The NBA All-Star Game — where the greats from the league’s two conferences face off every February — has been a staple of every professional basketball season since 1951 (outside of 1999, due to the lockout-shortened season).
But as Carlton Myers, the NBA’s senior vp/head of live production and entertainment points out, “The NBA is more than just a basketball league. We are an entertainment property and pride ourselves on being at the forefront of music, fashion and culture. Throughout the years, the players have set the tone for what entertainment looks like, and the league follows.”
In turn, particularly over the last 25 years, the annual showcase has evolved into much more than an exhibition game: It’s the organization’s equivalent of the Academy Awards or the Grammys, with celebrities from all avenues of entertainment — and particularly music — flocking to the host city for a weekend jam-packed with parties, concerts and other events far beyond the game itself.
“When we started incorporating performances into NBA All-Star, we focused solely on building the entertainment around one major performer,” explains Myers, who’s in his 30th season with the NBA. “After the success of the implementation of the introduction performance at the 2004 NBA All-Star in Los Angeles, we began to expand our production focus to make sure every part of the weekend had some sort of spectacle.”
Today, that means everything from “anthem and bands at the [historically Black colleges and universities] game [to] intro performances on Sunday, fan concerts throughout the weekend and All-Star Saturday Night performances,” Myers says. And while the athletic action on the court is still ostensibly All-Star Week’s main attraction, memorable music moments have long defined it.
Marvin Gaye’s Motown Suave (1983)
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“I asked God that when I sang it, would he let it move men’s souls,” Marvin Gaye said following his trailblazing national anthem performance — and he certainly did that, managing to somehow flip “The Star-Spangled Banner” into baby-making music with his smooth rendition at Los Angeles’ Forum. “When he took off, I morphed into an American,” said Pat Riley, the Los Angeles Lakers coach at the time. Lakers owner Jerry Buss later hailed Gaye’s performance as the “greatest anthem of all time.” Just over two decades later, the NBA honored Gaye’s legendary performance in 2004 by enlisting his daughter, Nona, to perform the national anthem at All-Star Saturday Night when the game returned to Los Angeles.
Ultramagnetic MCs Bridge Hip-Hop and All-Star Weekend (1989)
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The Ultramagnetic MCs (Kool Keith, Ced Gee and crew) traveled from the Bronx to Houston’s Astrodome, where they took turns spitting a few bars about each All-Star tailored specifically to the player’s skill set and accolades, ending each freestyle the same way: “Because he’s an All-Star.”
Shania Twain Takes The NBA North of the Border (1996)
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The 1995-96 season was the first for the Vancouver Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors in the league, so “the Queen of Country Pop” brought some Canadian flair to San Antonio’s Alamodome with her glorious rendition of “O Canada.”
The NBA Goes Broadway (1998)
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“With Broadway being at its pinnacle in the late ’90s and so prevalent in New York City culture, we knew we wanted to infuse the different iconic acts into one to really put on a show,” Myers says. So for halftime at the 1998 All-Star Game, the so-called “Broadway All-Stars” — cast members from Chicago, Bring in ’da Noise, Bring in ’da Funk, The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Jekyll & Hyde, Miss Saigon, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Les Misérables and Titanic — took the floor for a mega-musical medley, complete with filmed intros by NBA legends like Patrick Ewing and Walt Frazier.
“Philadelphia Freedom” In The City Of Brotherly Love (2002)
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Elton John was already scheduled to perform in Philly mid-February as part of his Face to Face Tour with Billy Joel — so it worked out nicely for him to stop by the All-Star Game and take his piano midcourt, atop a star-shaped American flag platform, to play a medley that revved up the crowd with his ode to their hometown, “Philadelphia Freedom,” plus “This Train Don’t Stop There Anymore” and “I’m Still Standing.”
Mariah Carey Stuns At A Superstar Farewell (2003)
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The NBA pulled out all the stops for Michael Jordan’s final All-Star Game — including a center-court appearance by Mariah Carey, wearing a sleek navy dress emblazoned with MJ’s Wizards insignia and No. 23 — and making for one of the most indelible sports/music crossover images of the 21st century. She serenaded His Heirness and the Atlanta crowd, showcasing her five-octave range on “My Saving Grace” and Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “Hero.” “[Carey] really leaned in and was passionate about honoring Jordan’s legacy,” Myers says, “which is why her team led the charge on the performance creative and costume design set to the backdrop of the Michael Jordan tribute video that the league pulled together.”
Beyoncé Disco-fies The Court (2004)
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Descending from the rafters of the Staples Center in a flowing bohemian dress atop a giant disco ball, Queen Bey cooed Donna Summer’s “Love to love you, baby” refrain before launching into “Naughty Girl” and “Crazy in Love” (sans Jay-Z), transforming the arena into her own version of Studio 54 nearly two decades before the Renaissance tour.
