Below is information on some of the many entertainers who will be appearing at NBA All-Star 2025:
About 2 Chainz
2 Chainz
Following his run as a founding member of Def Jam duo Playaz Circle from his native Atlanta, 2 Chainz’ name was on everyone’s lips in 2012, when he stole a verse on “Mercy,”fellow Def Jam artist Kanye West/G.O.O.D. Music’s RIAA triple-platinum #1 R&B/#1 Rap hit (from Cruel Summer). His official debut studio album, Based on a T.R.U. Story(August 2012) entered Soundscan at #1 and was certified RIAA gold. Its success was fueled by the RIAA platinum #1 “No Lie”featuring Drake, double-platinum “Birthday Song”featuring Kanye West, and double-platinum “I’m Different.”
In 2016, Chainz brought it back to his essence with a series of mixtapes that dominated the streets: Felt Like Cappin, Daniel Son,Necklace Don, and Hibachi For Lunch. The year was capped off with his first Grammy Award, Best Rap Performance for his verse on Chance the Rapper’s hit song “No Problem.” 2 Chainz released his first solo album in four years: Pretty Girls Like Trap Music (June 2017) which was accompanied by a 35-city tour of North America through September. Chosen to star in the “Whose Back You Got” 2022 NFL Playoffs spot, the career of 2 Chainz is unstoppable. It encompasses not only music but his Most Expensivest cable tv series on VICELAND, his “Chain Reaction” sneaker collaboration with Versace, his GAS Cannabis Co. brand, and his 2019 Super Bowl LIII Expensify tv spot with Adam Scott. TheRinger.com was inspired to write: “Forget Mount Rushmore – 2 Chainz deserves his own national monument. This year dude is top five humans of all time.”
About Alessia Cara
Alessia Cara
Since catapulting to stardom with quintessential loner anthem “Here” in 2015, the singer/songwriter has matured alongside her audience, capturing the highs and lows of adolescence and young adulthood with camera-like clarity. In many ways, Cara’s new era is a snapshot of an artist finally processing her meteoric rise in the music industry. The Grammy winner’s debut single, “Here,” peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and went on to sell three million copies. Her platinum-selling debut album, Know-It-All, delivered another smash hit with “Scars to Your Beautiful” and she memorably contributed “How Far I’ll Go” to the Moana soundtrack. She then added further platinum plaques to her collection with “Stay,” a dizzying club collaboration with Zedd, and an unforgettable feature on Logic’s “1-800-273-8255.” The Brampton, Ontario, native returned in 2018 with The Pains of Growing, which won a Juno Award for Best Album and Songwriter of the Year cemented Cara as one of her generation’s foremost singer/songwriters. Now with over 15 billion worldwide streams, Alessia has soared even higher with the upcoming release of her fourth studio album Love & Hyperbole.
About DJ Cassidy
DJ Cassidy
DJ CASSIDY has been at the nexus of culture for over half his living years, as the definitive deejay of music
impresarios, entertainment moguls, fashion icons, nightlife innovators, and world leaders. With his beloved brand, PASS THE MIC, Grammy nominated entertainer, DJ Cassidy, transformed how we experience our favorite artists and our favorite songs. The groundbreaking viral phenomenon turned BET television series of specials united an awe-inspiring collection of musical icons to sing along to their most iconic songs. Within ten episodes, DJ Cassidy passed the mic to a wowing two hundred twenty legendary superstars spanning five decades including Earth Wind & Fire, Nile Rodgers, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Charlie Wilson, New Edition, Boyz II Men, TLC, Run DMC, LL Cool J, Salt ‘N Pepa, Public Enemy, Missy Elliott, Wyclef Jean, Ice Cube, Wu-Tang Clan, Nelly, Shaggy, and many more.
