
By the time my editor gets to this, the Superbowl may have come and gone, and this story may seem extremely outdated. However, at the time of its conception and all the while that it was being written, it was extremely up to date, and by that I mean the day before the Superbowl. The story, which I have so elusively spoken of up to this point, is a story about a song that has come to define this 2010-2011 sports season. Steeler’s tribute “Black & Yellow.” The song by up and coming rapper Wiz Khalifa has received quite a lot of attention, peaking at number three on the billboard hot 100, going double platinum, and having nine remakes made about other sports teams alone (with countless other remakes and remixes done as well). Most predominately Lil’ Wayne’s newly released Packers tribute “Green and Yellow,” which marks the coming Superbowl (which, for those who don’t yet know, features both the Steelers and the Packers). The buzz these songs have caused has brought a new intensity to sport’s fans love of their hometown and its teams.
The style of these songs has changed the way people relate to sports, or, more accurately, broadened the way people relate to sports. The idea of using the influence of a musician to promote a cause of theirs is becoming a trend, and more and more people are catching on. When it comes to so many people using his song, Wiz doesn’t seem to be complaining. The extra press has only sent the song upwards on the charts as has the Steelers success this season. When interviewed by VIBE, he said, “People can’t box my sound in anymore… I’m just happy that my music reflects that.”
