The Air Jordan 4 shoes was first released in 1989, designed once again by Tinker Hatfield. It became the first Jordan shoe released on the global market, with some exceptions. The wholesale  Air Jordan 4 shoes cushioning sole and design helped to make the shoe an international bestseller.

Spike Lee, the director/actor who helped in the ad campaign for the Air Jordan III, created the famous Can/Can't TV commercial. Lee also featured the Air Jordan 4 shoes in his movie Do The Right Thing in a scene where the character "Buggin Out" (played by Giancarlo Esposito) angrily confronts a Caucasian bicyclist who accidentally bumps into him and scuffs his Air Jordan 4 shoes. After the confrontation, Buggin Out promptly places his shoe on a fire hydrant and cleans it with a toothbrush.