DJ Cassidy has since taken his show on the road with PASS THE MIC LIVE!, headlining sold out arenas nationwide, in addition to a historic event at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall in celebration of Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary. In July 2024, Cassidy brought the trailblazing experience to Las Vegas for an iconic one-month residency at Planet Hollywood, featuring Hip Hop royalty Ja Rule, Fat Joe, Slick Rick, and Doug E. Fresh, with nightly special guests Akon, Public Enemy, Jermaine Dupri, Da Brat, Too Short, Warren G, and many more. The Iconic Las Vegas Residency marked the first of its kind, uniting an ensemble of Hip Hop legends for a game changing event, redefining the art of collaboration and showmanship, channeling the energy and aesthetic of old-world Las Vegas mainstays like The Rat Pack.
After conquering the Vegas Strip, DJ Cassidy brought PASS THE MIC to the world stage, acting as the first musical conductor of the Democratic National Convention Roll Call, curating songs for all fifty-seven U.S. states and territories, conducting the unprecedented seventy-five minute segment on live television in front of twenty-one million television viewers. With the viral Roll Call becoming the most talked about moment of the entire convention, The Hollywood Reporter declared, “DJ Cassidy may have just changed the face of presidential politics forever.” To close out 2024, DJ Cassidy brought PASS THE MIC LIVE! to the world’s biggest New Year’s celebration, reuniting with his Las Vegas Residency RAP PACK on ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Years Rockin’ Eve” for a show-stealing, twelve-minute, thirteen-song performance, recreating the Vegas experience for twenty-two million television viewers.
About E-40
E-40
Earl “E-40” Stevens is a multiplatinum recording artist, actor, entrepreneur and New York Times best-selling author that hails from Vallejo, California. Over the course of his 30+ year career in the music industry, E-40 has solidified his status as a living hip-hop legend, having released several multiplatinum and gold studio albums, collaborations and hit singles, including “U and Dat,” “Tell Me When To Go,” “Choices (Yup),” and “Function,” among countless others. As a solo artist, E-40 holds the record for most solo album entries on the Billboard 200 charts by a hip-hop artist (33). Beyond his accolades as an entertainer, the Vallejo native has become equally as successful as an entrepreneur, having built a robust empire in the wine and spirits industry. In November, 2023, he released his own cookbook called “Goon With The Spoon,” which featured his favorite recipes and ultimately became a New York Times best-selling book.
About En Vogue
En Vogue
Recognized as one of the top 5 highest selling American female music groups in history En Vogue, currently consisting of Cindy Heron-Braggs, Terry Ellis and Rhona Bennett has sold over 20 million albums, and effortlessly transitioned into the digital age, amassing over 50 million streams and over 29 million YouTube views on their top 6 hit singles alone: the R&B and Pop smashes Hold On, Free Your Mind, Never Gonna Get It, Giving Him Something He Can Feel, Don’t Let Go, and Whatta Man feat. Salt N Pepa).The group has won seven MTV Video Music Awards, three Soul Train Awards, two American Music Awards, and received seven Grammy nominations.
About Flo Rida
Flo Rida
Flo Rida is one of today’s most vibrant and recognizable superstars, a true international icon and history-making hip-hop hero. Since bursting out of the gate over a decade ago with the RIAA 7x platinum certified hit, “Low (Feat. T-Pain)” the Miami-based rapper has unleashed an undeniably amazing string of record-breaking, multi-platinum certified singles.
All told, Flo Rida has sold well over 100 million singles worldwide. Born Tramar Dillard, in Miami Gardens, Florida, “Flo Rida” is more than just an international recording artist. He is a philanthropist that founded the Big Dreams for Kids Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to instilling honesty, loyalty, integrity, sportsmanship, along with creating a commitment to youth athletes through the FYFL (Florida Youth Football League) serving over 10,000 kids, Strong Arm Elite Track Club, Future Leaders, and The FYFL Cheerleaders. Flo is also a keen businessman. He is currently working with new artist Oya Baby who recently released her debut record “Super Thot.”