Outkast Serves Up The First-Ever Player Introduction Performance (2004)
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With the 2004 All-Star Game in Los Angeles, the NBA knew its entertainment had to be especially on point. In addition to booking Beyoncé for halftime, the league launched the first performance alongside player intros — now a staple of All-Star Weekend — with Outkast. Dressed like he was ready for a shift at Good Burger, André 3000 performed Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Hey Ya!” before Big Boi joined the party for “The Way You Move.” What’s cooler than being cool? Three Stacks and Allen Iverson in the same building.
Shaq Joins The Jabbawockeez (2009)
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Shaquille O’Neal was gearing up to DJ the player introductions in front of his hometown Phoenix fans but was forced to pivot after losing his voice following rehearsals. “In a last-minute scramble, Shaq and [dance crew] the Jabbawockeez came up with a routine right before intros in the training room,” Myers recalls. The switch was a hit: Shaq’s 7-foot-1 frame towering over the Jabbawockeez, showing off his moves, was a funny and unforgettable visual.
Rihanna, Drake and Ye Run The Three-Man Weave (2011)
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Rihanna brought a full orchestra with her to the Staples Center for a medley that included “Umbrella,” “Only Girl (In the World)” and “Rude Boy,” and then she welcomed a pair of special guests: Drake popped out for “What’s My Name,” tweaking the lyrics to wish RiRi a happy birthday, before Ye tagged in for “All of the Lights.”
K. Dot Steals The Saturday Night Spotlight (2014)
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Just over a decade before playing his biggest sports stage yet — his Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show in New Orleans — Kendrick Lamar made his NBA All-Star debut in the Big Easy. Rocking a pair of flashy “Red October” Nike Air Yeezy 2s, he ripped through “m.A.A.d city” and “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe” to set the tone for All-Star Saturday Night.
Pharrell and Friends Take Over NOLA (2014)
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Coming off his hit-filled 2013, it was only right that a red-hot Pharrell Williams and his then-omnipresent Buffalo hat made a strong impression at the 2014 All-Star Game. Skateboard P brought some friends along for the player introductions — weaving in Snoop Dogg, Diddy, Busta Rhymes, Nelly and Neptunes teammate Chad Hugo for one of the liveliest All-Star Weekend performances ever.
An Un-Ferg-Ettable National Anthem (2018)
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Fergie entered the canon of infamous national anthem performances with her bizarrely jazzified rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which had Golden State Warriors stars Steph Curry and Draymond Green cracking bemused grins. TNT studio analyst Charles Barkley admitted he “needed a cigarette” after watching the former Black Eyed Peas singer’s ill-conceived, now notorious attempt.
J. Cole’s Homecoming (2019)
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A respected hooper in his own right, the Dreamville honcho returned to his home state of North Carolina to headline the halftime show at Charlotte’s Spectrum Center. Wearing a vintage Hornets Starter jacket, Cole sharply executed a catalog-spanning medley including Grammy-nominated “Middle Child,” the 21 Savage-assisted “A Lot,” “ATM,” “Love Yourz” and 2014 Forest Hills Drive standout “Wet Dreamz.”
Jennifer Hudson Tackles A Tough Tribute (2020)
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It seemed like a nearly impossible task: following up an emotional Magic Johnson eulogizing the late Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gigi Bryant, who both died just weeks prior to the 2020 All-Star Game in a helicopter accident. But Jennifer Hudson powerfully rose to the challenge with her thunderous cover of “For All We Know” (popularized by Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack), rendering thousands of fans at Chicago’s United Center in tears.
Common’s Rhymes Elevate (2020)
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Outside of his touching tribute to his hometown of Chicago and the late Kobe Bryant earlier in the weekend, Common shone with his player introductions, blending his rap technique with his hoops knowledge for unique freestyles introducing each All-Star over Ye instrumentals like “Get Em High” and “Homecoming.” Many went viral, and Common became a meme for a solid week as the rest of us tried to figure out how he managed to rhyme “refusal” with “Giannis Antetokounmpo.”
Afrobeats All-Stars (2023)
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As Afrobeats shattered regional borders to take over the global music scene, the NBA took notice. “I’m about to take you on a journey through Africa without even going on a plane,” Burna Boy promised when he headlined the 2023 halftime show at Salt Lake City’s Vivint Arena. The self-proclaimed African Giant brought Nigerian stars Tems and Rema along for the celebratory performance.
This story appears in the Feb. 8, 2025, issue of Billboard.
