The last time Swansea City had something on the field to celebrate, Arsene Wenger was still Arsenal manager and Corona was just a beer.
The club are nearing a decade spent in the Championship and don’t seem to be headed to the Premier League any time soon. Since relegation in 2018, the Swans have been largely limited to mid-table finishes in the second-tier, barring a couple of playoff appearances.
However, they’ve had some major rejigs off the field in the same time period. Swansea this decade has welcomed the legendary Luka Modric and hip-hop icon Snoop Dogg as minority investors, making their name resonate beyond the football world.
And the partnerships only seem to be blooming further.
On Saturday, Swansea opened their pre-season campaign for 2026/27 with an encounter against Holstein Kiel who ply their trade in the German second-tier. In the absence of premier marksman Zan Vipotnik, the Welsh outfit took the lead twice but had to eventually settle for a 2-2 draw.
With the World Cup buzz still alive, the friendly in Austria destined to slip under the radar. However, heads were turned and headlines made by the shirts Swansea were wearing.
The Swans donned classic white shorts, with distinctive black collars reminiscent of the olden era. The black club crest and accents along sleeve cuffs further enhanced the jersey’s duotone look.
The sleeves featured ASI:One by Fetch.ai’s logo, as part of a season-long deal announced last month. Yet, capturing all the attention, was the flamboyant Death Rows Records insignia right at the centre of the jersey.
There has been no formal announcement of a deal between the iconic west coast hip-hop label and Swansea, but the collaboration is no co-incidence. In 2022, the record label was acquired by Snoop with hopes of reviving history.
Death Row Records was founded by Suge Knight in 1991 along with Dr Dre after the latter split with the revolutionary west coast NWA group. Through the ‘90s, the likes of Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur would follow, making Death Rows one of the most iconic labels in hip-hop history.
However, despite all the commercial success, Knight’s reputation for street violence preceded him. It would ultimately lead to Dre and Snoop’s departure, shortly before Tupac lost his life in a drive-by.
Knight himself eventually ended up with a long prison sentence and is still incarcerated, causing Death Rows to file for bankruptcy in 2006. Ultimately auctioned three years later, the label changed hands a surprising number of times before Snoop came to the rescue.
The Death Row feature on Swansea shirts thus could be Snoop taking advantage of his stake at the club to generate some marketing for his label. The limited edition jerseys have been successful in creating a buzz for both the club and Snoop’s venture, making the idea a win-win.
Unfortunately for fans, the jersey is not available for retail and will only be worn by the club during the pre-season. The club already has announced an extended deal with Reviva coffee to continue as front-of-shirt sponsors through the 2026/27 season.
Swansea are slated to play a couple more friendlies in Austria, against Bochum and Udinese respectively. Perhaps fans will have another chance or two to see west-coast hip-hop meet Welsh club football.
