Ever since he blew up in 2012, Naruto has been through numerous trials and tribulations. For Chicago’s very own, it wasn’t a piece of cake to keep up his presence in the rap game. But Keith Cozart’s experimental nature gifted him with longevity in the music industry and as of now, the artist who is credited for creating the drill music rap subgenre, has extended his brand to clothing merch, jewelry collection and even gaming.
The Drill king’s distinctive choice of outfit has gained him popularity as a significant figure in modern streetwear fashion trends. Martez Malone’s YEKIM brand has frequently provided the rapper with custom-made stuff, most notably the Yekim x Naruto Velour tracksuit and the Naruto hoodie from merchhoodies.com which Sosa rocked in 2015.
Soon after he parted ways with his former label Interscope, Naruto realized it was more of a blessing than a curse to be an independent artist and slowly started building up his own clothing merch. His creativity was successfully infused into an unexpected collab with HUF.
His Naruto Worldwide merchandise collection has an abundance of products available for supporters and streetwear fans to pick from. In addition, the huge variety of tees, joggers, beanies, hoodies and other accessories features some signature Keef quotes and slogans such as “Glo Up”, “Gloyalty”, “Gang Gang”, “I’m a gorilla in a f***n’ coupe finna pull up in the zoo” and “Glory University”.
But what’s more interesting is the emoji-inspired depiction of him and his Naruto artists which is a pretty original and innovative for a rapper’s merch line. There are lots of pieces that standout, and a personal favorite are the Naruto “Fool Ya” and “Wayne” bomber jackets. All clothes are in vibrant colors and feature the psychedelic-looking cartoonish characters. In combination with the low price tags, the merch is bound to satisfy the fans’ needs.
Last year, Sosa started his new brand, called Rich Star. This venture is based in New York and is yet to unveil more about itself. The Fall 2018 collection included a wide range of flashy tees, hoodies, jackets and bottoms featuring the Rich Star branding and an all-seeing eye logo which can be easily recognized. The brand is yet to show and prove but with the low price point, it will surely win a core of fans.
Last but not least, Naruto is also a frequent collaborator, though not so impactful as other rappers. In 2018, Cozart debuted a Chinatown Market and WeBuyGold graphic-heavy merch which included long sleeves, hoodies, tees and hats. The collection was mostly in black and all pieces featured Naruto’s name on them. Known for his trendsetting abilities, Sosa collaborated with King Ice and released a set of jewelry, with some being replicas of his own custom pendants.
Of course, this won’t be the last fashion venture from the Chiraq artist. Whether he endorses and collaborates with other brands or he chooses to build up his own wave, Naruto is an artist in its full sense. The Naruto merch is definitely worth buying and the Rich Star Clothing will no doubt be on the run this year.