No one wants Drake's new Nike NOCTA shoe amidst feud with Kendrick Lamar

In case you've been living under a rock, all social media has been raving about in the last few weeks is the highly publicized beef between two rap icons; Drake and Kendrick Lamar. It's the talk of the town. Not just the music industry. This feud has extended beyond pop culture, with reports of a shooting at Drake's estate involving an injured security guard adding dangerous fuel to the fire. The self-professed "6ix God" and "Kung Fu Kenny" have been biting at each other necks with each new diss track, and fans are eerily concerned with how this personal rivalry might end.

Nevertheless, despite varying opinions on the two rap stars, there is no denying their pull as mainstream figures. Being such popular names, both Drake and Kendrick Lamar have been involved with other projects. Especially Drake who is largely involved in the sneaker and fashion game with his October's Very Own brand and Nike subsidiary NOCTA. It is under the NOCTA sub-label of Nike that Drake has made his mark in the shoe game, with several notable silhouettes released since the brand's debut in 2020. He's been involved in collaborative OVO sneaker ventures in the past, but NOCTA offered Drake a platform to showcase his signature style and identity.

In the contentious climate of May 2024, Drake's latest sneaker venture is suffering due to the polarizing controversy surrounding him, exacerbated by the backlash from his feud with Kendrick Lamar. For many years, Drake has cultivated a wide fanbase, particularly in his hometown of Toronto and across Canada, by playing a crucial role in elevating the region's reputation in the rap industry. Thanks to Kendrick Lamar, even the most devout Drake followers are starting to question the persona of their beloved 6ix God.

Nike recently dropped Drake's newest sneaker, the NOCTA Hot Step II in a "White on White" colorway, on the SNKRS app last Thursday. Unfortunately, it seems that there is little interest in this particular release. The sneaker being entirely white on all fronts certainly didn't help its fan appeal, considering the market for fashionable, yet affordable all-white sneakers is oversaturated. As a result, many sizes of this new release remain available on the SNKRS app.

The Nike NOCTA Hot Step II "White" isn't moving the needle in a hostile Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar environment.

Now to cut Drake a bit of slack, it's not like a swarm of people were clamoring for this release, but for such low intrigue according to sales thus far — it's certainly an underwhelming sight for Nike and the NOCTA sub-label. Maybe it's a one-off turn of events based on a less-than-enticing colorway, but it might be best for Drake and the NOCTA label to step back from more releases in the meantime. While there may be a demand for sneakers endorsed by Drake, a savvy entrepreneur would understand that the current market conditions are not conducive to launching Drake-branded merchandise.