Who said you had to be a pro athlete to earn a championship ring? Rap tandem Drake and Future are celebrating their chart-topping surprise collaboration, What a Time to Be Alive, with matching diamond-encrusted "World Champions" pinky rings.
Future had the rings made after their mixtape sold 375,000 units during its first week of release, catapulting it into the #1 slot on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. The 31-year-old hip-hop artist sought the help of New York-based celebrity jeweler Elliot Avianne to bring his vision to life.
Reminiscent of a Super Bowl ring, the bling designed by Avianne features the words "World Champions" in engraved black enamel against a polished white metal background. While Future's ring is adorned with the "FBG" initials and logo of his crew, Freebandz Gang, Drake's ring displays the initials OVO and an owl emblem. The initials are spelled out in raised white diamonds on a ground of smaller pavé diamonds.
Neither the artists nor the designer released specs on the diamond total weight or precious metal content of the rings. We can report, however, that the mammoth New England Patriots' championship rings weighed more than a quarter-pound and were set with 205 diamonds totaling 4.85 carats.
The artists were quick to share images of the ring with their Instagram followers. The 28-year-old Drake (born Aubrey Drake Graham) showed off his ring in an Instagram video, captioned “Big rings from my brother @future. Champion Sound OVOFBG.” Future, whose birth name is Nayvadius DeMun Wilburn, posted a closeup shot of the two rings and thanked the designer in the caption: My bro/jeweler @elliotavianne always kno [sic] how to bring my vision to life…world champions.”
What a Time to Be Alive marks the return to the #1 Billboard spot for both rappers this year. Drake’s mixtape If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late was a chart topper, as was Future’s DS2 LP. According to Rap-Up.com, the last rapper to score two #1s in a year was Jay Z back in 2004.
Incidentally, What a Time to Be Alive features "diamond" cover art and two songs related to jewelry, "Big Rings" and "Diamonds Dancing." The songs carry a parental advisory and will not be previewed here.
Credits: Instagram/champagnepapi; Instagram.com/future; Jostens Inc.; Album cover art.
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