Tony and MJ bring humor and insight as they dive into sports, entertainment, and personal experiences. From epic coaching comebacks and NBA trades to unexpected movie theater mishaps and animated series deep dives, they tackle it all with sharp wit and real talk.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Subscribe: RSS
Tony and MJ explore a range of engaging topics, blending humor, insight, and thoughtful discussion. From personal stories about NCAA and a salty Smushy to debates about legal issues, relationships, and pop culture, their conversation offers both laughs and reflection. They dive into the TikTok shutdown’s implications, celebrate the rise of Black quarterbacks in the NFL, and analyze college basketball rankings and NBA stats. Along the way, they review a movie, “One of Them Days,” and touch on the impact of envy in personal success. With lively banter, this episode captures the duo’s dynamic and their take on sports, culture, and life.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Subscribe: RSS
Tony and MJ dive into a wide range of topics in this episode, including their personal experiences with work, food delivery services, and staying productive despite challenges. They discuss sports updates from the NFL playoffs, college basketball rankings, and standout NBA performances. The duo also shares candid thoughts on dating apps, TV shows, and even their top 10 favorite adult film categories. With humor and relatable anecdotes, the conversation shifts from wildfires in California to snowy road safety and resourceful prisoners. This episode is packed with laughs, insights, and honest reflections.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Subscribe: RSS
Tony and MJ engage in spirited discussions about college basketball, football playoffs, TV shows, movies, and rap culture. They debate sports rankings, playoff matchups, fan biases, and cultural controversies. They also dive into cinematic universes and critique music rankings, ultimately planning their own list of the best rappers alive each year.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Subscribe: RSS
Tony and MJ dive into a whirlwind of hilarious and thought-provoking discussions, from navigating social media and managing perceptions to the nuances of adult content creation and rap lyric embellishment. They share insights on winter weather woes, political spin, TikTok trends, and the intricacies of conquest games. The duo rounds it out with an entertaining analysis of Week 18 NFL playoff scenarios, complete with sharp wit and playful banter.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Subscribe: RSS
Tony and MJ catch up on everything from navigating work frustrations and quitting etiquette to sports nostalgia and TikTok’s creator fund changes. They explore pandemic-driven economic shifts, reminisce about holiday traditions, and debate playoff strategies across NFL, NBA, and college football. With lighthearted nods to 90s music videos and Christmas movie favorites, the duo mixes humor and insight for a well-rounded conversation.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Subscribe: RSS
In the vibrant city of Jackson, MS, two geeky best friends, Malik Warren (Miles Brown) and Khalil Douglas (Asante Blackk), struggle to fit in at the prestigious Murrah High School. Malik and Khalil are inseparable but constantly ridiculed by senior basketball stars Isaiah (Caleel Harris) and Marlon (Myles Truitt), who torment them over their unrequited crushes on stylish cheerleaders Dana (Skai Jackson) and Simone (Shahadi Wright Joseph). Tired of being humiliated and overlooked, Malik persuades Khalil that they need to take bold action to transform their lives and win the attention they crave.
One weekend, while Khalil’s parents are out of town, Malik draws inspiration from a late-night viewing of Wierd Science. He convinces Khalil to help him create the “perfect woman” using Khalil’s high-tech gaming computer. Through a mix of coding, creativity, and hacking into a nearby government data hub for extra power, their experiment takes a wild turn. A freak electrical surge brings Lyric (Amandla Stenberg) to life—a confident, intelligent, and reality-bending woman who is everything Malik and Khalil dreamed of.
Lyric immediately takes charge of their lives, conjuring up a tricked-out Tesla and taking the boys to a local spoken-word café in Jackson’s Fondren Arts District. There, she encourages them to step out of their comfort zones and embrace their individuality. Despite the confidence boost, their troubles persist. After a particularly humiliating run-in at school where Isaiah and Marlon dump milkshakes on them, Lyric hatches a plan: she announces a massive party at Khalil’s house, much to his horror. She assures them it’s the perfect way to elevate their status.
The night of the party, Khalil’s typically quiet house becomes the hottest spot in Jackson. The school’s elite—including Dana and Simone—show up, but Malik and Khalil struggle to shine amidst the chaos. Meanwhile, Khalil’s intimidating older brother, Corey (Algee Smith), returns home unexpectedly, threatening to expose their antics to their parents unless Khalil pays him off. Things go further awry when Isaiah and Marlon convince Malik and Khalil to recreate their experiment. They forget to connect the doll this time, accidentally summoning a real military missile that crashes into the living room.
To complicate matters, Khalil’s grandparents drop by unexpectedly and confront Lyric about the raucous party. Undeterred, she freezes them mid-scolding and hides them in the pantry. Realizing that Malik and Khalil still need a push to build true confidence, Lyric invites a group of rogue poets called the Deep South Renegades, led by the enigmatic Lord General (Trevante Rhodes), to crash the party. Armed with dramatic performances and razor-sharp wordplay, the Renegades take over, terrifying the guests and holding Dana and Simone hostage as part of their “poetic initiation.”
Faced with their biggest challenge yet, Malik and Khalil must rise to the occasion. Drawing on Lyric’s teachings and their own courage, the boys step up, confronting the Renegades in an intense poetry slam that leaves the crowd cheering. Dana and Simone are impressed by their bravery, and the boys finally earn their admiration.
The next morning, Corey returns to find the house in complete disarray, including his room inexplicably transformed into a swamp. After Lyric temporarily turns him into a talking toad for his bullying, Corey finally apologizes to Khalil. With her mission complete, Lyric restores the house to its original state, unfreezes Khalil’s grandparents, and tearfully bids the boys farewell. Malik and Khalil, now more confident and self-assured, ask Dana and Simone out on a date, which the girls eagerly accept.
