Drake v Kendrick: Who's got the better Sneaker Game?

“Motherf*uck the big 3, N*gga it's just Big Me!” Of course to those not up to date with perhaps the biggest rap beef of our time, this might just sound like a lotta slurs. But to give a brief idea basically the beef began by Drake and J Cole including Kendrick and Both of them in the top 3 rap artists in a verse on ‘First person Shooter’, and ever since Kendrick responded, things have never been the same. ‘Family Matters’ came in between followed by Kendrick's mic drop verse in ‘Not like us’ regarding Drake’s pedophilic behaviour. Anyhoooooo.. We connoisseurs of all things streetwear and hip hop, have seen this beef as an opportunity to add another angle to this battle by bringing in the sneaker game. Drake’s OVO or Kendrick’s numerous pop culture fashion collabs let's break it down. 

Drake:

Drake signed a historic deal with Nike in 2012 and since then his collabs with Jumpman and the OVO line (October’s very own) has achieved great success and popularity in the sneaker space. Let’s look at some of our very favourite footwear pieces. 

1. Jordan 10 “Black OVO” & “White OVO”

Michael Jordan’s brand Jumpman and Drake finally gave Drizzy fans the opportunity to take flight with their new partnership in 2015, with the Air Jordan 10 receiving two clean monochromatic makeovers called OVO Black and White. Designed very elegantly all over the upper, this shoe focuses on a monochromatic look which instantly differentiates itself with Drake’s touch on the silhouette and the ‘OVO’ design on the sole. First teased during ‘Drake Night’ at a Toronto Raptors home game in 2014, the two pairs gave the Air Jordan 10 a much-needed pop-cultural shot in the arm (the Jordan 10 has remained a niche choice among Jordanheads).

2. Air Jordan 4 ‘OVO Splatter’

Another casualty from Drake’s nigh adidas defection, the Air Jordan 4 ‘OVO Splatter’ was originally teased by Drake back in 2017. This can be seen to be a fun take on a Bred version of the Jordan 4. Definitely one such type of sneaker a music artist can rock in a sold out performance upon a large stage. Actually taking cues from a rare unreleased Air Jordan 4 sample in 1989, the Air Jordan 4 ‘OVO Splatter’ left fans hot under the collar. But time passed, and nothing materialised. In 2020, the sneaker landed at Sotheby’s with a sweet $32,000 selling price. Belonging to a collection of rare hip hop items, the OVO-branded sample featured owl logos inside the heel tabs and insoles emblazoned with OVO/6 God insignia (IKR what is Drake’s obsession with 6-god?!). Don’t have a wad of cash lying around? We can always pin our hopes on a future GR release.. Fingers crossed!

3. NOCTA x Nike Hot Step Air Terra (2022)

Drake’s NOCTA sub-label, inspired by his late-night creative energy, teamed up with Nike to create the NOCTA x Nike Air Terra. These shoes first appeared in his 'Laugh Now Cry Later' music video with Lil Durk. Drawing inspiration from Peter Fogg's 1999 Air Terra Humara design, this trail runner received a luxurious upgrade, featuring plush leather uppers and chrome Swoosh details. This is definitely one of the personal favourites on the list, especially because of its futuristic design which has nostalgic tones of the early 2000s reebok sneakers. After a long period of anticipation, Nike released the shoes in early 2022.

4. Air Jordan 8 'Calipari Pack' (2017)

In a nod to Drake's admiration for the Kentucky Wildcats and their head coach John Calipari, the Air Jordan 8 'Calipari Pack,' lovingly named after the coach, was unveiled in 2017. This exclusive pack includes two versions – a home colorway in nubuck and an away colorway in leather. Coach Cal revealed that only about 80 pairs were made, making this one of Drake’s rarest and most prized collaborations. Featuring Drake’s signature OVO owl on the heels and blue accents inspired by the Wildcats' uniform, the 'Calipari Pack' recently appeared in consignment stores with an astonishing price tag of $40,000.

