Kendrick Lamar performed “Not Like Us” in front of the largest television audience on the planet at Super Bowl LIX in February 2025. Drake, meanwhile, spent the year in courtrooms. Now, with three albums dropped simultaneously on May 15, 2026 — Iceman, Habibti, and Maid of Honour — Drizzy is attempting the loudest possible comeback. The rap war is settled. The sneaker war? That’s a different argument entirely. Both artists have spent the better part of a decade building parallel empires in footwear, and while Kendrick was busy cementing his cultural legacy and Drake was busy freezing blocks of ice in Toronto as an album promo stunt, NOCTA kept dropping. So forget who won the battle of the bars — who actually wears the crown when it comes to sneakers?
Regarding sneaker collabs, Kendrick Lamar — or, as he is more endearingly known, Kungfu Kenny — has been a consistent player, churning out coveted collaborations with a range of influential brands. But on the opposing side, you have heavyweight sneakerhead Drake, a.k.a. Drizzy, who has carved a niche for himself in the sneaker world through his well-known association with Jordan Brand and Nike. Both musicians have asserted their dominance in the sneaker sphere, but who ultimately wears the crown of Sneaker King? It’s time for Drake and Kendrick Lamar to battle it out.
Round 1 (2015) – Drake
In 2015, Drake and the Jordan Brand came together for a sneaker collaboration that took the sneaker world by storm. They created the Air Jordan 10 Retro OVO in white and black colourways, and this updated design quickly increased the sneaker’s popularity. These sneakers include a special type of faux-stingray leather and flashy gold branding details for extra appeal. It was a solid example of how a celebrity endorsement can completely transform the perception of a shoe model.
Round 1 (2015) – Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar is well-known for using socially relevant themes in his music, and he applied the same approach to his 2015 Ventilator sneaker collab with Reebok. Inspired by two rival gangs in his hometown, the design used blue and red colours to represent the Piru Bloods and Compton Crips set against a neutral tan upper. The shoes also featured hand-drawn illustrations and “Neutral” written on the tongue tags to highlight the shoe’s theme of unity further.
Round 1 (2015) Winner
In this round, Drake’s Jordan collaboration triumphs based on hype and resale value. However, we still need to appreciate the depth of meaning in Lamar’s designs. He truly is a master storyteller.
Round 2 (2016) – Drake
In 2016, Drake developed several exclusive sneaker designs with Jordan Brand. However, the one sneakerheads did get a chance to bag is his luxury reflective Air Jordan 12 Retro “OVO White,” featuring a tonal white tumbled leather and faux-stingray leather pairing, essentially mirroring the gold-touched style of his AJ 10 model from the previous year. Alongside the sneakers came the chic OVO Hydro Slides. These products featured Drake’s signature OVO branding and various upscale details, contributing to their high demand and value.
In the same year, Jordan gifted Drake several unique sneaker designs. This included a gleaming white Jordan 6 Low he referred to as the “Hot 100s,” and a completely gold pair of OVO 11s. This distinctive gold pair of 11s appeared at Sotheby’s auction in 2021, fetching a remarkable $20,160 USD.
Round 2 (2016) – Kendrick Lamar
Continuing his partnership with Reebok, Lamar released a range of Classic Leather designs echoing the previous year’s message of peace and unity. First up was a sneaker design that honoured the ‘RED/BLUE’ theme of their very first Ventilator collab. Of course, Kendrick himself caused a stir with these beauties when he wore them for his unforgettable Grammy performance that same year.
The same year, Reebok and Lamar created another take on the Classic Leather. This version, through its split design, mirrored the dichotomies of rival gangs. The shoe’s midfoot window also showcases the letter ‘K’, representing Kendrick’s initials and further personalising the shoe.
Reebok and Kenny changed things up a little with the release of the ‘Perfect Split’ range. This set presented five colour options of the Classic Leather, showing a symbolic nod to Lamar’s dual personalities. The men’s ‘White/Black’ and ‘Black/Grey’, along with ‘White/Grey’ for women, reflected this theme beautifully, while the navy and red pairs showcase the balance between different external forces.
