Rapper Talib Kweli has added his voice to the Adidas JS Roundhouse Mid sneaker debate.

Pictures of the sneakers, which feature an orange shackle design detail, caused a storm of controversy when they appeared on Facebook last week. Claims were made that the shackles were an allusion to those worn by African slaves.

Now, Talib Kweli has taken to Twitter to voice his own criticisms of the shoe design.

"WTF @adidas sneakers with SHACKLES?" he wrote on June 18. "Which morons approved these? Do better. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2160977/Adidas-unveiling-new-trainer-orange-shackles-like-worn-black-slaves.html."

He followed up his comment with a stream of incensed tweets.

"@NickNoir @adidas the sneakers are historically ignorant. Are their more offensive things in the world? Certainly."

"@NickNoir @adidas aggressively markets to urban. They should know better & be more sensitive. So should the artist. Wack."

"@Laxincat11 news flash. ALL should be offended by insensitivity to the slave trade, white OR black slave trade."

"@Laxincat11 newsflash- African slave trade built America & blacks twice as unemployed as whites today. Remove your head from your a**."

Adidas has responded to its critics by claiming that the sneakers were in no way inspired by slavery shackles.

- By Fiona Guest