Skepta Criticizes Previous Nike Deal, Says He Was Treated Like an ‘Influencer’ for Sneaker Designs

Ian Servantes
·2 min read
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Coming off of the release of his debut Puma sneaker, Skepta took a look back at his previous Nike partnership and voiced his displeasure for the first time.

“Made bangers at the last place and they still treated me like an influencer because I haven’t been to school for shoe design,” the British rapper said in a series of posts shared to Twitter/X Sunday. “Everything happens the way it should, I proved myself in Portland time after time, and now we’re in Nuremberg with a much better situation for ourselves as a team.”

From 2017 through 2021, Skepta released six sneakers and a pair of soccer boots in collaboration with Nike. Each consisted of a new colorway of an existing model rather an entirely new silhouette, whereas the grime artist’s first Puma sneaker is also his first original silhouette.

The Skepta x Puma Skope Forever released last week and has sold out in most sizes across its retail run. Appearing in a black colorway with an iridescent pattern coming to life when hit with light, the original sneaker plays into the aughts running trend dominating the industry with a mix of suede and snthetic leather applied with wavy lines. Because of the iridescent sheen, the Skope Forever has also drawn comparisons to his Nike debut, an Air Max 97 Ultra 17.

Few Nike collaborators are given the chance to design their own model, even fewer of them being musicians without a formal design background. Kanye West, now known as Ye, was the first in the latter category for the Swoosh with the first of his two Air Yeezy models releasing in 2009, while Travis Scott broke that ground for Jordan Brand just this year.

Puma announced Skepta had signed with the brand in 2022 with a campaign featuring the star. His Skope Forever sneaker was revealed during London Fashion Week late last summer prior to it being a proper announcement earlier in May.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

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