J. Cole has inked a deal with Puma.
Complex reports that Cole and the athletic brand will have a multi-year partnership, with the first project being a short visual that will air during the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday (Feb. 16). The film was produced by Puma and J. Cole’s Dreamville production company. The rapper also co-directed the clip, which is about preserving through obstacles that can deter you from accomplishing your dreams.
The five-minute video features Labi Siffre’s “My Song” and Billy Joel’s “Vienna,” as well as a young Cole playing basketball in his hometown of Fayetteville, North Carolina. In the clip, the rapper misses a number of shots before the video ends with a sinking basket. Cole also include a missed shot from the 2019 NBA All-Star Game.
“Our partnership with Cole is deep-rooted,” said Adam Petrick, Puma’s Global Director of Brand & Marketing. “Cole’s involved in product creation, marketing campaigns and cultural guidance. He is going to be a key player in many of the things we do at PUMA moving forward and we’re excited to work with him not only on a product level but even more importantly as one of our athletes. Cole sits at the intersection of music and sport and represents everything that PUMA stands for as a brand.”
Cole also released a sneaker as part of the deal. Puma dropped the Sky LX shoe under the name Sky Dreamer on Thursday (Feb. 13) on their website, Puma.com, as well as at select Puma retailers.
The Sky Dreamer release is the first of many that Cole will drop with Puma, in addition to apparel later this year.
Last month, Cole released a 30-minute documentary ahead of the release of Dreamville’s Revenge of the Dreamers III album, which detailed the process of making the record.
“Bro, I don’t wanna look back 20 years from now and be like, ‘Yo, I never worked with nobody. I never had no fun, etc,’” Cole said in the video. “I had this idea, let’s go somewhere, lock in, invite a bunch of outside producers and artists, ‘Come fu*k with it.’ Just make this album.”
Check out the visual below.