Posts Tagged ‘basketball’

Blog #5: Is Hip-Hop Really Global?

Tuesday, August 12th, 2008

What’s up everyone? I am a huge sports fan but my true love is basketball. I still play to this day and I coach my son Alex’s AAU team, the Del Ray Blazers. Needless to say I was one of the one billion people that watched the USA “Redeem Team” defeat China. With the Olympics upon us it is great to turn on the television and find sports on all day long.

Between Lebron and Yao the major American companies have a tight grip on basketball in the Olympics as far as advertising is concerned. Basketball is a global game at this point but with companies like Nike bringing the culture of basketball to China where does that leave music? Do you guys think China would ever be open to hip hop? Does having Lebron and Yao be such big stars make a better case for hip hop’s acceptance into the Chinese culture? Keep in mind one of China’s biggest artists, Edison Chen, has already collaborated with Kanye West and Just Blaze. I would love to know your thoughts.