‘Family Matters’ in that house, so bringing [Payton] to the driveway where I fell in love with bike riding was surreal on so many levels,” Sylvester told Footwear News. “Dreams do come true.”
The Air Jordan 4 RM, designed with BMX riding in mind, features a new upper with Sylvester’s name on the left insole, a tiny Swoosh, “Bike Air” branding, and red sections on the outsole to match the original 1989 colorways. The packaging includes a photo of young Sylvester on his tricycle and textured box replicating his grandmother’s driveway, complete with a sticker pack reminiscent of his childhood bike customizations.
A second colorway, “Driveway Grey,” is set for release in August. Sylvester credits Jordan Brand for allowing him to tell his story through detailed design and the campaign. He reminisced about his first Nike SB Dunk High collaboration in 2014, which involved selecting fabrics with DJ Clark Kent. Now, a larger team handles the execution, but Sylvester remains involved in the process.
With positive feedback from sneaker icons like Kith co-founder Ronnie Fieg, Sylvester is eager to engage with fans at in-store events and his second annual “Go Ride” celebration. Despite some initial skepticism about reimagining the Air Jordan 4, Sylvester believes people will appreciate the product once they see it in person.
Following the release of the two Air Jordan 4 RMs, Sylvester hopes to continue dropping new sneakers regularly, provided they maintain the same level of detail and storytelling.
The Nigel Sylvester x Air Jordan 4 RM “Grandma’s Driveway” releases July 20, with “Driveway Grey” to follow in August.