At the close of 2016, Lamar and Reebok delivered another Classic Leather creation — The Classic Leather Lux. What made this version distinct was a consistent shade of murky olive green formed by mixing the two different colours of the Bloods and Crips gang. It was a powerful statement on unity and solidarity, showcasing Kenny’s dedication to promoting peace and harmony through his art and collaborations.
Round 2 (2016) Winner
Even though Kendrick’s collaborative pieces always have an intriguing narrative woven into them, he is ultimately competing against the legacy of Air Jordans. That’s a tough matchup, but his ‘Perfect Split’ collab in the red colourway does call out to me.
Round 3 (2017) – Drake
Drake unfolded another chapter in his sneaker game back in 2017. First, he launched the all-black version of the Air Jordan 12 Retro OVO, which was still quite a hit even though it didn’t quite match up to the same allure as its white predecessor from 2016. It featured a smooth black nubuck, elegant stingray overlays, and the famous OVO branding.
Moreover, Drake also introduced a new version of Jordan’s Trunner LX. This unique white/black release featured Drake’s recognisable owl in place of the iconic Jumpman logo. Fans saw it for the first time at the opening of Jordan’s retail store, 306 Yonge, in Toronto.
And there’s more. Drake gifted two dedicated Air Jordan 8 Retros to friends and family of the University of Kentucky. These sneakers were created in honour of Coach John Calipari and were limited to only 80 pairs being made.
However, one of the most hyped Drake shoes from 2017 was the ‘Splatter’ Air Jordan 4. Despite fans’ anticipation, it wasn’t released for retail, but a sample was auctioned at Sotheby’s in 2020 for $32,000 USD.
Round 3 (2017) – Kendrick Lamar
In 2017, Kendrick Lamar released a distinctive Club C sneaker in collaboration with Reebok. This shoe was designed to promote equality and featured a washed black and white denim base teamed with vibrant red accents. This would be Lamar’s final collaboration with Reebok — a fitting send-off, as he would soon announce a move to Nike.
Round 3 (2017) Winner
While the finer details of Kendrick Lamar’s Club C’s certainly do grab our attention, we’ll take a tonal AJ12 sneaker any day — and mind you, that didn’t even top the list of Drake’s partnerships with Jordan in 2017. It was, however, one of the scant few styles that eager sneaker enthusiasts could realistically aim to add to their collection.
Round 4 (2018) – Drake
In 2018, there were a few hiccups in Drake’s partnership with Nike. However, he still managed to introduce a solid portfolio of high-flying sneakers. The show began with the black and white pairs of the Jordan 8 Retro OVOs. The white pair made a sophisticated impression with its all-white leather upper, whereas the black Retro 8, combining black leather and suede, created a subtle cool factor. Both were highlighted with gold accents and discreet OVO owl logos. Though they launched at the 2016 NBA All-Star Weekend, getting your hands on a pair was challenging.
The ‘God’s Plan’ Jordan 14, another exciting creation from that year, was even more challenging to come by. This was another sneaker in Drake’s lineup that was not officially released, but you can find this rare beauty on FlightClub, retailing for over 60,000 USD.
Another memorable Drake-Jordan sneaker from 2018 was the Air Jordan 8, Charles Oakley PE. This shoe pays homage to Oakley’s time on the Raptor’s basketball team. The design aligned nicely with the team colours and sported Oakley’s jersey number and initials. It remained true to its OVO origins, with a gold OVO owl on the heel pull and a gold Jumpman.
Round 4 (2018) – Kendrick Lamar
Having hopped onto the Nike train, Lamar’s first sneaker release was the iconic Cortez, a model well-loved in his hometown. The unique Kendrick Lamar x Nike Cortez Kenny 1 came in black and white but had flashy red stitch details and a ‘DAMN’ branding that took over the typical Swoosh on the side.
Not wasting any time, Lamar and Nike launched the Cortez Kenny 2 at the NBA All-Star Weekend the same year. This pair transported wearers to Chinese street style with its red and white design and Chinese scripts translating to ‘DAMN’ spread across the upper. It turned out to be a crowd-pleaser among Lamar’s Cortez releases.
