Lensed by Haneem Christian in our Cortez ‘23 drop, the resilience of Dope Saint Jude’s punk attitudes enliven Nike’s message for the femme-led future of empowerment and originality.

Starting her career as performing as a drag king in Cape Town’s drag scene, pursuing her solo career a decade ago evolved Dope Saint Jude’s life into a seminal reflection of South Africa’s creative awakening. Recently returned to live back in South Africa, she says of her current focus “Right now I am in my “give no Fs” era. I have spent the last 5 years living and touring outside of South Africa and this has taught me so much about the world, myself and humbled me. Right now, my aim is to create art I believe in and art that resonates and serves my community.” 

“I realise that my definition of joy is ever changing. I used to have a fixed idea of what would bring me joy. Right now, I find joy in growth, community and nurturing my inner child.” As a queer, Brown woman, Catherine’s artistry is made manifest as a beacon for queer lineages before and after her, as she says “I believe that previously marginalised voices are finally being given an opportunity to be heard. This is one step closer to creating a creative landscape that better reflects the day to day experiences of everyday people.”

Captured by Haneem Christian for the Cortez ‘23 campaign, Catherine’s expression is a stunning reminiscence of the ‘riot grrrl’ movement; a feminist punk movement that emerged in the 1990s, characterised by its fierce and unapologetic attitude towards societal norms and gender roles. It sought to empower women through music, zines, and activism, sparking a revolution in the underground music scene and inspiring generations of women to find their voices - a stark contrast to the male-dominated expression of punk. This ability of Dope Saint Jude to subvert any notions of what a female rapper should be defines her as an anthem-setting, culturally-shifting force.