About GELO
GELO
When GELO gets on the microphone, his hunger is practically audible. The Southern California native born LiAngelo Ball raps with an unmatched level of drive and ambition fueled by his lifelong passion for music. Over the years, he has quietly filled dozens of notebooks with rhymes, spent countless hours freestyling, and recorded hundreds of songs. This under-the-radar grind has prepared him for his moment. As a kid, he developed a deep appreciation for music. Upon hearing 50 Cent’s Get Rich Or Die Tryin’, he decided to grab a pen and write raps of his own. At 18-years-old, he recorded in a studio for the first time. Simultaneously, he excelled on the court, playing basketball internationally, earning a contract with the Detroit Pistons, and shining on the Greensboro Swarm. At the top of 2025, he entered the world-famous Paramount Recording Studios in Hollywood and left with “albums’ worth of material.”
The breakout “Tweaker” would just be the first one to pop. Beyond debuting in the Top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100 and amassing millions of streams, it catapulted to #1 on the TikTok Top 50 Viral Chart, #1 on the Apple Music Hip-Hop Chart, #1 on the iTunes Hip-Hop/Rap Songs Chart, #1 on Genius, and #1 on US Shazam. It’s no wonder GQ hailed it as “the year’s first genuine heater,” and Complex predicted, “‘Tweaker’ is probably not going anywhere anytime soon.” Now, he introduces himself with a deluge of new material and his forthcoming debut project with Def Jam Recordings.
About H.E.R.
H.E.R.
H.E.R. is a five-time Grammy winning, Academy Award-winning, and Emmy-Award winning music artist and actress who, at just 27 years-old, is one Tony away from achieving EGOT status. H.E.R. is best known for her Grammy-award winning projects “H.E.R.” which includes the Grammy-award winning single “Best Part” featuring Daniel Caesar, and “I Used To Know H.E.R.” featuring singles “Hard Place” and “Could’ve Been.”
H.E.R. has earned the Grammy Award for Song of The Year in 2021 for “I Can’t Breathe” and the Academy Award for Best Original Song for her single “Fight for You” from JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH.
H.E.R. also ventured into acting in the adaptation of THE COLOR PURPLE produced by Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg in 2023. Last year, she performed in the Super Bowl LVIII half-time show opposite Usher and performed the United States national anthem as part of the closing ceremony at the Paris Olympics.
About LaRussell
LaRussell
LaRussell is one of the most important artists of this generation. Not only has he brought back the art of rap, but he’s building a platform based on authenticity and good ethics. LaRussell and his independent collective, “Good Compenny”, are pioneering change within the industry. They are supporting independent artists without requiring them to give up ownership of their art. Good Compenny provides artists with resources and opportunities to execute their ideas. With a focus on building a community that is all inclusive, LaRussell allows the people to decide what his contributions are worth to them. He allows people to pay what they want for shows, merch, music, and all other commodities. His movement is not free, it’s priceless.
About Noah Kahan
Noah Kahan
GRAMMY® nominated Vermont singer & songwriter Noah Kahan has exploded from his New England roots into the global mainstream. At the core of his music are vulnerable lyrics and an unfiltered yet relatable honesty, as the critically acclaimed artist pens songs straight from the heart and cracks jokes with his signature, self-deprecating sense of humor. Throughout his career, Kahan has become globally renowned for his singular mix of Folk, Americana, and Rock, landing more than seven billion streams and a 4x Platinum Certification for his hit single “Stick Season.” His widely adored Double Platinum-Certified album Stick Season and its breakthrough single are inspired by his hometown of Strafford, Vermont and earliest musical inspirations and songwriting heroes—from Paul Simon to Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens)—conveying a vivid
representation of what he loves, fears, and struggles with most passionately. He followed up the album’s massive global success with his sold-out “Stick Season Tour” and two extended versions of the record—Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) and Stick Season (Forever), which both surpassed sales of the original and featured new singles “Dial Drunk” and “Forever,” as well as collaborations with the likes of Post Malone, Kacey Musgraves, Brandi Carlile, Hozier, Gregory Alan Isakov, Gracie Abrams, Sam Fender, and Lizzy McAlpine. Kahan’s latest “We’ll All Be Here Forever World Tour” saw him performing in sold-out stadiums and arenas around the globe, including two sold-out nights at Boston’s iconic Fenway Park. The shows were livestreamed to benefit his mental health initiative The Busyhead Project, which has raised over $2.5 million dollars to date to expand access to mental healthcare and fight the stigma around mental health. His live album, Live From Fenway Park, was released following thecareer-defining shows as the final installment of the Stick Season chapter.
