Sportswear brand Puma (PUMSY) has signed a multi-year footwear and apparel deal with Grammy-winning artist J.Cole.
Adam Petrick, Puma’s global director of brand and marketing, says that the partnership with Cole is “deep-rooted” given the North Carolina–raised rapper’s connection to basketball, fashion, and music culture, he said.
“He is going to be a key player in many of the things we do at Puma moving forward, and we’re excited to work with him not only on a product level but even more importantly as one of our athletes. Cole sits at the intersection of music and sport and represents everything that Puma stands for as a brand.”
Of course, partnerships between sportswear brands and music artists aren’t anything new: Kanye West has collaborated with Adidas for years, and Travis Scott’s partnership with Nike and Jordan brand has produced some much-hyped and coveted sneakers. However, with Cole and Puma, there is one significant difference: The Grammy-winning artist will be one of the faces of Puma Basketball, which represents a bold move considering that Cole is not an NBA athlete.
Cole will join the likes of young NBA up-and-coming stars RJ Barrett of the New York Knicks and Kyle Kuzma of the Los Angeles Lakers, who both signed deals with the brand in 2019. Cole does have some experience on the hardwood though. Cole was a walk-on player for the Division I men’s basketball program at St. John’s University in New York City. Despite being good enough to make the team, Cole decided to focus on music instead of a career in sports.
Puma’s partnership with Cole comes as the company’s latest basketball sneaker, The Sky Dreamer, is set to release. The shoe is a relaunch of the original Sky LX, worn by basketball players in the 1980s. The 2020 pair features Puma Hoops technology, which includes its signature ProFoam cushioning and high-abrasion grip for stability. It will also feature forefoot webbing for stabilization and lockdown.
The model will not only be worn by Cole but also by some of Puma’s athletes. The shoe, released today, retails for $130. The Sky Dreamer will be followed by Cole’s own Dreamer footwear and apparel line, which will be released later in 2020.
A commercial featuring J.Cole for the new line will be shown during the NBA All-Star game on Sunday on TNT.
Reggie Wade is a writer for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter at @ReggieWade.
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