Atlanta-based rapper 2 Chainz, who just recently finished a new album with A&R overseen by LeBron James, has a beef with the company for whom James has a lifetime contract.
Nike, with the release of its art-focused Zoom Fly SP collaboration earlier this month, apparently swiped the idea from a 2 Chainz album cover from 2017.
Pretty Girls Like Trap Music, released in summer of 2017 and certified platinum just earlier this month, was widely touted artistically for its hot pink cover art.
It featured a broken-down pink “trap house” with a unique type font in black overlaying the pink base.
Nike’s aforementioned Zoom Fly SP, produced in collaboration with artist Nathan Bell, is eerily similar to the album art.
Designed in a pink backdrop with black script overtop, that alone was enough to rise 2 Chainz’s brow. He took to social media to air out his grievances with Nike through claims of plagiarism.
Although certainly not irate, 2 Chainz made it clear that he felt his idea was ripped off. “I’m happy I could influence you guys to make this shoe based off my last album #prettygirlsliketrapmusic!,” 2 Chainz said in his post. “I met a few really good and cool Nike reps in Charlotte this past weekend and looking forward to speaking to someone soon about this!”
Nike has not made a comment regarding these claims.