About PJ Morton
PJ Morton
PJ Morton is a soul singer, songwriter, performer and producer based in New Orleans. He is a five-times GRAMMY-winner and 20-times GRAMMY nominee who has earned numerous nominations for BET, Soul Train and NAACP Image Awards, in addition to selling out countless shows at historic venues like the Apollo Theater, Kennedy Center and others around the world. On top of running his own record label (Morton Records) and serving as Maroon 5’s full-time keyboardist for the past 12+ years, he has collaborated with Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu, Jon Batiste, Nas, Lil Wayne, JoJo, Yebba, Jill Scott and many others.
In 2024, PJ Morton became the first Black composer to ever write an original song for a Disney attraction – Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, at Disneyland and Disney World. He also released an album, Cape Town to Cairo, entirely written, recorded and produced during a 30-day trip across Africa, and published a new book titled Saturday Night, Sunday Morning via Worthy Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, the memoir sees him recounting and reflecting upon a trailblazing path that continues to defy expectations and straddle the tensions of music and faith, race and culture, expression and identity.
About Raphael Saadiq
Raphael Saddiq
Over the course of five groundbreaking solo albums, two Grammy Awards (and twenty additional nominations) as well as recognition from both the Oscars and Golden Globes, Raphael Saadiq has cemented his status as a true icon of contemporary music. Between his work as an artist, producer and songwriter, he has sold over 30 million records worldwide. His remarkable journey began in 1984, when, at just 18 years old, he was already sharing stages with music royalty Prince and Sheila E. His artistry soon flourished with the formation of Tony! Toni! Toné!, that helped define the sound of ’90s R&B. With unforgettable anthems like “If I Had No Loot” and “Anniversary,” Saadiq became a pivotal figure in shaping the genre’s landscape.
Saadiq’s influence expanded as he ventured into a critically acclaimed solo career, debuting with the genre-defining Instant Vintage in 2002. His unique ability to seamlessly blend vintage soul with modern sensibilities propelled him to the forefront of the pop and R&B genres, while his production genius turned him into one of the most sought-after collaborators in music.
From D’Angelo’s iconic Voodoo to Solange’s A Seat at the Table, Saadiq has shaped some of the most influential albums of the 21st century. His own critically lauded Jimmy Lee (2019) further solidified his reputation as a boundary-pushing artist. His recent contributions to Beyoncé’s iconic albums, Renaissance and Cowboy Carter have earned him 8 more Grammy nominations. As he enters the fifth decade of his illustrious career, Raphael Saadiq remains an indispensable force, continuing to shape and redefine the sound of contemporary pop and soul.
About Saweetie
Saweetie
As a dynamic powerhouse, Saweetie continues to solidify herself as a multifaceted artist with her chart-topping songs, successful collaborations, philanthropic endeavors, and captivating on-screen performances. Born Diamonté Harper in Northern California, Saweetie was raised in a multi-ethnic household with her father being of African-American descent and her mother being of Filipino-Chinese descent. Saweetie was exposed to a wide range of music genres, which would later influence her own sound and identity as a trailblazer for young, culturally diverse individuals around the world. After attending USC and earning a Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Saweetie began to focus on her music career.
