Starting this week, expect to hear “The Game” played during commercial breaks of ESPN’s telecasts throughout the NBA postseason.
The NBA postseason is in full swing and in the spirit of celebration, a few of the most respected artists in the hip-hop game have teamed up to record an all-new track expected to be heard on-air during this week’s slew of matches.
Dropping Wednesday in the midst of the NBA Play-In Tournament, “The Game” pays homage to hoops culture — inspired by both the competition and lifestyle on and off the hardwood that makes basketball so special. Rick Ross, Fat Joe, and Jadakiss and Styles P of The Lox are featured on the track produced by Set Free Richardson, Buda & Grandz, Mike Kuz, and DraftKings.
This all came together thanks to Free, but it doesn’t help that all the rapper’s respective teams are all playoffs bound. A Philly native, naturally Free is a lifelong 76ers fan. As for Rick Ross, his Miami roots tie him to the Heat. For Fat Joe and The Lox, the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets are the teams of choice.
This song may appear in theory to be another single, but “The Game” is part of a larger effort to strengthen the relationship among the hip-hop industry, modern urban culture, and hoops. This past season, DraftKings, the creative brains at The Revival House, and Free (longtime DJ, creator of the AND1 Mixtape, and founder of The Compound) joined forces to initiate thoughtful discussions around hoops while also producing original content and activations in new spaces — the result is “The Starting Five: Live From the Compound” series on which Richardson, Jadakiss, designer Don C, and other famous faces converse with pros across the league on fashion, art, music, gaming, and sports betting.
You can listen and watch the highlight reel-inspired music video for “The Game” on all major streaming platforms. On television, the new anthem will show up during commercial breaks of this week’s telecasts and basketball-related programming on ESPN.
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