NIKE to Donate Proceeds From Original Air Force 1 Songs to Local Baltimore Charities

NIKE to Donate Proceeds From Original Air Force 1 Songs to Local Baltimore Charities

Nike-Commissioned Tracks Available on iTunes Benefit Baltimore's Boys & Girls Club of America

BEAVERTON, Ore., July 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- As part of its continuous efforts to support youth sport programs, all NIKE and artists' proceeds from the sale of the original Air Force 1 song "Classic -- Better Than I've Ever Been" will go to the NIKE Youth Sport for Change Fund to support two chapters of Baltimore's Boys & Girls Club of America -- Jackson Unit Boys & Girls Club of America and The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of America.

(Logo:

http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990818/NIKELOGO)

The song, which was released in February as part of Nike's 25th year anniversary celebration of the Air Force 1 and can be purchased exclusively on iTunes, features award winning hip hop artists Kanye West, Nas, Rakim and KRS-ONE and was produced by hip hop producer DJ Premier. Recently, the track was added into regular rotation at some of the nation's top urban radio stations including New York's HOT 97. An original version of the track featuring Kanye West, Nas and KRS-ONE with production by music icon Rick Rubin also appears on iTunes. In addition to the songs being available for download, fans can check out the video for the remix version of "Classic" on several networks including BET and MTV.

Known for the pivotal role it played in the popularity of the Air Force 1, Baltimore is home to three of the original Air Force 1 retailers including Downtown Locker Room. In Baltimore the love for the Air Force 1 took the form of a groundswell of support that emerged in the early 80s and eventually spread all over the world. The presence of the shoe on all sides of town turned the AF1 into Baltimore's shoe of choice, a revolutionary footwear product that spoke volumes about the city's love for basketball and made Baltimore a key player in the subsequent resurrection of the Air Force 1 and the flourish of basketball culture.

In addition to downloading "Classic -- Better Than I've Ever Been" on iTunes, music fans can download another original Nike song -- "The Second Coming". "The Second Coming" features music by award winning producer Just Blaze and lyrics by Juelz Santana. The song was part of Nike's most recent basketball campaign entitled "The Second Coming -- Our Game, Our Time," which highlighted the brand's latest signature basketball sneaker -- the Air Force 25.

Since the release of the two Nike-commissioned songs, the tracks have been downloaded more than 85,000 times on iTunes.

** NIKE Air Force 1 Info**

Twenty-five years ago Nike released the Air Force 1 to satisfy the demands of the most uncompromising and forceful players in the game of basketball. In 1982, the Air Force 1 became the first basketball shoe to feature Nike Air technology. The comfort and protective qualities of the Air Force 1 changed the game forever and created a platform that launched Nike's long-running legacy in performance basketball. During the past 25 years the AF1 evolved from a performance breakthrough on the court to an icon of the street.

NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly owned Nike subsidiaries include Cole Haan Holdings Incorporated, a leading designer and marketer of luxury shoes, handbags, accessories and coats; Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic footwear, apparel and accessories; Exeter Brands Group LLC, which designs and markets athletic footwear and apparel for the value retail channel; Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes action sports and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories and NIKE Bauer Hockey Inc., a leading designer and distributor of hockey equipment.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: Dean.Stoyer@nike.com

Photo: NewsCom:

http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990818/NIKELOGO
AP Archive:

http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: NIKE, Inc.

CONTACT: New York Media Relations of NIKE, Inc., +1-212-367-4447

Web site:

http://www.nikebiz.com/

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