[Update 7 Sep 2022] A black OVO x BAPE STA colorway has joined the crew! In pictures provided by a newly opened @sneak1rs account, the black counterpart allows the crocodile leather texture to be more pronounced and glossy. Both pairs are expected to be available for purchase in either September or October this year. For more pictures, head over to the slider gallery up above. 

BAPE’s presence in the hip hop scene is undeniable — few have left as blatant of a mark as BAPE’s camo zip-up-all-the-way hoodie, coming complete with a shark face. So universal is its name in the scene, rappers also frequently name drop the bold brand in their verses, with Lil Wayne, Jay-Z and even Soulja Boy spitting BAPE as a flex. Rappers aside, streetwear revolutionist Virgil Abloh himself famously declares, “Bape is my generation’s Chanel.”

Among these giants, Drake goes beyond just sporting the brand in public events. Back in 2020, the champagne papi initiated a playdate between October’s Very Own (OVO)’s owl and BAPE’s Baby Milo. As with the meeting of celebrity babies (or pets?), this collaboration was highly anticipated and unabashed. A full apparel range with BAPE’s signature camo as a backdrop to OVO’s lined owl motif was central to the collection, but Baby Milo occasionally makes an appearance.

Now in 2022, the OVO owl has seemingly moved on from Tee-residing Baby Milo and instead lands on the BAPE Sta. Revealed by @thevaultstreetwear, the a pure white BAPE STA is overhauled with a luxurious crocodile leather-like texture. Drake’s favoring of crocodile leather is no surprise here, given his famous million-dollar outfit that he donned with Unknown Vlogs, which featured a $15,000 Tom Ford croc-leather shoes. The pristine white is also an expected, Certified Lover Boy color choice; his NOCTA x Nike Air Force 1 is reportedly following the same Triple White dress code.

OVO’s branding lands prominently on the lateral panel and ends off the BAPE “shooting” star. OVO’s side-facing owl motif also makes an appearance as a metal dubrae, accentuating BAPE STA’s Air Force 1 origins.

No specific release dates are attached to these leaked images, but it is expected to release in either September or October this year. Worry not, we’ll be sure to update this article with more details as soon as they are available.

If your vision of glamorous luxe is accompanied by furs and blings, this Nike Dunk Low “Fur and Bling” might scratch the itch.