The first public glimpse of Lil Wayne’s upcoming Tha Carter VI album will be heard on ESPN. “The Days,” a collaboration between the iconic rapper (and May Rolling Stone cover star) and U2’s Bono, is the theme song of the NBA Finals’ promotional ad for the first day of the championship series, which will feature a game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers. The network has previously played his “I Am Not a Human Being,” “Uproar,” and ‘Glory” tracks in the playoffs.
In the Finals ad, highlights of both teams are interspersed with Wayne rapping bars like, “live to fight another day if yesterday beat me, cause I ain’t gettin’ younger, but I’m gettin’ better” while Bono sings, “these are the days.”
“Basketball’s been in my blood since day one, so to team up with ESPN less than 24 hours before the drop of Tha Carter VI for the NBA Finals is an incredible honor,” Wayne, who just announced a North American tour, says about the campaign. “My music and the NBA are vibin’ on the same frequency because it’s perfect timing for fans to hear Tha Carter VI on the game’s grandest stage.” The campaign is yet another intersection of sports and music for the avid sports fan and co-founder of Young Money APAA Sports Agency, which represents several NBA players.
Tha Carter VI is Wayne’s 14th studio album, and the first since 2023’s Welcome 2 ColleGrove with 2 Chainz. Wayne played Rolling Stone songs from the project in January, including “The Days,” an introspective track where he reflects on his life and times. He told Rolling Stone that the project is collaboration-oriented, noting, “If there’s one thing about this album that’s different, it’s me approaching it like, ‘Man, what would I sound like on something with such and such.” He’ll be celebrating Tha Carter VI’s launch with the ESPN campaign as well as his first-ever headlining concert at Madison Square Garden on June 6, the album’s release date.
“Lil Wayne brings the energy, edge, and emotion that define the NBA Finals,” said Curtis Friends, Vice President of Sports Marketing at ESPN. “Integrating his music into our NBA Playoffs coverage has been a strategic brand flex – amplifying our storytelling and connecting with fans as we showcase today’s rising stars on the league’s biggest stage.”
