It’s only Monday and Jay-Z is already having a better week than the rest of us. Only a few days after releasing Everything Is Love, his surprise collab album with wifey Beyoncé, the rapper has been named president of Puma Basketball. Hov will oversee the creative direction of the newly relaunched division. “We’ve been working with Roc Nation for quite some time,” Puma’s global director of brand and marketing shared, adding that Jay felt the business venture “was something he wanted to be a part of.”
This is not Jay-Z’s first venture into sportswear. He’s actually an underappreciated fashion icon (we mean, just look at that mint green Gucci suit in “APESHIT”). Jay gave us one of the best early-aughts hip hop brands with Rocawear, dishing out OG suede bucket hats and baby blue visors. He has also collabed with Puma before. The two teamed up last year to release a limited-edition sneaker celebrating the release of his album 4:44. The collab has only appreciated in value. A pair of the sold-out shoes is currently being resold online for more than double the original price.
In the 70s, Puma was a popular choice for basketball players. First released in 1973, the “Clyde” silhouette was named after and promoted by legendary New York Knicks player Walter “Clyde” Frazier. Think of it as the precursor to shoes like the Nike Lebron and the Reebok Shaq Attack. And with Jay holding a stake in the Brooklyn Nets, he’s the perfect man to take control of the brand’s return to the court.