By Lydia Jane Allison
Limited edition collections will come to life during sports and culture moments, including the 2025 NFL Draft
Lil Wayne’s latest album – “Tha Carter VI” – scheduled to drop on June 6 providing one-of-a-kind inspiration for the collaboration
NEW YORK – April 23, 2025 – The National Football League and Mitchell & Ness, the legendary sports heritage brand known for its timeless craftsmanship, announced today a wide-ranging collaboration with multi-platinum artist and cultural icon Lil Wayne. This collaboration will introduce a series of exclusive limited-edition apparel collections, blending Lil Wayne’s signature style and love for the NFL with Mitchell & Ness’s culture-defining aesthetic, kicking off at the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay and continuing throughout the year.
To celebrate the NFL Draft, the NFL and Mitchell & Ness will unveil the first collection inspired by the Green Bay Packers, designed by Lil Wayne. As a lifelong Packers fan, Wayne brings his unique vision to the collection.
“We had to create something that reps the G but still drips with that Tunechi flavor. It’s more than merch,” said Lil Wayne. “It represents legacy, loyalty and a little bit of luxury for the real ones.”
The collection will include limited edition tees, hoodies and an iconic jersey with designs inspired by Lil Wayne’s upcoming new album, “Tha Carter VI,” and the Packers legendary ‘Cheesehead’ culture, incorporating bold graphics and premium detailing that pay homage to Green Bay’s rich football heritage.
“This collaboration represents the essence of Mitchell & Ness – merging one of the most talented worldwide entertainers with iconic sports franchises and bold merchandise designs. We couldn’t be more excited to launch a collection with Lil Wayne at the NFL Draft and are excited to see this relationship come to life and different points throughout the year,” said Emilie Arel, president of Mitchell & Ness.
Additional collections and styles featuring additional NFL teams will drop throughout the year. Products will be available at MitchellandNess.com, Fanatics.com, NFLShop.com, select team online and stadium stores and the NFL Draft in Green Bay for the initial Packers assortment. More unique elements of the partnership will also be announced in the coming months.
“Lil Wayne’s influence on culture and music is undeniable, and we are excited to bring his creative vision to life with the help of Mitchell & Ness during the NFL Draft and beyond,” said Xaimara Coss, director of licensing at the NFL. “Launching the first collection in Green Bay will be a celebration of individuality with the Packers’ ‘Cheesehead’ tradition being at the forefront.”
Stay tuned for more details as the NFL, Mitchell & Ness and Lil Wayne redefine game-day apparel with a fusion of heritage, music and personal passion.
About Mitchell & Ness
Founded in Philadelphia in 1904 as a sporting goods company, Mitchell & Ness is a leading provider of high-quality vintage lifestyle and sports apparel. The iconic brand, which sits at the intersection of sports, culture, lifestyle, and fashion, was acquired in 2022 by global digital sports platform, Fanatics and a strategic ownership group comprised of some of the biggest names in sports, entertainment, and business. Mitchell & Ness continues to expand its legacy in the premium sportswear, streetwear, and headwear categories with strategic lifestyle brand collaborations and dynamic licensing relationships with preeminent sports properties – including the NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, MLS and many leading colleges and universities.
About Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne rewrote the entire game in his image. The five-time GRAMMY® Award-winning multiplatinum rap icon, Young Money Entertainment founder, acclaimed author, pro skater, philanthropist, and history-making superstar left an indelible tattoo on the culture. By 2020, he cemented his legacy forever as “one of the best-selling artists of all time,” tallying sales in excess of 100 million records worldwide with 25 million albums and 90 million digital tracks sold in the United States alone. In 2022, Wayne earned his first Diamond certification from the RIAA with his generational smash hit “Lollipop” feat. Static Major. Not to mention, he garnered 11 BET Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, two MTV VMAs, and eight NAACP Image Awards. Among many milestones, he emerged as “the first male artist to surpass Elvis Presley with the most entries on the Billboard Hot 100,” logging a staggering 186 entries – the 4th most of all time.
With a discography highlighted by five career spanning #1 debuts beginning with 2008’s 8x platinum, 3x GRAMMY® Award-winning opus Tha Carter III and its 5x platinum, 2011 successor Tha Carter IV, he released the latest version of the series – Tha Carter V – in 2018. Not only did it clinch #1 on the Billboard 200, but it also achieved “the second-largest streaming week for an album in history.” Every song on the tracklisting charted on the Billboard Hot 100 as he became “the first artist to debut two songs in the top 5.” It all bulldozed the way for his thirteenth full-length, Funeral, a year later. Simultaneously, Wayne owns and operates Young Money Entertainment as C.E.O. The company ignited the careers of two of the most successful artists ever—Drake and Nicki Minaj. The committed philanthropist founded The One Family Foundation too. Lil Wayne’s highly anticipated album, Tha Carter VI, scheduled for release on June 6, 2025.
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