A Tribe Called Quest Bounces Back
And 2K Sports is taking all the credit for getting 'em back together.
Published: August 10, 2006
Hip-hop and basketball are intrinsically intertwined. Trying to pull them apart would be like splitting an atom, so for years now video game publishers have been seeking a way to best sell their roundball sims to the masses. The solution, it would seem, is to pattern things off of existing efforts; play toward the fusion of lifestyle, hip-hop and culture that surrounds both the pro and street versions of the sport.
You could, say, make an entire game about one side of it, or you could do what 2K Sports did and take things on the road, with a nationwide tour that blended showcases of their yearly b-ball effort with a hot musical act. Last year, it was The Roots, but this year 2K scored something of a coup: they reunited Q-Tip, Phife Dawk and Ali Shaheed Muhammad -- better known as A Tribe Called Quest.
Breakups in music are nothing new, but returning from a eight year hiatus to pimp a basketball video game is. Though 2K happily takes credit for the return, we have the feeling it was merely a catalyst for what was already brewing. Our evidence for this? The fact that Phife Dawg will appear in NBA 2K7's Street Mode as a playable character. That and he seems pretty happy about the partnership.
"I'm excited for me and my group to be a part of the 2K Sports Bounce Tour," said Phife from A Tribe Called Quest. "It's a win-win situation for Tribe because we get to be a part of such a dope game, and we get to reach out and touch our fans in these 15 cities. I couldn't ask for a better opportunity. Also, I'm excited because everyone knows I am a sports nut, so being down with the game and also being a character in the game is crazy to me."
"After The Roots headlined last year's Bounce Tour, we knew we had to raise the bar even further," said Tim Rosa, director of brand and lifestyle marketing for 2K Sports. "We jumped on the opportunity to reunite the legendary A Tribe Called Quest, whose positive vibe and innovative style meshed perfectly with the 2K Sports brand."
This Bounce Tour everyone's going on about is a roving showcase of mixed live music events, athlete appearances and demos of NBA 2K7, which is getting a next-gen nudge to the PS3 this year. The Tour hits 15 cities during its stretch from early September into the first couple days of October. The official web site has all the deets, but we can at least give you the stops on the tour.
Sept 8 - Las Vegas NV
Sept 9 - Berkeley CA
Sept 10 - Los Angeles CA
Sept 13 - Denver CO
Sept 15 - Chicago IL
Sept 16 - Milwaukee WI
Sept 17 - Toronto ON
Sept 20 - Baltimore MD
Sept 22 - Washington DC
Sept 23 - Atlanta GA
Sept 24 - Lake Buena Vista FL
Sept 28 - Atlantic City NJ
Sept 29 - Worcester MA
Oct 1 - Sayreville NJ
Oct 5 - TBA, NY
Who knows, you might just see some TPS staffers at one of these events...
You could, say, make an entire game about one side of it, or you could do what 2K Sports did and take things on the road, with a nationwide tour that blended showcases of their yearly b-ball effort with a hot musical act. Last year, it was The Roots, but this year 2K scored something of a coup: they reunited Q-Tip, Phife Dawk and Ali Shaheed Muhammad -- better known as A Tribe Called Quest.
Breakups in music are nothing new, but returning from a eight year hiatus to pimp a basketball video game is. Though 2K happily takes credit for the return, we have the feeling it was merely a catalyst for what was already brewing. Our evidence for this? The fact that Phife Dawg will appear in NBA 2K7's Street Mode as a playable character. That and he seems pretty happy about the partnership.
"I'm excited for me and my group to be a part of the 2K Sports Bounce Tour," said Phife from A Tribe Called Quest. "It's a win-win situation for Tribe because we get to be a part of such a dope game, and we get to reach out and touch our fans in these 15 cities. I couldn't ask for a better opportunity. Also, I'm excited because everyone knows I am a sports nut, so being down with the game and also being a character in the game is crazy to me."
"After The Roots headlined last year's Bounce Tour, we knew we had to raise the bar even further," said Tim Rosa, director of brand and lifestyle marketing for 2K Sports. "We jumped on the opportunity to reunite the legendary A Tribe Called Quest, whose positive vibe and innovative style meshed perfectly with the 2K Sports brand."
This Bounce Tour everyone's going on about is a roving showcase of mixed live music events, athlete appearances and demos of NBA 2K7, which is getting a next-gen nudge to the PS3 this year. The Tour hits 15 cities during its stretch from early September into the first couple days of October. The official web site has all the deets, but we can at least give you the stops on the tour.
Sept 8 - Las Vegas NV
Sept 9 - Berkeley CA
Sept 10 - Los Angeles CA
Sept 13 - Denver CO
Sept 15 - Chicago IL
Sept 16 - Milwaukee WI
Sept 17 - Toronto ON
Sept 20 - Baltimore MD
Sept 22 - Washington DC
Sept 23 - Atlanta GA
Sept 24 - Lake Buena Vista FL
Sept 28 - Atlantic City NJ
Sept 29 - Worcester MA
Oct 1 - Sayreville NJ
Oct 5 - TBA, NY
Who knows, you might just see some TPS staffers at one of these events...
