Fila is trying to make a comeback through the use of hip hop star Nas, who has just signed a one-year partnership with the athletic apparel company that will include his own line, reports Billboard.

The deal calls for Fila to offer reciprocal financial backing for Nas' print and TV ad campaign as well as his upcoming tour in support of his untitled album, due July 15 via Def Jam. In return, the MC will sport Fila gear and co-create an apparel line that draws from fashions of the late '80s.

"My best friend Will and I loved Fila," Nas tells Billboard. "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."

The brand means so much to him that he's gone against his own tradition of steering clear of endorsement deals. Fila president John Epstein recognizes the importance of having Nas on board despite his upcoming album that will speak directly and unapologetically to America's racial struggles.

"I had some trepidation, and then I started talking to 16- to 20-year-old kids in focus groups," said Fila president John Epstein. "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."