After years of avoiding endorsement deals with major brands rapper Nas has decided to endorse a long time loved brand in the hip hop community’s and Nas‘ history. The Fila brand will provide financial support for Nas‘ print and TV Ad campaigns as well as tour support in exchange for the world renowned rapper to wear Fila appeal.

In a statement to Billboard Magazine Nas said “My best friend Will and I loved Fila,”, “It represented prestige and everything that was cool to us. When Will passed, we buried him in a black Fila sweat suit, so doing a deal with them has a lot of significance for me.”

Fila’s president, Jon Epstein, said the deal was an organic situation that was sparked after a Fila rep spotted Nas’ shopping in Manhattan. When questioned about Nas’ controversial new untitled album Epstein said “I had some trepidation, and then I started talking to 16- to 20-year-old kids in focus groups,”, “They looked at me like I was crazy for not understanding his message of positive change. Nas is relevant to his followers and I don’t have to understand it as long as they do.”