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Air Eminem: Shady Designs Sneakers for Charity

Rapper/actor/aspiring shoemaker Eminem has contributed original designs to Nike's Air Max sneaker line, ranging from Air Max '87 to the latest Air Max 360. The shoes -- a very limited run of just 64 pairs, each featuring not only Em's custom design but also his autograph -- will be auctioned off in a charity benefiting the Marshall Mathers Foundation and ninemillion.org, which strives to bring education and sports programs to children stuck in refugee camps. Eminem's own foundation is more locally focused, seeking to assist at-risk kids in southeast Michigan.

"We're always looking for new ways to try to raise money and awareness for the foundation, so when Nike approached us we jumped at the chance," Em said. "Who wouldn't want to design their own line of Nikes? And to do it for charity makes it that much better."

The auction will be held over eBay, as well as at Niketown stores in Paris, Berlin and London. If you wind up shelling out a lot of cash when the auction begins on September 12th, ninemillion.org has some figures that may ease your buyer's remorse: There are nine million children currently living as refugees, and $25 can send one of them to school for a year.

In other Eminem news, it seems that the budding philanthropist hasn't lost his knack for causing offense. During a video shoot for Akon's "Smack That," he allegedly poured water on costar Kendra Wilkinson (The Girls Next Door), leading to a verbal altercation. Em reportedly later sent flowers to the Playboy Mansion to make amends.

--The ARTISTdirect Staff
08.29.06