We all love a good rap battle and love watching the fallout that comes from it. Still, no one would have expected that one of the resulting casualties would be the secrecy surrounding the Drake unreleased Air Jordan 4 Ovo “Splatter” PE. As things heat up between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, let’s take a closer look at the gorgeous sneakers we sneakerheads might never see in real life.
The Drake x Air Jordan 4 Ovo “Splatter” PE
Sadly, these sneakers say most of what they need to in their name: “Player Exclusive.” This term is not only kept for sneakers made for players but is also used for any sneakers made in collaboration with one of Nike’s signed partners that never got or will ever get a retail release.
While this broke hearts when these sneakers first arrived on the scene in 2018 and still breaks hearts, it doesn’t keep us from enjoying looking longingly at them.
Thanks to @englishsole, who prides itself on having a collection of some of the rarest sneakers in the world and managed to get their hands on a sample pair, we get a closer look at these gorgeous sneakers.
With a classic black and red colourway, it’s easy to see that the Drake x Air Jordan 4 Ovo “Splatter” PE is a playful spinoff of the classic “Bred” colourway but with many more twists than just splattered paint detailing.
The outsole is a combination of red and grey rubber. At the same time, the midsole is split into two sections. The lower has the classic Air Unit tucked happily within the heel, and the upper features a healthy smattering of white and red paint over a black rubber base.
The sneakers’ upper is a gorgeous matte black nubuck with the Air Jordan 4’s classic cutouts near the toe and on the quarter. The white inner lining peeks through black mesh netting and matches the white support wings for the laces.
Lastly, the paint splatters continue on the heel to bring home the splatter feel, with Nike Air instead of the usual Jumpman branding.
The Rap Battle That Re-Revealed The Sneakers
While Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s ongoing beef might not be connected to the Air Jordan 4 Ovo “Splatter” PE sneakers, it’s impossible to ignore that the beef is part of the reason these sneakers have been brought out of the archive.
If you want to keep up with this rap battle dubbed “one of rap’s most messy tussles” by Rolling Stone, you can follow their article, which explains the situation blow-by-blow. Considering how interlinked the sneaker and hip-hop worlds are, it isn’t surprising that this is a relevant reason why these sneakers have reappeared in the public eye.
Never Released But Not Impossible To Buy
It isn’t uncommon for gorgeous sneakers like these to never see a retail release. While Drake had a lucrative relationship with Nike and was the brilliant mind behind many of their sneakers, they were made before he switched from the Swoosh brand to Adidas.
In the wake of his transition from Nike to adidas, it seems that many Air Jordan Retro PE sneakers were left behind, relegated to sit in the archives as samples, and never see the light of day. That said, this hasn’t stopped some lucky sneakerheads from getting their hands on the sneakers.
English Sole managed to get a sample collection of these sneakers, with less than 100 pairs on offer and sold them at auction on May 6, 2024. Hopefully, you were watching and got your hands on your pair of sneakers.
Beef aside, what do you think of Drake’s Unreleased Air Jordan 4 Ovo “Splatter” PE?
