If you haven’t noticed, Drake wears Chrome Hearts a lot. Over the last year it’s become rare to see the artist make any public appearance while not wearing the brand. From custom Kobe Jerseys to Rolexes to an actual Rolls-Royce, Drake has made his affinity for the California luxury imprint very clear.
But like any relationship, the Drake-Chrome Hearts connection didn’t just appear out of thin air. Despite how it may feel, the Certified Lover Boy artist hasn’t always been such an intentional Chrome Hearts advocate. Now, as Drake’s new album sits atop the billboard charts, it’s impossible to ignore his affinity for the brand that was leveraged into a partnership. In just a few quick years, Drake has gone from wearing Chrome Hearts to collaborating with them at a high level. These are a few of key moments of that progression with products that mark them.
Drake Wearing Chrome Hearts
The Drake x Chrome Hearts relationship began just as one might expect, with the artist making appearances in public wearing the brand increasing the frequency of wear as the brand became a fixation in the pop culture zeitgeist. Whether it’s a chicken or an egg situation is up for debate, but it’s both likely and realistic that Drake’s consistent cosign might have played a role in the brand’s current popularity. Between 2019 and 2020, Drake’s public appearances wearing the brand picked up until it was normal to see the artist rocking a pair of Chrome Hearts Jeans, or a custom jacket, while sitting courtside.
While the global pandemic stomped out most opportunities for public appearances in 2020, Drake was never shy to show off the Chrome Hearts that he and his family were wearing on Instagram. Numerous photos of Drake wearing Chrome Hearts ended up on his IG story throughout Spring and Summer lockdowns. In July of 2020, Drake took to Instagram to show off his new custom Chrome Hearts Rolex Day-Date and in September, he posted a photo of his son, Adonis, wearing a full Chrome Hearts outfit for his first day of school.
Drake Music Videos Featuring Chrome Hearts
Shortly after the summer of 2020, Drake took his Chrome Hearts support to the next level, effectively advertising for the brand in several music videos released in the leadup to Certified Lover Boy. The first Chrome Hearts appearance took place in Drake’s brand heavy music video for his single, “Laugh Now, Cry Later”, where the artist can be seen playing a one on one game of basketball against Kevin Durant in a custom Chrome Hearts jersey and shorts. This same music video served as a soft announcement for Drake’s Nike collaboration, NOCTA.
As if one music video as a prelude to a merch collection wasn’t enough, Drake returned with another in the spring of 2021. After Drake’s Certified Lover Boy album (which was supposed to release in January) was delayed, the artist dropped a small EP titled Scary Hours 2 in order to hold fans over. The project’s leading track, “What’s Next”, received it’s own Chrome Hearts-heavy music video. The “What’s Next” video features two significant Chrome Hearts appearances, the first of which is the decked out interior of Drake’s fully custom 2020 Rolls-Royce filled with Chrome Hearts branding. The second notable Chrome Hearts appearance became a first look at Drake’s official collaborative Certified Lover Boy merchandise collection with the brand.
Drake x Chrome Hearts
After teasing the merch collection in the “What’s Next” music video, its release was officially announced. The collection included four Drake x Chrome Hearts Hoodies, a pair of jeans, and several smaller accessories. Each hoodie was individually hand dyed, so no two are exactly the same, even within the same colorway. The hoodies also feature graphics that stay true to the Chrome Hearts brand like Crosses and the brand’s traditional Olde English font.
It’s what’s written in the fonts or featured inside of the Chrome Hearts Crosses that point to Drake and his newest album. The light blue hoodie, for instance, features screen printed phrases like “Certified Chrome” and “Girls Love Chrome” in the brand’s classic typeface, both phrases are riffs on the album’s title and the artist’s past lyrics. The collection’s collaborative pair of Levi’s Denim was delivered in a light wash covered in baby blue Chrome Hearts Crosses.
For those interested in picking up a piece from the collection now, the merch is going to cost you. The single pair of denim released as a part of the collaboration will run you more than $10,000 in some sizes and has actually been sold on StockX for $9,500. The hoodies, while less expensive, will run you nearly $2,000, which is almost four times the retail price of $550.
Since the Collaboration
Unsurprisingly, Drake’s wide open affection for all things Chrome Hearts has not come to an end since the release of their collaboration. Drake seems to be in the sharing mood since receiving the keys to that custom Chrome Hearts Rolls-Royce. In June, Drake gifted a custom Chrome Hearts Rolex to fellow rapper and frequent collaborator, Lil Baby. The model gifted was a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date and it was likely given to Lil Baby as a congratulatory gift for the artist’s new number 1 hit, The Voice of the Heroes, a collaborative album with Lil Durk.
It’s been rumored that Drake and Chrome Hearts’ collaborative apparel collection is supposed to be released online at some point this fall. While that cannot be officially confirmed or denied, the official release of Certified Lover Boy, and the seemingly random restocking of Drake and Nike’s merch collection, has us on our toes. If the collaboration is released online, expect it to happen randomly and sell out instantly. In the meantime, all things Certified Lover Boy can be shopped on StockX here and the Drake x Chrome Hearts collection is available below.
