Unpacking Jay-Z & PUMA's Relationship
Jay-Z and PUMA. The two names go together like peanut butter and jelly. Fans have become quite familiar with the partnership over the years, thanks to several collaborative projects and Jay-Z consistently lacing up in PUMA sneakers. Indeed, I like to think of Jay as the PUMA man.
Jay-Z's mostly PUMA-led footwear rotation has taken a turn recently, as he has welcomed back familiar sneaker labels once worn before his PUMA deal. With PUMA's biggest face publicly sporting Nikes and Reeboks on-foot, fans wonder: What exactly is Jay-Z and PUMA's relationship and its current status?
First, let's start with the pair's connection. Jay-Z signed on to PUMA in 2018, becoming PUMA Basketball's creative director in a historic deal with the German sportswear brand. Even before the agreement, Jay-Z co-signed the leaping cat, evidenced with his daily wardrobe and performance 'fits (the throwback 2011 pic above is proof).
PUMA has worked closely with Jay-Z and his Roc Nation label, whipping up star-studded campaigns, collaborative sneakers, and even NFTs. It's also worth mentioning that Roc Nation Sports, Jay-Z's sport management imprint, represents LaMelo Ball, who also currently has his own signature PUMA shoes.
Jay-Z's own inner circle has worked closely with PUMA. June Ambrose, renowned costume designer and Jay-Z's longtime stylist, became PUMA's creative director for the women's basketball division in 2020. Ambrose stepped down from the role in 2023 to work on "personal projects."
Rihanna, one of the world's richest (and most stylish) musicians, also recently re-joined the PUMA family in 2023. In case you missed it, the bad gal is signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation label.
In addition to his business affairs, Jay-Z has also made his PUMA status known through his style, frequently wearing clothing pieces and lots of PUMA sneakers. We've caught the billionaire musician wearing buzzy collabs like Rhude's PUMA Suede shoes to budget-friendly classics like the PUMA Ralph Sampson Lo sneakers.
It already felt like a rare occasion to catch the most recognizable face in a non-blurry paparazzi photo or random group celeb flick. And it felt even more rare to see Jay-Z without PUMAs on.
When 2023 rolled around, that changed. Jay-Z shocked sneaker fans when he appeared in a pair of black Off-White™ x Nike Air Force 1 Lows while taking a photo with wifey Beyoncé.
Fans couldn't remember the last time they saw the Jay-Z in Nike — or any brand besides PUMA, for that matter. After all, Jay-Z has been a well-documented PUMA guy for the last several years.
The sneaker surprises didn't stop with the Forces. We've spotted Jay-Z in adidas YEEZY sneakers (another shocker). Jay-Z also pulled out his S. Carter x Reebok sneakers for the 2024 Super Bowl, sending OG sneakerheads into excitement overload, hoping the 2003 collab would make its long-awaited return.
Jay-Z's recent sneaker choices have been pretty diverse in brand labels, but Nike seems to be in the mix more than others. After wearing more Nikes, Jay-Z even hung with some Nike folk, further fueling speculation that Jay-Z and Beaverton label have something brewing.
But wait, what about Jay-Z and PUMA? Is Jay-Z still with them? There have been murmurs that Jay-Z and PUMA have parted ways, but that's just hearsay. Neither Jay-Z nor PUMA has announced an end to their partnership.
Highsnobiety reached out to PUMA for comment regarding its affiliations with Jay-Z and Roc Nation. The team had no comment on the matter at this time.
