Despite the NBA canceling the Magic City promotion, the crowd came to life for TI's halftime performance during the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic game.
While some NBA fans were in a somber mood after the NBA decided to cancel the Magic City promotion, the ATL icon's performance made them forget – even if only for a few minutes. TI performed his latest single, "Let 'Em Know", which came out in January, which got the crowd standing, dancing and rapping along to the lyrics.
The Hawks' primary owner, Jami Gertz, has ties to the Magic City as he was the producer of a five-part documentary that honored the club's legacy, and how it influenced hip-hop, Black culture, and the city of Atlanta.
"After the work we did to create 'Magic City: An American Fantasy,' this collaboration and theme night is very meaningful to me," Gertz said when the promotion was announced. “The iconic Atlanta institution has had such an incredible impact on our city and its unique culture.”
Some NBA fans were very happy with the infamous strip club's partnership with the Hawks as they are both prominent parts of the culture. While some fans were excited for the collaboration, which would have started with last night's game, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver shut down the promotion.
"When we learned of the Atlanta Hawks' scheduled promotion, we reached out to Hawks leadership to better understand their plans and reasoning," Silver said in a statement. "While we appreciate the team's vision and their desire to move forward, we have heard significant concerns from a wide range of league stakeholders, including fans, partners and employees. I believe canceling this promotion is the right decision for the broader NBA community."
While some Hawks fans were disappointed, the franchise respected the NBA's decision.
"Although we are deeply disappointed by the NBA's decision to cancel our Magic City Night promotion, we fully respect its decision," the Hawks said in a statement. “As a franchise, we are committed to celebrating the best of Atlanta – with authenticity – in ways that continue to unify and bring us closer together.”
