Although NBA All-Star Weekend
in Denver was largely a setting for rock and country music, hip-hop and R&B
artists also made their presence felt.
The weekend’s events were
kicked off Friday night with the McDonald’s All-Star Celebrity Game, where Nelly,
DJ Clue and Jermaine Dupri suited up and proved that the rappers wanting to
be ballers adage was still alive and well.
And while they showed rare
flashes of talent and style (Nelly, part-owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, rocked
his jersey backwards), it was R&B crooner Brian McKnight who earned MVP
honors and led his team to a 65-64 victory.
On Super Saturday,
Brandy hollered from the sideline as her fiance Quentin Richardson of the Phoenix
Suns won the Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout.
The songstress
also stuck around as Richardson’s teammate Amaré Stoudemire and Atlanta
rookie Josh Smith competed in the finals of what was one of the most memorable
Slam Dunk contests in recent years.
Smith was victorious, with
a perfect score of 100, largely due to a vicious willmill dunk he threw down
while donning a throwback of Hawk’s legend Dominique Wilkins.
Rap moguls P.Diddy
Combs and Jay-Z, an investor in the New Jersey Nets, grabbed front-row seats
for Sunday’s main event, watching the East defeat the West, 125-115, and Allen
Iverson hoist the MVP trophy.
Performances by Ciara, Tamia
and Destiny’s Child were also included in festivties.
