PUMA announced a long-term partnership with British-Nigerian grime MC, rapper, and record producer Skepta, who will collaborate with the brand to design products and curate global marketing campaigns.
For Chief Joseph Olaitan Adenuga Jr., better known as Skepta, this is an incredibly hands-on role, as his natural talent lies in creating innovation in the arts.
The partnership was established through Skepta’s Big Smoke Corporation, an organization founded to foster a community of talented individuals and connect them with brands to form unique partnerships.
Skepta said: “It’s an honor to collaborate with such a globally recognized brand that is rooted in both youth and pop culture and understands the importance of partnerships and collaborations like this one. We look forward to working together to develop and create new opportunities for the next generation.”
Who is the artist that Puma has named as its brand ambassador? Skepta has been one of the most successful UK rappers on the grime scene for many years; he lives in England and has Nigerian roots. Grime is a music style that emerged in London’s East End between 2002 and 2004.
It was influenced by electronic music, dancehall, hip-hop, and reggaeton. Grime music is characterized by its raw and aggressive style, is highly recognizable, and differs in some ways from the rest of the hip-hop and rap scene.
However, just like in the rap game, the lyrics often revolve around hatred of the police, injustices against minorities, money, and style. Although Skepta makes loud and aggressive songs, he also has tracks with relaxed and calm melodies.
In recent years, the British grime scene has grown steadily and now easily competes with American rappers. Artists like Skepta, as well as Knucks and Stormzy, have popularized the genre and brought it from the streets of England into the charts.
Skepta himself was born on September 19, 1982, and his real name is Joseph Junior Adenuga.
His biggest role model was Snoop Dogg, and as early as the beginning of the 2000s, he was showcasing his music on the radio and at MC battles. However, he never actually intended to rap; instead, he started his career as a DJ spinning records for his younger brother.
In 2005, he founded the music label and collective “Boy Better Know” with his brother and Wiley, a rapper also known as the “Godfather of Grime.”
However, his big breakthrough didn’t come right away. When he switched to the label “All Around the World” in 2010, his first major hits followed, and this enormous success continues to this day.
Songs like “Show Out,” “It Ain’t Safe,”
“Energy,” “That’s Not Me,” and
above all, the mega-hit “Praise The Lord (Da Shine)” featuring A$AP Rocky have made Skepta an OG of the grime scene.
The most successful of his five albums to date is “Ignorance Is Bliss” from 2019.
The rapper has received numerous awards and is active far beyond the music industry. He is considered a major influence on pop culture in the UK and was even named one of the most influential people in England by Debrett’s in 2017.
For this reason, the artist has also collaborated with major brands outside the music industry. For example, he has teamed up several times with Havana Club, Nike, and now Puma as well. He embodies a cool and laid-back lifestyle paired with great musical talent.
Photos via Puma