The TDE x Nike merchandise collection was host to the third Cortez collab (Cortez Kenny 3), released as a tour exclusive available only to Nike+ members at select TDE Championship Tour pop-ups. The vibe was similar to the Cortez Kenny 2, with a slight twist — black nylon and suede paired with white leather for a more classic look.
Nike and Lamar’s fourth collaboration, the ‘House Shoes’ Cortez, is a tribute to Los Angeles’ fondness for both the Cortez shoe and indoor footwear. The shoes stand out with a laceless design in shades of white, navy, grey, and orange. A bold ‘HOUSE SHOES’ label graces the oversized tongue, and a heel toggle allows for a personalised fit, merging old-school style with contemporary comfort. It was Kendrick’s final Cortez collab — and a fitting one at that.
Round 4 (2018) Winner
Based purely on collaborations released, this round of the Drake and Kendrick Lamar sneaker battle must go to Kung Fu Kenny. As a fan of Cortez, I find his distinct spin on it indisputably refreshing.
Round 5 (2019-2021: you know, because COVID happened) – Drake
In August 2018, the market saw the debut of the Jordan 4 Retro “Raptors,” a sneaker draped in Toronto’s signature colours of black, red, and purple. However, it was June 2019 that was host to a special release of the same model — this time with Drake’s name boldly displayed on the tongue. This highly sought-after edition celebrated the Raptors’ first NBA Championship win.
Round 5 – Kendrick Lamar
There was heated speculation in 2019 about a possible Kendrick Lamar x Nike Air Force 1 release. Lamar dispelled the rumours, but what he did deliver was arguably more interesting. The Kendrick Lamar x Nike React Element 55 — a legitimate retail release that November — transported wearers to Chinese street style with its red and white design. The sneakers symbolise the yin and yang motif, featuring a split marble graphic on the upper. They embody Kung Fu Kenny and are a fitting follow-up to the Classic Leather ‘Perfect Split’ series launched in 2016.
Round 5 Winner
Although the pandemic brought the thrilling sneaker collaborations to a grinding halt from 2019–2022, judging by these releases, Drake emerges as the winner of this round. But I don’t know. I really like the look of the React Element 55, what do y’all think? Who wins this round of the Drake and Kendrick Lamar sneaker battle?
Round 6 (2022) – Drake
In 2022, Drake unveiled his much-anticipated signature shoe with Nike, known as the ‘Hot Step’. This shoe draws inspiration from training shoes of the late ’90s, specifically citing the Jordan 14, Air Max, and Air Terra Humara. It successfully portrays Drake’s fondness for 90s nostalgia.
Additionally, an all-white version of the Air Force 1 was released that year. The distinguished pair subtly nods to Drake’s favourite childhood book, with the words “Love You Forever” delicately inscribed on the midsole. Other unique elements include customised shoe laces and a new perforation pattern on the toe box, showcasing the NOCTA logo on the left heel.
Round 6 (2022) – Kendrick Lamar
Meanwhile, Kendrick Lamar’s brand, pgLang, joined forces with Converse in 2022 to release innovative interpretations of the Chuck 70 and Pro Leather. These revamped designs echo Kendrick’s distinctive style and art of storytelling. They feature standout metallic-silver-laced loops akin to hiking boot detailing, contrasting stitching, and unique branding elements — and notably, they came through Kendrick’s own brand, not just a standard endorsement, which speaks to a different kind of creative ownership entirely
Round 6 (2022) Winner
While Kendrick’s Converse collaboration stands out with its minimalist yet tasteful design, Drake’s move to launch his own signature shoe line with Nike gives him a slight upper hand in this round.
Round 7 (2023) – Drake
Fresh off the back of his debut footwear release, Drake launched a subsequent Nike sneaker, thoughtfully borrowing elements from Jason Kidd’s Air Zoom Flight ’95. Enter the Nike NOCTA Glide, a harmonious blend of woven detailing on the sides and midsole inserts, nodding to the iconic carbon fibre panel of the original ’90s shoe. Add to that ensemble a mesh foundation, ‘NIKE’ lettering down the eyestay, and a see-through sole, and you have a charming fusion of old and new.
