Gucci Row! Hawks giving celebrities plenty of reason to show out

“But the Hawks it’s kind of, like they’re hands-on with the community, for real. And for me to be a part of, the staff, and to be a part of the people, it just makes it all fun, it makes it all better.”

This season alone, the Hawks have drawn visits from “Old School” actor Luke Wilson, rappers 21 Savage and Karrahbooo, as well as Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Rapper Ludacris, who helped lead the “Swag Surf” between the third and fourth quarter of Saturday’s game against the Warriors, has a long history of representing the Hawks.

Atlanta is known for its rich musical history, with several prominent record labels operating out of the city. That’s why established talents and up-and-coming artists flock to the city to work with labels like Quality Control Music, Future’s label Freebandz and Ludacris’ Disturbing Tha Peace.

“Female Goat” rapper Lakeyah Robinson, who goes by her first name on stage, performed at halftime during Sunday’s game against the 76ers. Originally from Milwaukee, Atlanta has become a second hometown for Lakeyah. So, the opportunity to perform in front of the city that has taken her in left her feeling blessed.

“This literally has been on my goals list since I was 21,” Lakeyah said. “I’m 24 now, and I did expect it to be from my hometown, Milwaukee, but my second hometown is also a big blessing, and I just love this, because Atlanta really took me in. And this is another example of them taking me in.

“And I can’t wait to put (Trae Young) in some bars, too. I’m excited. This will be my second game, floor seats with the Hawks, so I’m excited to see it again.”

On top of that, the state of Georgia hosts hundreds of active film and TV productions, with 25 currently underway.

“We know that there’s so many artists from so many places that are either working in Atlanta, relocating to Atlanta, and so we embrace them as well,” said Melissa Proctor, chief marketing officer for the Hawks and State Farm Arena. “People have a big project coming out if they’re on tour, if they’re working on film projects.

“We created a department within the marketing team called entertainment industry relations. Truly because Atlanta is such a cultural hub for entertainment and that’s, from film to television and music and embracing those artists in many different ways.”

While some of the celebrities attend Hawks games during their occupation of the city, many that call Atlanta home also regularly attend.

Rapper Tauheed “2 Chainz” Epps is a proud fan of the team since, he estimates, the Dominique Wilkins days. He acquired a minority stake in the College Park Skyhawks, the team’s G League affiliate, in 2019 to pay it forward to a community that helped to build him up.

The Grammy award-winning rapper is a fixture at Hawks games and often can be found sitting courtside with his son Halo.

“It’s something to do for me and the family,” 2 Chainz told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution during the Hawks’ win over the Warriors on Saturday. “It’s always a good energy in here. And you know my son, and he enjoys Trae Young, so it’s always good to come out and watch a game.”

Like 2 Chainz, actor Crystal Renee Hayslett attends as many Hawks games as her schedule allows. The “Sistas” and “Zatima” star committed to season tickets once she became more established in her career.

“(My fandom) started back the year, Joe Johnson, Al Horford, that team,” Hayslett said Saturday. “That’s when I first moved to Atlanta. I’m a huge Joe Johnson fan. He’s a good friend of mine. And that’s when, just even the culture here in the State Farm Arena, it was Philips Arena then, was absolutely electric.

“And when I started making a little money, I realized (I spent) so much money on single tickets. It didn’t make sense. And I was like, ‘let me see if I can get season tickets.’ It’s one of the best decisions I made. And I don’t get out a lot. So basketball season is my social hour. So, I take time to get out. I get to see people, connect with friends, and it’s always fun.”

Hayslett sits courtside at the games to get as close to the action as possible, and watching the Hawks compete every night has meant so much.

“Our guys have been pushing through this season, and to see them get this win that they really need, we need it as a community,” she said.

Injuries hampered the start to the season for the Hawks, who were 10-11 after their first 21 games. But a strong December, in which they won eight of 12 games and made an appearance in the semifinals of the NBA Cup, helped to lift the Hawks as high as fourth in the Eastern Conference standings before more injuries torpedoed their bid for solid footing in the top six.

But the Hawks seemingly have begun to find their footing again, especially with the additions of Caris LeVert, Terance Mann and Georges Niang to the rotation. Following a win over the 76ers on Sunday night, the Hawks moved to 35-36, one game outside of .500 with 11 games remaining in the regular season. As of March 24, the Hawks have strengthened their hold on the seventh seed to a two-game advantage over the Magic.

So, the Hawks’ bid to solidify a place in the playoffs could begin with them hosting the eighth seed in the first game of the Play-In Tournament next month.

“It just shows their dedication to the city and that they want to win,” DC Young Fly said. “So, I think the higher-ups just got to come together and figure out what that franchise looks like, or where do we want to go with the franchise so it can all just correlate with the passion that the people (have). You see, the people are here. We always supporting and you know, we are playoff contenders. So we just want to get there and they (are) gonna always have the support of the people.”