Art & Culture, Fashion

Skepta’s Puma Collab Heats Up With More Drama

24 May

Skepta has once again proven that his talent knows no bounds. After ending his high-profile collaboration with Nike, He has made a powerful statement with his latest venture into the sneaker world, teaming up with Puma. The release of his new Skope Forever Puma sneaker on the 18th of May not only sent fans into a frenzy but also highlighted his journey towards independence.

As seen online, he is over the moon about his new Puma collab, but the road to his “Skope Forever” sneaker hasn’t been without its bumps. The UK grime artist, who recently left his long-standing partnership with Nike, has found himself in the midst of a new controversy with his current sportswear brand, Puma.

Taking to social media after the launch of his first Puma collection, Skepta couldn’t contain his excitement, declaring, “My shoes selling out again, much better deal now, I get royalties from shoes sold. Thank you to everybody on this shoe journey with me. Literally my dream come true.”

The “Better” singer was candid about the contrast between his deals with Puma and Nike. While he praised Puma for offering him royalties on every shoe sold, He revealed that Nike “still treated me like an influencer because I haven’t been to school for shoe design,” despite their multiple collaborations.
Skepta’s partnership with Nike spanned six sneaker collabs, including the iridescent Air Max 97, Air Max 97/BW, Air Max Deluxe, Shox TL, Air Max Tailwind 5, and Phantom GT Elite FG. However, after proving himself “in Portland time after time,” referring to Nike’s headquarters, Skepta decided to ink a deal with Puma in 2022, calling it “a much better situation for ourselves as a team.”

But the honeymoon period with Puma was short-lived. When a fan expressed disappointment over Skepta’s choice to sign with Puma due to the brand’s ties with Israel, the rapper acknowledged the oversight, tweeting, “Ain’t gonna lie, I’ve realised it’s a lot more than reading the small print before signing contracts, gotta do your due diligence and yes I am forever a student in practice to eventually take the independent route. Love.”

The situation escalated further when another fan warned, “Don’t let Puma see this,” to which Skepta boldly replied, “They know how I feel, I speak my mind. They’ve announced their sponsorship will end this August already. The clock is ticking.”

With his Puma deal set to expire in just a few months, it remains to be seen what’s next for Skepta’s sneaker endeavours. One thing’s for sure – the “Shutdown” hitmaker is determined to take an independent route, having learned valuable lessons from his experiences with both Nike and Puma.

As Skepta’s “Skope Forever” sneaker continues to fly off the shelves, fans eagerly await the next chapter in his ever-evolving shoe journey, hoping for a future where the artist can truly design on his own terms, free from controversies and corporate ties.