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Of all the looks Gucci Mane has made his own, the bright furs, the icy chains, the stylish shades, comfort sneakers weren’t exactly at the top of the list. And yet, here we are.
In a new campaign with HOKA and Foot Locker, the Grammy-nominated rapper is front and center for the return of the Bondi 7, the cult-favorite sneaker that quietly disappeared in 2022 and is now back. The $165 shoe, known for its sleek look and high marks of wearability, gets an unexpected feature in a short ad titled Right Shoe, Wrong Gucci.
The premise plays on one of the internet’s favorite memes: Gucci’s uncanny resemblance to NBA referee James Williams, a comparison that first took off in 2021. In the skit, Gucci comes face-to-face with a couple more look-alikes, who help him find the perfect pair of HOKAs. The punchline? It’s the Bondi 7.
Rolling Stone caught up with Gucci Mane to talk about the collaboration, his music, and whether HOKA can be oficially considered ‘Hip-Hop.’ Read the full interview below, and shop the revived Bondi 7 now, before they leave again (and you miss your shot at becoming the internet’s next Gucci doppelgänger).
new drop
Hoka Bondi 7
➤ Available in sizes 7 to 16
I’m surprised that you’re a fan of HOKA. What do you like about them and what makes HOKA “Hip-Hop”?
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 “Right Shoe, Wrong Gucci” campaign leans into your viral doppelgänger moment with NBA referee James Williams. What was your reaction when the internet first started making those comparisons, and how did that turn into something you could creatively embrace?
When I first saw it, I laughed. The internet undefeated. They’ll find a lookalike for anybody. The campaign made sense because we kept it simple. “Right Shoe, Wrong Gucci.” It’s a joke. It’s confident. It’s us not taking ourselves too serious.
I’ve been around long enough to know that if the internet gives you a moment, you can either fight it or flip it. I’ve always been about owning my narrative. If people are talking, that’s energy. Energy is currency.
The Bondi 7 is described as sitting at the “intersection of music, sport, and style,” according to the brand. As someone who’s influenced culture across all three spaces, what does that crossover mean to you in 2026?
In 2026, there aren’t lanes anymore. Music drives style. Athletes are tastemakers. Fashion lives on the timeline. Everything is connected. I came up when rappers were just starting to really shape high fashion conversations. Now the lines are fully blurred. A performance shoe can live in the studio.
A running shoe can headline a fit. That crossover means freedom. It means you don’t have to pick one identity. You can be disciplined like an athlete, creative like an artist, and sharp like a designer all at once. That’s where culture is now and I’m always going to be at the intersection.
