[youtube]http://youtu.be/xAvOa_PFPpA[/youtube]
It’s back! The combination of basketball, fashion, & music has re-merged on its platform. AND1 will be launching its “2013 AND1 Summer Remix Basketball Tournament” on Labor Day Weekend (August 29 – September 1) in Philadelphia, PA. The venue for the tournament will be at The Liacouras Center at Temple University. I hope all the folks in Philly can go take advantage of this event.
As soon as I heard this announcement I immediately started reminiscing about the time in my youth where almost every basketball player in gyms and parks would mimic the ball handling styles and highlight plays seen on the AND1 video mixtapes. I hope you basketball fans are just as excited about this as I am. Check the official press release below and video above. Keep up with AND1 on Twitter: @AND1Basketball
“The AND1 apparel and sneaker brand and event partner IMG Worldwide, the global sports, fashion and media company, today announced a mixture of music and basketball luminaries who will form teams and are scheduled to participate in the launch of the 2013 AND1 Summer Remix Basketball Tournament. The inaugural event will be a 12-team, $100,000, winner-take-all tournament, the largest cash prize for one event in streetball history, to be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Liacouras Center on the campus of Temple University during Labor Day Weekend (August 29 – September 1). Leading the list of headliners who will captain teams in the streetball tournament are NBA legend Shawn Kemp, who will form a team of players from the Seattle area, Indiana Pacers star and AND1 athlete Lance Stephenson, who will lead a team of players selected from open tryouts from across the country, and a trio of music legends with a passion for basketball in Michael Bivins, Jermaine Dupri and Rico Love. Teams will be comprised of several former NBA and pro players, streetball legends as well as some of the most accomplished individual basketball and streetball talents in the world.
“This announcement today is reflective of the wide scope of interest in our relaunch, a mix of former stars like Shawn Kemp, rising stars, like Lance Stephenson, and some well-known musical talents who all have a passion for basketball in Michael, Jermaine and Rico, ” said AND1 marketing director Maurice Levy. “We are looking forward to seeing the teams they assemble, as we continue to form the other teams to be announced in the weeks to come. For sure, Philadelphia will become the AND1 Streetball capital for all basketball fans during our Labor Day weekend event with this, the largest and most lucrative streetball tournament ever. “
So So Def Recordings founder, and the creator/owner of Global 14, Jermaine Dupri is a multi-Grammy award winning producer/songwriter that has developed and created music talents like: Kris Kross (Chris Kelly and Chris Smith), Xscape, Jagged Edge, Lil Bow Wow, Da Brat, Anthony Hamilton, Leah Labelle and others. With a discography that started at the age of 14, Dupri is also credited as Executive Producer of Mariah Carey’s “Emancipation of Mimi”, Usher’s “Confessions”. He has also worked with: Alicia Keys, Jay-Z, Monica, Ludacris, Lil’ Jon, Destiny’s Child, Janet Jackson and many others.
Rico Love has written and produced hit records such as Usher’s “There Goes My Baby” and “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home)”, Nelly’s “Just a Dream” and “Gone”, Beyoncé Knowles’ “Sweet Dreams” and has contributed to Grammy Award performances such as Beyoncé’s 2009 Best Contemporary R&B album I Am… Sasha Fierce, Usher’s 2010 Best Contemporary R&B album Raymond v Raymond, and Usher’s 2010 Best Male R&B Vocal Performance “There Goes My Baby.” In addition, Love has written and produced records for Kelly Rowland, Chris Brown, Fergie and Fantasia. Love is also the CEO of Division1, his record label named after his passion for hoops, which partnered with Universal Motown in 2010. Dupri’s team will be made up of talent from Atlanta, Bivins’ team, clad in green and white, will represent the city of Boston, and Love’s team will be a mix of talent from the south. The remaining captains, as well as musical talent and special guests from the sports and entertainment world, will be announced in the coming weeks.”