Back on the Meter: Why the Air Jordan 12 ‘Taxi’ Still Hits Like Rush Hour

Few Jumpman models command the same kind of respect – and instant recognition – as the ‘Taxi’. With its clean white leather, bold black accents, and dazzling golden-yellow eyelets, the streetwise cruiser is a certified classic. It’s part sneakerhead holy grail, part cultural touchstone and all-around street legend.

Scroll on for five fast facts about the Air Jordan 12 ‘Taxi’ that every collector should know.

From Rising Sun to Street Run

The Air Jordan 12 ‘Taxi’ is a masterclass in design, blending cultural symbolism with street-ready finesse. Hitting the scene in 1996, the silhouette came from GOAT , who drew inspiration from the Japanese ‘rising sun’ motif, embedding notions of energy, renewal and upward trajectory – a visual metaphor for vertical mastery. But like a cab weaving through Manhattan’s grid, the silhouette cleverly navigates multiple references: the textured black mudguard signals durability and power, while the pristine white leather upper acts as a luminous canvas for contrast and movement.

Hatfield also borrowed cues from 19th-century women’s dress boots, translating elegance and structural integrity into a high-performance b-ball shoe. And then there’s the yellow – a precise nod to cabs that injects both flair and grit. The ‘Taxi’ charts a route through sneaker history with style and personality, proving that a thoughtfully designed silhouette can carry heritage, performance, and panache all in one ride.

Full-Court Fare

More than a technical virtuoso, the Air Jordan 12 ‘Taxi’ is a piece of championship history. Michael Jordan laced up the silhouette during the 1996–97 season, a campaign that added his fifth title to an already legendary résumé. While the ‘Taxi’ wasn’t the colourway MJ wore on-court, the AJ12’s DNA – cushioning, full-length carbon fibre shank and impeccable traction – delivered the engineering brilliance that allowed His Airness to pivot, cut and soar with effortless mojo.

Here’s one for the ‘heads! The ‘Taxi’ found fame beyond basketball, too. In the 1992 Christmas episode of US sitcom Martin – which ran for five seasons through the mid-90s and starred comedian Martin Lawrence – the show’s namesake character famously took off his fresh pair and handed them to a homeless kid. The moment turned the AJ12 into small-screen lore, sealing its place in TV history.

Hail the Return

Returning this weekend, the Jumpman’s streetwise cruiser has seen its fair share of retro iterations over the years. Since its original 1996 debut, the silhouette has returned in its near-original form in both 2008 and 2013. The devil – or the delight – is in the details: subtle tweaks to the tumbled leather, the saturation of the signature yellow accents, and the crispness of the white panels differentiate each release, giving collectors plenty to debate in terms of which retro truly hits the mark. The 2013 pair still gets top billing though, hitting the sweet spot between quality, colour and OG attitude.

Gold on the Go

Ka-Ching! One of the first Jays to flaunt gold-painted metal eyelets, the Air Jordan 12 ‘Taxi’ turned a simple functional detail into a flashy nod to MJ’s powerhouse reign – a touch so good that many models since, including the , have followed suit.

But not everything that glitters is gold. The Air Jordan 12 model itself was temporarily banned in South Korea in 2016, as critics zeroed in on the model’s flag-inspired pattern for its association with Japan’s colonial past. On the hardwood, however, the silhouette proved its brilliance. Most famously, MJ laced up a during the NBA Finals’ , scoring 38 points while battling fever and food poisoning. That night, the model became more than just a performance tool – it was a symbol of unrelenting willpower, a testament to dominance under duress, and a lasting icon in both and sneaker lore.

Zooming into History

When the AJ12 made its debut in the late 90s, it didn’t just hit the court – it zoomed into history as the first Jordan Brand model to feature the iconic use of Zoom Air cushioning, giving MJ a literal spring in his step and ‘heads a reason to nerd out. Its 2003–’04 Retro return also shifted into the digital fast lane: the ‘Nubuck’ colourway became Jordan Brand’s first ever online-exclusive release. Team Jordan members were mailed VIP invites containing a special URL and launch time, and as the hype hit warp speed, Nike.com crashed under the weight of those eager to secure a W. Talk about turbo-charged!

The 2025 Air Jordan 12 ‘Taxi’ drops the flag on November 8. Catch all the release details right .