Drake’s NOCTA x Nike Hot Step Air Terra Releases Tomorrow

Drake‘s signature Nike sneaker almost didn’t happen. After co-signing a number of Air Jordan releases, rumblings that the Canadian megastar was jumping ship to adidas to partner with the brand at the scale of Yeezy began to circulate industry circles. Pusha T’s “The Story Of Adidon” song, however, seemed to have ended those conversations.

In early January 2021, Aubrey Graham was spotted wearing an undisclosed pair of Nike shoes. Although there wasn’t any clear indication that the sneaker was Drake’s very own, the move followed a series of NIKE, Inc.-co-signs, the most significant being a music video filmed at the Nike World Headquarters in Oregon for the song “Laugh Now Cry Later,” released on August 14th, 2020. The shoe in question turned out to be the Nike Hot Step Air Terra, Drake’s first signature footwear project with the Swoosh. In collaboration with NOCTA, the nocturnal-inspired imprint led by the Toronto-born artist, the Beaverton, Ore.-located company finally drops the silhouette in two tonal colors – “White” and “Black” – on March 3rd.

The Hot Step has been widely ridiculed on social media since it was first confirmed. And while the shoe definitely isn’t for everyone, there’s a virtual guarantee that the debut styles will sell out instantly, subsequently reselling on the after-market for a higher price. Also, it’s important to note that while the shoe isn’t the most visually exciting, it boasts a clear vision: Drake drew inspiration from some of the cleanest basketball shoes of the early 2000s for the leather upper, coupling it with a rugged, comfort-driven sole unit from 1999’s Air Terra Humara. Yellow accents land sparingly throughout the Hot Step, which matches most of NOCTA’s apparel offerings to date. To further cement Drake’s legacy, the three sword icons pertaining to his Nike-backed venture appear at the top of the tongue.

Whether or not you’re a fan of his music, whiskey or other projects, one thing’s certain: Drake is here to stay.

Enjoy another set of images of both NOCTA Hot Step colorways ahead, and find pairs available at the stockists listed here below. When you’re done, check out where you can buy the Air Jordan 6 “UNC” on March 5th.

Images: sivasdescalzo