Since then, Saweetie has accumulated over 6 billion career streams from her chart-topping hits such as the RIAA certified platinum “Tap In” and 4x platinum “My Type” and “Best Friend,” featuring Doja Cat, which also earned two GRAMMY® Award nominations. In addition to numerous awards and accolades in the music space, Saweetie has also solidified herself as a global brand through her brand partnerships and campaigns with companies such as McDonald’s, MAC, Revlon, Champion, True Religion and Postmates to name a few. With a comprehensive portfolio spanning so many different avenues, Saweetie’s global influence continues to grow with each subsequent project.
About Too $hort
Too $hort
Todd “Too $hort” Shaw is a multiplatinum hip-hop artist, songwriter and entrepreneur from Oakland, California. He is universally recognized and respected as a pioneer of West Coast rap, having amassed six platinum albums and four gold certifications with smash songs like “Blow the Whistle,” “Shake That Monkey,” “The Ghetto,” “Gettin It” and more. With the release of his 22nd solo studio album (Ain’t Gone Do It) in 2020, $hort earned the unique distinction of becoming the only active hip-hop artist to have released an album in five different decades.
He is also the only artist to have collaborated with Tupac, The Notorious B.I.G. and JAY-Z. Most recently, $hort was honored by the City of Oakland for his legendary contributions to hip-hop, as the three-block stretch of Foothill Boulevard in East Oakland was officially renamed “Too $hort Way”
About The Chainsmokers
The Chainsmokers
The Chainsmokers, comprised of Drew Taggart and Alex Pall, have continuously pushed the boundaries of music, seamlessly blending genres like pop, indie, electronic, alternative, and rock. Their groundbreaking approach has not only set cultural trends but also yielded chart-topping hits, a historic Las Vegas residency, and packed arena tours across countless continents. Drew’s dynamic vocals and instrumental skills combined with Alex’s virtuosic piano playing form the backbone of their deep musical acumen, evident in their string of Diamond-certified singles and GRAMMY®-winning tracks. Since their independent breakthrough in 2013, The Chainsmokers have consistently delivered viral sensations, including #1 hits like “Closer” and “Don’t Let Me Down”, while their albums have dominated the Billboard charts. Embracing innovation, they ventured into the world of NFTs with their album So Far So Good, and expanded their creative ventures into entrepreneurship with Mantis Venture Capital, alongside philanthropic efforts such as providing PPE during the pandemic. Their latest musical endeavors, showcased in collaborations with emerging artists and diverse sonic explorations, underscore their commitment to evolving and shaping the future of the music industry. In 2024, the producer/DJ duo released their latest anthemic work, No Hard Feelings, to monumental chart success and industry acclaim.
About Zedd
Zedd
Multi-platinum, GRAMMY Award-winning artist/DJ/producer Zedd made his debut with “Clarity” after signing with Interscope in 2012 and has been breaking down barriers surrounding music genres ever since. He collaborated with Alessia Cara on their hit single “Stay” which has amassed over 6.3 billion streams worldwide, held the #1 spot at Top 40 radio for six consecutive weeks and earned Zedd his second GRAMMY Award nomination, and with Maren Morris and Grey on the monster hit “The Middle,” which earned Zedd is second #1 at Top 40 radio. Zedd’s impressive discography has made an impact across all areas of entertainment, including sports, and film / TV, with a major highlight in 2022 when he opened the NHL All-Star Game with a performance during player introductions. Since then, he’s gone on to perform at NBA All- Star Weekend, NCAA Men’s Final Four, Formula 1 Miami & Austin (’22), Las Vegas (’23), Bahrain, and 2022’s NFL Super Bowl LVI. That same year, he was the official performer for The 74th Primetime Emmy Awards, and made his scripted acting debut in Muppets Mayhem on Disney+. Now, Zedd has sold over 5M+ headlining tickets globally and racked up over 31.6B streams across all platforms, truly proving himself to be one of the most timeless artists of his generation.
