Why 2 Chainz night was more than a victory for the Hawks

2chainz2

Atlanta continues to be one of the top cities in the nation for music and entertainment. But as the surging Atlanta Hawks prepare for a run at the NBA title, the city is now being recognized as a basketball town.

The Hawks recently merged sports and hip-hop by enlisting Atlanta rapper 2 Chainz to serve as honorary CEO. On a night when the Hawks decimated the Heat 99-86, 2 Chainz provided an equal amount of entertainment by performing three times during the evening.


But beyond the festive moments of 2 Chainz serving as substitute CEO, beating Dominique Wilkins in a game of HORSE, and having his official Hawks jersey on sale at the team’s store, there was a bigger meaning to the night.

The Hawks, 2 Chainz, and the city of Atlanta have more in common than a fun night of music and sports. When taking a deeper look, they are all underdogs who have found ways to do the impossible.


In 2007, 2 Chainz was known as Tity Boi and one half of the group, Playaz Circle. The duo was signed to Ludacris’ DTP record label, but they weren’t much of a priority. When their debut album, Supply & Demand was released, it only sold a little over 26,000 copies at a time when hip-hop records were still reaching platinum status on a regular basis.

That same year, the woeful Atlanta Hawks only won 30 games out of 82 and were one of the forgotten teams in the NBA.

Fast-forward to 2015 and the Hawks and 2 Chainz are at the top of their respective games. 2 Chainz made his resurgence in music after breaking away from Playaz Circle and changing his name. He found ways to rebuild his brand through mixtapes and eventually became a platinum-selling artist.

The Hawks rebranded the team by hiring Mike Budenhoizer to coach and playing with a team-first concept that has allowed them to stay at the top of the NBA’s Eastern Conference.

Atlanta has found ways to become a major city in the South due to its world-class airport, an influx of Black-owned businesses and Fortune 500 companies, and its thriving entertainment industry.

So while fans at Philips Arena enjoyed a night of good music and basketball, the best takeaway from the night is that comebacks are possible and there is always room for a second act.

Check out exclusive images below.

Photos: LeKeith Taylor

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A.R. Shaw
A.R. Shaw is an author and journalist who documents culture, politics, and entertainment. He has covered The Obama White House, the summer Olympics in London, and currently serves as Lifestyle Editor for Rolling Out magazine. Shaw's latest book, Trap History, delves into the history and global dominance of Trap music. Follow his journey on TrapHistory.Com, Twitter @arshaw and Instagram @arshaw23.
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