Fans Think Drake Is Looking at Kanye West's Yeezy Sneaker for Design Inspiration

As part of the rollout for 'Certified Lover Boy,' Drake is seemingly getting ready to drop his own signature Nike shoe. But this latest sneak peek has fans questioning whether he's ripping Kanye's popular Yeezy style.

A photo recently emerged of Drizzy rocking his unreleased Nike Hot Step Air Terra in a new "Snakeskin" colorway. Back in January, he was spotted wearing an all-white sample pair of the Hot Step for the first time during a studio session.

Even casual sneaker buyers were able to recognize the familiar look of this "Snakeskin" style. They pointed out the similarities between Drake's model and Kanye's Adidas Yeezy Boost 380 "Alien," all the way down to the little holes dotting the sides. The "Alien" arrived in 2019.

In Drake's defense, this isn't the first time he's opted for a snakeskin look.

The pattern appeared on sample pairs of his OVO x Air Jordan 11 collab in both "Grey" and "Pink." He debuted the model on the sidelines of a Toronto Raptors game in 2018, and since they never officially released, their resale value is listed around $12,500.

Still, the new Hot Step design adds yet another chapter to Drake and Kanye's rivalry, especially since it involves the rival brands they rep. You'll recall on "Sicko Mode" that Drake throws subtle shade at Ye and Adidas when he raps, "Jesus Christ, checks over stripes!"

Yet there was a time when Drake almost joined Adidas' roster. Jon Wexler, a former exec at Adidas Yeezy, told Complex the company was indeed trying to sign Drake in 2018 with Kanye himself leading the effort.

The deal fell through right before Pusha T exposed Drake as a father on "The Story of Adidon."

For now, Kanye stands superior when it comes to the fashion and sneaker industry. Yeezy brand's shoe sales grew 31% to almost $1.7 billion in 2020, putting $191 million worth of royalties in Ye's pockets. NOCTA, Drizzy's Nike sub-label, has a long way to go.