The relationship between hip hop and basketball does not need any explanation.
There's an old saying that ball players want to be rap stars, and rap stars want to be ball players, and as a result of mutual admiration, the two are intrinsically linked in a bond that will never be broken. Basketball is easily the most-referenced sport in hip hop, and multiple NBA players have crossed over and launched rap careers of their own.
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Jay-Z, who has dropped some of the most famous and quotable hoops references in hip hop history, made waves back in 2013 when he founded Roc Nation Sports and became a certified agent for the National Basketball Association. In the years since, Roc Nation Sports has represented some of the league's best players, including Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Caris Levert, and both Lonzo and LaMelo Ball.
Now, joining Hov and Roc Nation Sports as pillars of music inside of basketball is record label Quality Control Music, and their sports subsidiary, Quality Control Sports.
In a recent press release, Quality Control Sports announced the launch of their new, full-service basketball division, and named NBA agent Derrick Powell as its global head.
Powell, who successfully negotiated a 5-year/$100 million contract extension for Cleveland Cavaliers' center Jarrett Allen back in August, said that he is looking forward to bolstering the record label's impressive legacy.
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"QC is the most authentic brand in todays Culture. I am truly honored and beyond excited to be a part of the amazing team that Coach and P have built at QC Sports," Powell said. "But mostly I am ready to get to work and continue to build on the legacy of Quality Control. I am humbled by the level of commitment and dedication everyone brings to the QC Sports clients personal and professional lives every day."
What do you think of QC Sports launching a full-service basketball division? Let us know down in the comments.