5. Air Jordan 3 ‘Drake vs Lil Wayne’ (2014)

Made to commemorate their joint tour in 2014, the Air Jordan 3 ‘Drake vs Lil Wayne’ is still one of the 6 God’s most coveted sneakers. Hitting the auction block in 2015 for an eye-watering $25,000, the unreleased collaboration came in both black and white colourways. Emblazoned with the duo’s signature Street Fighter-inspired logo, the AJ3 landed amidst the epic 31-stop tour in the summer of 2014. Revealed less than one year after Drake inked his maiden deal with the Jumpman, the AJ3 would kick-start a huge five-year period for the high-profile partnership. We are still waiting for a GR though, and even if that would mean for Drake to modify the sneaker to be able to commercialise it rather than the plain black leather, I’m sure that could be a good addition to his already oversaturated ‘Certified Loverboy’ line of Air Forces, which lets face it after the most recent Kendrick diss, is about to drop like crazy. On that note, let's move our focus to K-dawg.

Kendrick:

“Don’t tell no lies bout him, and he'll tell no truths about you” Moving on to our next heavyweight champion who ought to be leading the race in the current beef, Kendrick has had more of a subtle and quiet sneaker entry and influence over the culture. No particular brand is associated with Kendrick, but despite that much of his collabs and releases can be considered underrated and deserve a mention here. 

1. Kendrick Lamar x Reebok Ventilator

At the close of 2014, Kendrick Lamar emerged as a new hip-hop sensation, having earned acclaim with his Grammy-nominated album Good Kid, M.A.A.D City and gearing up to release To Pimp a Butterfly. An essential element of achieving superstar status is having your own sneaker line, so Kendrick revealed a collaboration with Reebok in December 2014. His debut sneaker hit the market in July 2015: a unique version of the Ventilator. Lamar had already been featured as the face of the model in a 'Day Glo' ad campaign in April, but this release solidified his position as one of Reebok's most prominent ambassadors. The Kendrick Lamar x Reebok Ventilator, adorned in a tan colorway, symbolised unity between the Piru Bloods and Compton Crips, rival gangs from Lamar's hometown, represented in Blue and Red. Since then, Kendrick has continued to foster a strong partnership with Reebok over the years.

2. Kendrick Lamar x Nike React Element 55

Every influential collaboration requires a standout project. For Kendrick Lamar, that standout is his React Element 55, an unexpected partnership he hinted at in late 2019, just as the React Element 55 was nearing the end of its popularity. Around that time, there was speculation about a possible Kendrick Lamar x Nike Air Force 1 collaboration. However, these rumours were swiftly dispelled when Lamar shared a black-and-white photo of himself sporting the React Element 55. This shoe, adorned with a lunar-themed design, symbolises the ebb and flow of everyday life, echoing the celestial themes that inspired the Classic Leather 'Perfect Split' pack in 2016.

3. Kendrick Lamar x Nike Cortex I-IV

In August 2017, Lamar joined the Nike family, concluding his collaboration with Reebok. His fourth album, DAMN, was dominating the charts, and shortly after Kobe Bryant challenged him to display his Mamba Mentality in an Instagram post, Lamar announced his role as a Nike spokesperson. This was expected, as he was often seen wearing the Cortez. Less than a month after his first Cortez collaboration debuted, Lamar and Nike released the Cortez Kenny 2 during the NBA All-Star Weekend. Three months later, they introduced their third Cortez collaboration, the Cortez Kenny 3, which was the highlight of the extensive TDE x Nike merchandise collection for the label's 2018 tour. Producing four Cortez collaborations in one year is impressive, and many Kendrick Lamar fans believe the final one was the best. Unlike the Kenny 1, Kenny 2, and Kenny 3, the fourth Cortez, named 'House Shoes,' was a slip-on style that blended LA's love for the Cortez with the tradition of indoor slippers.

So who you got your bets on to be the ultimate Rap+Drip battle winner? Is it J.Cole?!