December 06, 2003
Drake’s mother is at the heart of his upcoming Certified Lover Boy Nike Air Force 1s.
The OVO hitmaker shared more details about his long-awaited sneakers on Instagram on Saturday (November 26), revealing they’re both inspired by and dedicated to his “incredible” mother, Sandra Graham.
In a series of photos, Drizzy gave fans another close-up of the kicks, which look like regular all-white Air Force 1s but with the phrase “Love you forever” etched onto the midsole in elegant cursive font, among other minor tweaks.
While “Love you forever” appeared at first to be a nod to the title of Drake’s Certified Lover Boy LP, the motif actually carries a deeper meaning that dates back to the rapper’s childhood.
Positioned next to the sneakers in Drake’s photos was the children’s book, Love You Forever, written by Robert Munsch and illustrated by Sheila McGraw. Published in 1986, the book centers on a mother who sings a lullaby to her son at each stage of his life.
Additionally, the shoe box contained a sweet message from Drake that read: “For my mother, Your perennial care and nurturing is never lost on me. This book is the time capsule of our love. I long for the days when it was this simple. — Aubrey.”
In his Instagram caption, he wrote: “Love You Forever AF1 dedicated to my incredible mother and our favourite book. @nike @officialnocta.”
The Nike Air Force 1s in Drake’s photos also featured a noticeable design tweak, with three silver bejeweled hearts affixed near the heel counter. However, it’s unclear if this is a permanent change that will appear on all pairs of the shoe or simply a custom addition for Drake’s mother.