Drake is a trendsetter in every way and just like basketball legend Michael Jordan 35 years earlier, the music megastar has been given his own Nike label, NOCTA. Remember though, the Canadian is a rapper and not a sports star, so this is a huge deal for the sports brand as it continues to fuse pop culture with sporting apparel so simply and so, so brilliantly.
It’s “a collection for the collective”, according to the 34-year-old, who recorded the video for Laugh Now Cry Later on Nike’s actual campus and released a CLB collaboration with the brand ahead of the release of his album Certified Lover Boy. The rapper has always been a huge fan of that iconic swoosh.
“I mean, growing up Nike was everything,” he said. “It felt like every shoe I wanted, every athlete I liked, everything I owned was Nike. It didn’t mean anything unless it had a Swoosh.
“I remember watching all these athletes repping Nike — each doing the unthinkable — and how inspiring it was. I always felt like there was an opportunity for Nike to embrace an entertainer the same way they had athletes. I thought about how crazy it would have been and what it would have meant for an artist to have a flagship Nike deal.”
Launching NOCTA, named after Drake’s ‘nocturnal creative process’ for the winter, these pieces have been designed with people on the go in mind. Coming in Black and University Gold, the collection includes a puffer jacket, hoodie, fleece pants and even crew socks.
The gold puffer jacket featured a 3-D Nike swoosh, while all of the items are insulated for warmth but have the lightweight feel of traditional sportswear.
“This opportunity is something that I’ve been waiting on for a really long time. To be associated with the highest level possible — that was always my goal. We put in a lot of hard work, a lot of man and woman hours, during the last two years. To see it all coming to fruition starts an exciting new chapter in my life,” said Drake. It seems this is just the start for Champagne Papi.
The range, which will debut on December 19 here, right in time for Christmas, starts at £22 for the socks and goes up to £303 for the jackets.
