As the WNBA continues to soar, thanks to its huge players, rising young talent and nail-biting moments, one team exudes an optimism and ferocity that has been difficult to replicate all season: the New York Liberty.
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Not only are the Liberty backed by two-time league MVP Breanna Stewart, three-time All-Star Sabrina Ionescu and five-time All-Star and former MVP Jonquel Jones, but they also have the world of hip-hop starring every time. move and dribble along the way. And now, the team is on the verge of a historic triumph: capturing its first title in franchise history, following a hard-fought Game 3 win on Wednesday night (October 16) against the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA Finals.
“New York Liberty is restoring pride to the streets of New York,” says Ja Rule. Bulletin board via email after appearing at halftime of Game 2 of the Liberty's semifinal series against the Las Vegas Aces earlier this month. “Watching Breanna Stewart take someone into the post and the crowd erupt is the same feeling as hearing the distant roar of cheers through Yankee Stadium from blocks outside the Bronx when Derek Jeter slaps a house! In translation: New York, we're back, baby! And we're on the backs of New York's Liberty.”
What was originally the home that Jay-Z built in 2012 when he christened the Barclays Center as former co-owner of the Brooklyn Nets has been transformed into a basketball wonderland run by the Liberty. After reaching the WNBA Finals last year, there is a growing appetite to see the team compete, especially among hip-hop stars. Since then, Liberty has had Swizz Beatz, Alicia Keys, Common, Jennifer Hudson, Fat Joe and A Boogie wit Da Hoodie attend his matches on multiple occasions, cheering them on from the sidelines.
This connection to hip-hop royalty isn't just a huge win, but a source of pride for Liberty, whose brand director Shana Stephenson wanted to take the next step: inviting artists to perform at home games of the group. A born and raised New Yorker, Stephenson is an avid fan of 90s hip-hop and saw an opportunity to bridge the gap between her two loves, women's sports and music.
“New York is full of rich culture, and hip-hop is a key ingredient,” he says. “Basketball and hip-hop go hand in hand. As someone who loves hip-hop and grew up on '90s hip-hop, it just made sense to me.”
Last year, in honor of 50 years of hip-hop, Stephenson looked for ways Liberty could pay tribute to the genre's most revered pioneers. She pulled it off last August when Liberty held a concert celebrating 50 years of women in hip-hop, and enlisted MC Lyte and Rapsody as the night's performers. Stephenson's love of legacy projects continued this year as the Liberty stormed into the Finals for the second straight season. With the stakes higher than ever, he tapped established rap stars Rick Ross and Jadakiss to appear in Games 1 and 2 of the Liberty Finals home games, the latter in front of a record crowd of 18,000 fans.
And while the Liberty franchise has enjoyed watching a “Who's Who” of hip-hop take center stage during its games, it has also used its halftime shows as a platform for up-and-coming talent, especially those from New York to benefit.
“We see this as a platform for up-and-coming artists who want to get their music out there and in front of a different audience,” says Stephenson, who has performed for Cash Cobain, Maiya The Don, Lola Brooke and more. “And we know that even though they're not as mainstream, they also have a following, whether it's a cult following or an underground following. This is also an opportunity for us to tap into their core fan base, who may not be as familiar with the Liberty or WNBA fans. We see it as mutually beneficial.”
“It's beautiful,” adds Maiya the Don. “For a long time, women's sports, especially basketball, didn't get the shine they deserved, but now the hip-hop community is showing love in a way that lifts these women up. It's dope to see artists, especially in hip-hop, recognize their greatness and support them. There's a natural connection between basketball and hip-hop, so it's about time the ladies got the same recognition. And honestly, it's empowering. They pave the way for all of us to get the respect we deserve on our streets.”
Maiya the Don at Atlanta Dream vs. New York Liberty in Brooklyn, New York on September 22, 2024.
Courtesy of New York Liberty
With the Liberty just one game away from potentially winning their first championship in franchise history, Stephenson envisions a future of even greater success. He dreams that icons like Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z, Rihanna and LL Cool J will one day grace the Liberty Court at Barclays Center, further strengthening the bond between Liberty and culture.
“This is a championship we're aiming for,” says Stephenson. “It doesn't matter that it's the WNBA. It makes it no less than if the Nets were competing for an NBA championship or the Yankees or Mets were competing for an MLB championship. it means a lot in the sports world to be recognized as the best. For everyone who wants to cheer us on, to be supportive, to be in the building for it and to know that a half-time performance can motivate the fans and the players, it means a lot.”
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/new-york-liberty-wnba-finals-hip-hop-1235804259/
