Afrobeat Icon Burna Boy Signs Sneaker Deal with On
In the early days of sneaker partnerships, brand deals were exclusively the domain of pro athletes, hired to promote performance shoes on the court, field, and track. As the sneaker industry evolved, though, those collaborations and sponsorships evolved out of sports into every aspect of culture, including music. From Eminem Jordans and Drake’s Nocta line to Bad Bunny’s adidas collection and SZA’s partnership with Vans. The latest artist to link up with a sneaker brand comes as a little bit of a surprise, with On signing afrobeat star Burna Boy.
The multi-year partnership between the Nigerian artist and the Swiss sneaker brand starts with the symbolic title of Clubhouse President, putting Burna Boy in charge of On’s Clubhouse Nights tennis-themed event series. To celebrate the partnership, Burna Boy took the stage at the Clubhouse Nights event in Paris earlier this year and starred in a thumping new ad.
“For me, everything I do comes from the same place – music, sport, community, and culture. It’s all connected,” Burna Boy said. “On gets that. Our partnership is about shaking things up and creating new energy in the world of sports.”
So far, there is no Burna Boy signature sneaker or colorway officially on the horizon, but with big name partnerships like this, product is usually in the works. On has already been making waves in the celebrity collab space this year with its Zendaya partnership, so we’re expecting a Burna Boy collection soon enough.
Zach Harris is a writer based in Philadelphia. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Vice, Complex, High Times, and more. He is obsessed with skateboarding and bowling. He is still looking for his first 300. zach.h@soleretriever.com