Just when Malik and Khalil think life is back to normal, Lyric reappears as the new gym teacher at Murrah High School. She winks at them during roll call, leaving them speechless as the screen fades to black.
Tony and Marqus dive into diverse topics, including the entertainment industry’s challenges and opportunities, app bans and their implications, societal desensitization to violence, sports debates, reality TV drama, and the struggles of America’s poorest cities. They touch on college football playoffs, NBA trades, women’s basketball, and NFL games while sprinkling in lighthearted banter about movies, weather, and viral TikTok videos. The conversations blend humor, thoughtful insights, and sharp critiques of current events.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Subscribe: RSS
Tony and Marqus engage in dynamic conversations about health routines, tech setups, sports analysis, pop culture, and societal issues. They share insights on daily habits, monetization strategies, and DEI initiatives while diving into sports predictions, anime recommendations, and TV show reviews. Their discussions often highlight humor, critical thinking, and mutual interests in tech, media, and equality.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Subscribe: RSS
I’m old enough to remember in the early days of hip hop how taboo it was for athletes to be associated with the culture as a part of their public personas. It was far less likely to have any hip hop associated with teams or leagues. Jock Jams, a compilation of stadium songs, was heavily influenced by rock and pop tunes. Occasionally, Tag Team would make the list with their “Whoomp! There It Is”, but very seldomly did songs cross into the sports realm.
Over the last decade or so, hip hop has deeply influenced the atmosphere at sports events, especially in the NBA, where in-game DJs and curated soundtracks create high-energy, engaging environments for fans and players alike. Sports marketing is the biggest influencer in this change as organizations work to turn the sporting events into an all-around entertainment experience.
From NBA arenas to NFL stadiums, hip-hop tracks have become synonymous with hype and motivation. The driving beats and powerful lyrics of hip-hop resonate with the intensity and drama of sports, where moments of anticipation and climactic highs mirror the rise and drop of a beat. Songs like Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” and DMX’s “Party Up” are almost anthemic in their association with sports, serving as cues for fans to get louder and players to get pumped.
In fact, many stadium DJs and event organizers strategically pick hip-hop tracks that fans recognize immediately, building a communal sense of energy. These songs create a shared experience, encouraging fans to cheer, dance, and stay engaged, which can influence the home-field advantage teams rely on. According to sports psychology research, a charged stadium atmosphere can boost team performance and affect the psyche of the opposition (Smith & Cogan, 2023).
Hip-hop and sports have also shared a cultural synergy that reflects both resilience and expression. Many hip-hop artists and athletes come from similar backgrounds and share values of hard work and perseverance. These overlapping worlds have fueled collaborations, from clothing lines to sponsorships, and brought hip-hop further into the mainstream sports industry (Rose, 2024). The NBA, in particular, has embraced hip-hop as a central part of its brand, with artists like Drake, J. Cole, and Jay-Z often appearing courtside and contributing to team soundtracks.
Sports marketing increasingly leverages popular music to enhance the fan experience at events, blending entertainment with sports to create a memorable atmosphere. Playing well-known music before, during, and after games boosts energy and emotional engagement, making events feel more like spectacles rather than purely athletic competitions. For instance, research shows that music can increase fan arousal and anticipation, amplifying the overall enjoyment of the event (Van Leeuwen & Janssen, 2019). Additionally, incorporating popular music aligns with fans’ cultural interests, creating a more personalized and enjoyable experience that appeals to younger demographics who are particularly drawn to multimedia entertainment (Shank & Lyberger, 2014). This strategy ultimately fosters brand loyalty, as fans associate positive, exciting experiences with the teams and sponsors involved (Kim, 2020).
The diversity of fan bases coupled with the fact that many of today’s spectators and players grew up with Hip Hop as a part of their maturation, opened the doors for swell of the art form becoming a part of the experience. We were able to witness songs being created solely to be used for sports themes that featured players, teams, and even entire events. Hip Hop artists were chosen to act as ambassadors for sporting events like the Super Bowl, NBA All-Star Weekend, and most recently, the Olympics.
Here’s a list of 10 hip-hop tracks that are iconic in sports stadiums, known for their ability to energize fans and inspire players:
Travis Scott – “SICKO MODE”
Travis Scott’s multi-layered track has become popular in sports for its dynamic beat switches and high energy.
Eminem – “Lose Yourself”
Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” has been a staple in sports arenas, representing focus, perseverance, and determination.
DMX – “Party Up (Up In Here)”
DMX’s anthemic track is often played to get fans on their feet, especially during intense moments in NBA and NFL games.
Meek Mill – “Dreams and Nightmares”
Known as the unofficial anthem of the Philadelphia Eagles, this song’s powerful opening has become legendary in sports culture.
Drake – “Started From the Bottom”
Drake’s track reflects the underdog story often celebrated in sports, symbolizing hard-earned success.
JAY-Z – “Public Service Announcement”
JAY-Z’s “Allow me to reintroduce myself” line has become iconic for player introductions and crucial moments.
House of Pain – “Jump Around”
This classic remains a go-to for stadiums to get fans pumped, especially in college sports.
Kanye West – “Power”
With its intense beat and lyrics, “Power” captures the high-stakes atmosphere of sports.
Lil Wayne – “A Milli”
Lil Wayne’s track is perfect for hype, often played during timeouts or as players warm up.
50 Cent – “In Da Club”
This club classic has crossed over into stadiums, with its catchy beat ideal for hyping crowds.