If the reports are true, Under Armour’s newest endorser is a far cry from Chef Curry, The Rock or the leader of the perennial Super Bowl-contending New England Patriots.
StreetInsider on Friday reported that hip-hop artist A$AP Rocky (real name Rakim Mayers) has signed a deal to be the new face of the Under Armour Sportswear (UAS) line of lifestyle apparel. The report cited Susquehanna International Group analyst Sam Poser, who raised his stock price target that day for the South Baltimore firm despite its recent sluggish performance.
Sneaker blogs NiceKicks and KicksonFire say it’s a non-exclusive partnership that will allow the rapper to work closely with UAS creative director Tim Coppens and his team of designers on new products. The line at present includes garments like knit t-shirts, cropped sweaters, joggers and cashmere tops, along with some sneakers.
An Under Armour spokesperson hasn’t responded to an email requesting information about the reported deal. The company hasn’t made a formal announcement.
While The Street summed up A$AP Rocky in the headline as merely Kendall Jenner’s new boyfriend, he’s accomplished far more as an artist. After releasing the wildly popular 2011 mixtape “Live. Love. ASAP,” the Harlem rapper put out his chart-topping full-length albums “Long. Live. ASAP” in 2013 and “At. Long. Last. ASAP” in 2015. He’s also steeped in the fashion world, with his own A$AP clothing brand and past collaborations with Adidas on a winged sneaker in 2013 and an apparel line with Guess in 2016.
As Poser suggested, the expected announcement about A$AP Rocky joining up could help temporarily shift the investment outlook for Under Armour. Wall Street has soured on the company, citing its decelerating revenue growth in the last couple years and downgraded projections for this year. When the firm reshuffled its top ranks last month, CEO Kevin Plank reiterated that 2017 will be a year for UA to invest in product development and reshape its operations from the top down.
While the deal may not have the same hometown appeal as signing West Baltimore world champion boxer Gervonta Davis, it should please the locals if Under Armour can bring another globally known rapper to visit the city.
