14 DAY TRIAL // Hip-hop's biggest star - according to some - Jay-Z will feature in the latest basketball simulator NBA Live 07. This is the first appearance of Jay-Z in a video game and is due mainly to his contract with Reebok, company who signed a partnership with game publisher Electronic Arts and sporting goods distributor Champs Sports.
Fans of the hip-hop icon will have to purchase the new S. Carter Basketball IV shoes from Champs Sports, in order to receive a special code that they can use to unlock Jay-Z's character in the game. The S. Carter Basketball IV shoes will hit stores on October 11. As an addition, players who unlock the Jay-Z character will have access to a special S. Carter/Rbk Basketball court.
Not all NBA Live 07 fans will be able to enjoy this new feature, as it is only available for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. This seems like a smart marketing move for EA, Reebok and Champs Sport as they will benefit from each other's target audience.
Jay-Z seems to be delighted by these collaborations, as he declares that he always enjoys playing NBA Live. He also stated that he wants to reach out to people in new and groundbreaking ways and he is able to do just that by this collaboration. He can combine the things that are most important to him: basketball, gaming and footwear.
Jay-Zs' character in the game will combine the skills of the most talented basketball players in the NBA. He will be able to dodge opponents like Alan Iverson, dunk like Baron Davis and shoot three-pointers like Peja Stojakovic.