Drake x Nike Air Force 1 "Certified Lover Boy" shoe cancellation rumors explained

Since last year, sneakerheads have been waiting patiently for "Certified Lover Boy (CLB)" to release iterations of Drake x Nike Air Force 1 lows. But the latest information suggests the shoe won't be dropping anytime soon. Rumors surfaced via sneakerhistory and sockjig of the line being canceled due to production issues at Nike.

First teased in July 2021, the lows generated a lot of chatter among fans. However, after months of waiting, neither Nike nor Drake have made a statement on the issue.

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More about the "Certified Lover Boy" shoes

Drake x Nike Air Force 1 lows were supposed to be released during the "Certified Lover Boy" album, which was released on September 3, 2021. But the kicks didn't drop with the record and has been routinely delayed since. The latest rumors point to the kicks being canceled.

Sneakerhistory and sockjig claimed that the heart-riddled outsoles, a special addition to this exclusive shoe, were causing quality control issues. Nike was facing a mass-production issue with this line.

However, these rumors were immediately shut down by Brendan Dunne, an insider in the sneaker industry, when he made a tweet regarding this issue saying,

"Some rumors floating around this week that the Drake Air Force 1s were canceled. Per a source at Nike, that is not the case and a release is still coming."

The shoes follow the classic silhouettes of the Nike Air Force 1s in crisp white. However, when examined closely, some details are exclusive and are a brand new iteration of the kicks. The detail that sets it apart is Drake's rendition of the classic shoe, having used a higher quality premium leather in its constructional modification.

Instead of regular "Air" branding, which we see in traditional sneakers mid-sole, it is replaced by a cursive text of "Love You Forever." It was a tribute to Drake's latest album, Certified Lover Boy. There are heart-shaped textures on the front of AF1 and Drake's "OVO" branding on the back.

The release date and price of the shoes have still not been confirmed. Instead, at this moment, it is still uncertain whether we will see the sneakers released.