Steve Stoute Reveals Why Jay-Z Picked Reebok Over Nike

In the latest episode of Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast, former NFL player and television sports analyst Shannon Sharpe sat down with Steve Stoute, the influential founder and CEO of music marketing and advertising agency Translation, as well as founder and CEO of music distributor UnitedMasters. Stoute, who also boasts a background as a former record executive with both Interscope and Sony, shared intriguing insights during the interview.

One of the key focal points of their discussion was Jay-Z's historic three-year partnership deal with Reebok, marking the first time a rapper had entered into such an agreement with the renowned footwear brand. Steve Stoute revealed that Jay-Z's decision to collaborate with Reebok over Nike stemmed from the unique 50/50 partnership offer extended by Reebok for the creation of the S. Carter collection. Stoute emphasized that Jay-Z's involvement with Reebok went beyond a mere ambassadorship, highlighting that the arrangement positioned him as a true partner with equal stake in the venture. As Stoute succinctly put it, “Jay-Z is not the ambassador of anything except himself. He was a partner, a 50/50 partner.”