Rapper 21 Savage and producer Metro Boomin are flying high at the moment. Their debut album as a collaboration has dominated the second half of 2020 after hitting the top of the Rolling Stone album chart. And the cover features the pair in much-coveted Jeff Hamilton leather jackets.
Savage and Metro released their album following the success of their mixtape and a series of link-ups that have featured on their solo releases. And there is no better fit for the pair’s swagger than Jeff Hamilton’s street-influenced leather designs.
Hamilton has been designing commemorative jackets for NBA Champions since the 1990s – this year’s LA Lakers’ tribute is as striking as people have come to expect, combining the basketball team’s purple and yellow colours with a champions pennant and a brooding depiction of the LA skyline.
The French designer’s unlikely association with basketball goes back to his friendship with ‘His Airness’ Michael Jordan. He gave the court legend a jacket for each of his NBA titles. Eventually, the NBA licensed Hamilton and his designs of winners’ jackets became a tradition.
Hamilton’s designs are so complicated they are almost impossible to counterfeit. Each piece of dyed leather is hand cut and hand sewn, and the designer signs and dates each one.
21 Savage and Metro Boomin are in good company. As well as Michael Jordan and almost every other NBA great you have heard of, he’s made jackets for Muhammed Ali, President Bill Clinton, and George Michael.
Watch the official music video of “My Dawg” featured on their latest album ‘Savage Mode 2’ by 21 Savage x Metro Boomin below:
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