by Cedric ‘BIG CED’ Thornton
March 4, 2026
“Guwop!”
In the newest promotional campaign for HOKA’s latest sneaker release, Atlanta-based recording artist Gucci Mane appears at a Foot Locker location where he is surprised to see two look-a-likes while shopping for a new pair of sneakers.
In “Right Shoe, Wrong Gucci,” the Trap House rapper arrives at the sneaker store, browsing for new footwear. As he picks up the HOKA Bondi 7 Stealth Tech, he seems pleased and shouts out, “It’s Gucci!”
After yelling out his signature phrase, a whistle blows, and someone wearing a Foot Locker referee uniform signals that he’s bringing out the sneaker.
It’s a riff on an old joke involving veteran NBA referee James Williams, who has been called Gucci’s Doppelgänger. But then another gentleman who could also pass for the rapper emerges. As he is given the shoe, Gucci looks at one of the look-a-likes and makes one of his patented ad libs, looks perplexed, and then, as he looks at both men, nods and blurts out, “Guwop!”
The three men then stand next to each other, raising both arms with three fingers in the air, as if someone made a successful three-point basketball shot.
Gucci talked with Rolling Stone about why he connected with HOKA.
“What I like about HOKA is the comfort first. I’m on my feet a lot–studio, travel, shows, life. If it’s not comfortable, I’m not wearing it. Period. But the Bondi silhouette is bold. That’s hip-hop. We’ve always embraced silhouettes that make a statement. Hip-hop isn’t about what category a shoe belongs to. It’s about how you wear it. Once the culture touches something, it evolves. That’s what’s happening here.”
The footwear is advertised with a $165 sale price.
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