Players Anthems: When Sports Teams Adopt Rap Songs
Rich Homie Quan has the Spartans feeling some "Type of Way."
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Player Anthems: When Sports Teams Adopt Rap Songs - Monday night (Jan. 7), Florida State defeated Auburn in college football's BCS National Championship game, in a thrilling 34-31 victory. The game itself had its share of rap-related moments — like Auburn coaches calling a play by holding a picture of Jay Z with the caption "Tom Ford" — but the most hip-hop moment of the bowl season belonged to Michigan State, which adopted Rich Homie Quan's "Type of Way" as a team anthem during the year. The Spartans took it one step further, inviting Rich to join them for their recent games. Read on for more sports teams that have picked up rap songs over the years.(Photo: Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)
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Michigan State Spartans - Rich Homie Quan "Type of Way" - After victories this year, Michigan State began celebrating by dancing to “Type of Way” in their locker room (the coach even got involved). The connection was capped off when the Atlanta rapper was invited to join the team for their Rose Bowl match up with Stanford — a win that he was on hand to celebrate.
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NY Giants - Jim Jones "We Fly High" - In 2006, Jim Jones heated up the New York streets with his “We Fly High” single. The New York Giants took a liking to the jam — particularly their defensive line, who would "ballin' stroke" after each sack. Jones returned the nod with "We Fly High (New York Giants Remix)."(Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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New York Yankees - Jay Z "Empire State of Mind" - In 2009, “Empire State of Mind” became an anthem for not just New York, but throughout the country. The Yankees, naturally, took particular pride in the song and Derek Jeter would walk to the plate with it playing over the loud speakers. Hov and Alicia were tapped to perform it prior to Game 2 of the 2009 World Series at Yankee Stadium. (Photo: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)
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Kentucky Wildcats - Troop 41 "Do the John Wall" - As the best player in college basketball during the 2009-10 season, John Wall popularized a move where he’d flex his arm and simultaneously twist his wrist. Troop 41, a trio from Raleigh, North Carolina — also Wall's hometown — immortalized the dance with their "Do the John Wall" single in 2010, which landed on the Billboard Hot 100.(Photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
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Pittsburgh Steelers - Wiz Khalifa "Black & Yellow" - When Wiz Khalifa's "Black & Yellow" became a smash, it was perfect timing for the Pittsburgh Steelers — whose colors are black and yellow and who were in the midst of a run that would lead them to the Super Bowl. The Pittsburgh rapper was tapped to perform his breakout hit at Heinz Field for the AFC Championship.(Photo: REUTERS)
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Los Angeles Clippers - Tyga "Lob City" - Just as the Los Angeles Clippers' high-flying core was taking shape, Tyga's inescapable banger "Rack City" was climbing charts. Tyga crafted a specially made remix for the Blake Griffin-led dunkers, aptly titled "Lob City."(Photos: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images; Noel Vasquez/Getty Images)
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Brooklyn Nets - Fabolous "Brooklyn" - Since moving to Brooklyn from New Jersey in 2012, the franchise has embraced the BK's deep rap roots, with a DJ playing jams throughout games. Most notably, though, fans chant "Brooklyn" constantly, to the cadence of Fab's "Brooklyn" featuring Jay Z and Uncle Murda.(Photo: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images)
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Miami Hurricanes - Uncle Luke "The U" - The U, a documentary on ESPN about the University of Miami football program during the late 1980s and early 1990s, focused not only on the players, but also their relationship with local rap legend Uncle Luke. For the documentary, the veteran MC was recruited to craft a theme song celebrating his hometown squad.(Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
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New York Knicks - Jesse Iztler "Go New York, Go New York" - The 1993-94 New York Knicks team made it to the NBA Finals, and as much as their great lineup of players (Patrick Ewing, John Starks and Charles Oakley, to name a few) deserve credit, so does the team's anthem. "Go New York" blared through Madison Square Garden speakers during that season, and is so beloved, it's gone through a number of remakes in the time since.(Photo: Allsport/Getty Images)