Round 7 (2023) – Kendrick Lamar
Following their first Converse collaboration in 2022, pgLang fired off another minimalist version of the classic Chuck Taylor silhouette, but this time in black. You’ve got two options — one boasts navy blue pinstripes on the left shoe and an Irish Cream duo on the right. The other is a switcharoo of the pinstripe colours. It’s another refined take on a classic silhouette.
Round 7 (2023) – Winner
Again, Drake inches ahead, capturing the spotlight with his own signature shoe line instead of a shared collaboration. Yet, if you ask me, both shoe ranges leave something to be desired.
Round 8 (2024) – Drake
In 2024, NOCTA continued its steady roll-out of Hot Step 2 colourways — Eggplant, Black, Rattan, and Mint Foam all landed — alongside further iterations of the NOCTA x Nike Air Force 1. The volume was there, though the cultural noise around each drop had dimmed considerably in the wake of the Kendrick beef. Drake was in survival mode publicly, but NOCTA never stopped moving product.
Round 8 (2024) – Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick kept quiet on the sneaker collab front in 2024, but he was anything but silent culturally. In November, he dropped the surprise album GNX — no announcement, no promo run, just a body of work landing without warning. It set the stage for everything that followed in 2025. The footwear war may have paused, but the cultural war was very much ongoing.
Round 8 (2024) Winner
Drake takes this one on sneaker volume alone. But Kendrick’s surprise album GNX — and everything it was clearly building toward — means this round feels like the calm before the storm.
Round 9 (2025–2026) – Drake
Despite a year defined by lawsuits, gambling scandals, and the lingering cultural fallout from losing to Kendrick, NOCTA barely broke stride. The NOCTA Glide returned in two new colourways — Black/Iron Grey and White/Black — in September 2025, and the ‘Love You Forever’ Air Force 1 was reissued on New Year’s Day 2026. Drake also teamed up with Chrome Hearts in late 2025 for a NOCTA collaboration featuring the Air Force 1 and Hot Step 2, draped in Chrome’s signature silver gothic detailing. Meanwhile, on May 15, 2026, Drake dropped not one but three albums simultaneously — Iceman, Habibti, and Maid of Honour — his first full solo work since losing the beef. And in the pipeline for Summer/Fall 2026? A NOCTA x Nike KD19 pack with Kevin Durant. The Iceman, it turns out, does not melt.
Round 9 (2025–2026) – Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick’s 2025 opened with the biggest stage on earth. When he closed out Super Bowl LIX in February — performing “Not Like Us” to the largest TV audience of the year — he was wearing Nike, specifically Deion Sanders’ Prime signature shoes. That choice was pure Kendrick: not a hyperbolised collab drop, not a NOCTA-style marketing machine, but a quietly deliberate nod to a West Coast legend. His Grand National Tour with SZA followed, further cementing his position as the culture’s most trusted voice. On the collab front, however, Kendrick has been quiet since the pgLang x Converse work wrapped up.
Round 9 (2025–2026) Winner
This one’s complicated. Drake wins on sheer sneaker output — NOCTA has been relentless, the Chrome Hearts collab is genuinely exciting, and the KD19 pack could be the biggest basketball sneaker collaboration of his career. But Kendrick performed at the Super Bowl in a pair of Nikes that weren’t even his own collab, and somehow made that feel like a statement. That’s a different kind of sneaker power. We’ll give the round to Drake on volume, but Kendrick’s cultural gravitational pull remains undeniable.
The Final Verdict
We must emphasise that this sneaker battle between Drake and Kendrick Lamar revolves solely around sneaker collaborations, not musical talent — or current likeability. With that said, Drizzy takes home the trophy for his many hyped and sought-after sneaker releases with Nike and Jordan Brand. While Lamar has presented consistently elegant themes and narratives for his collabs, the models he’s chosen to dress up don’t draw the same attention as Drake’s choice of the coveted Jordan silhouettes. And even after losing the rap war, being dragged through courtrooms, and watching Kendrick perform “Not Like Us” at the Super Bowl — NOCTA is still running, still dropping, and still relevant. On sneakers alone, that’s the win.
When it comes to diss tracks, well — that’s a whole different story.
Who gets your vote in the battle of Drake and Kendrick Lamar sneaker collaborations? Do you reckon Drizzy or Kenny wears the crown?
