There were several renowned rappers throughout the 1980s.
Kool Moe Dee and LL Cool J rose to prominence. The radio was dominated by bands like Whodini, Grandmaster Flash, and the Furious Five. Then came artists like KRS-One and Rakim.
A commercial featuring some of the top NBA players aired somewhere in the midst of this hip-hop invasion. Compared to most boomboxes, it was the complete opposite.
I’m kidding.
Maybe I’m not, though.
The Converse shoe company started running advertisements for their “Weapons” style in 1986. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson first appeared in ads for their boots, which symbolized the rivalry between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers.
Johnson donned purple and yellow to match the Lakers’ colors, while Bird wore all-black with a white star. Eventually, word of the shoe traveled throughout the entire league. At that point, Converse made the decision to feature additional celebrities in the advertisements.
It resulted in a commercial with Kevin McHale, Mark Aguirre, Bernard King, and Isiah Thomas. Even worse, their only verse was a rap. A funny version of the “lyrics” can be seen in the video below, which is an outtakes clip.
In fact, it’s one of the most recognizable ads in NBA history. What the shoe performs for their particular game is explained in a lyric by each player.
Bird delivers this iconic statement as it comes to an end: “You know what they did for me? I get to take the NBA with me.”
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