In honor of Drake’s birthday last week, what better way to celebrate than to call him basic? Before people throw fits, basic not bad. There must be a mainstream for a common relationship between people and music. That being said, does basic always mean long lasting? 

Freshman year of high school, almost all of my friends owned a pair of Nike Air Force 1s. The outfit combinations one could create with the white sneaker were endless. The Air Force 1s were a neutral vessel for my age group as well as earlier and later generations. The first Nike Air Force, created in the 

80s, catered to the basketball lover and the sneakerhead. The evolution of the shoe hit the mainstream quickly. In recent years, partnerships and collaborations with this Nike model created a new need for the shoe in more unique forms. Drake’s collaboration with the Nike Air Force 1 shoe kept the neutral white look with hints of his OVO label design. The lack of release to the public made it incredibly difficult to obtain. The rarity of the shoe goes against the mainstream and accessibility of the Nike sneaker. When you are at the top of the rap mainstream for over 10 years, you have the power to make an aspect of your career unobtainable. As for his music career, almost everyone can get their ears on a Drake song (sometimes against your will). 

Growing up with an older brother, I had the lyrics to Best I Ever Had memorized at age 11 (I had no idea what my words meant, obviously). Throughout middle and high school, Drake evolved with

everyone else. He was slowly experimenting with his sound and genre throughout my highschool years. Nonetheless, everyone instantly knew Drake’s voice, even from the slightest ad lib. 

A sweaty, compact high school party consisted of white air forces on hardwood floors. Friends would try to talk amongst each other over the More Life album. Basicness reeked in those tight quarters. But, there was something about simplicity and unity that broke the suffocating air. 

When repacking to go back to college last year, my friend from home threw her white Nike Air Force 1’s in an ikea bag. “These are my frat shoes,” she said, referring to the shoes she can dirty up because she no longer cared about them. Although shoes and trends can become disposable, there is a clear attachment to the Nike Air Force 1. 

Recently, Drake’s releases have gained a bit less traction in the mainstream. Although

he still has a major footing in the music game, there is nothing like old Drake. Even so, he will probably always be a voice heard in a frat basement. When will our Drake days come to an end? Or will he always be there, constantly repurposed in music listener’s lives? Will he remain on the ears of listeners like the Nike Air Force 1 is to the shoe wearer. Or will he be replaced in the mainstream soon…