AND1 Mixtape Tour

The AND1 Mixtape Tour is a traveling basketball competition and exhibition sponsored by the basketball apparel manufacturer AND1.^[1] A group of streetball players, along with their MC Duke Tango and coach Big Mike Ellis, travel from town to town and challenge teams composed of local talent. Games tend to be characterized by isolation one-on-one ball handling moves and acrobatic slam dunks and alley-oops. After the end of each tour, the local amateurs who gave the best performance are offered a position on the AND1 team.^[1]

The tour is televised in half hour "Streetball" segments on ESPN2, and are compiled into highlight reels, offered under the mark AND1 Mixtape, which are sold on DVD. AND1 has released 10 volumes. The first mixtape was AND1 Mixtape Volume 1 (1998) and the most recent is AND1 Mixtape X (2008).

Contents [hide] 1 Controversy 2 AND1 Streetballers 2008 3 AND1 Mixtape Volumes 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Controversy

AND1's calling card and large reason for success are the flashy moves that rely on a more lenient set of rules than in regulation basketball. This has led to comparisons with the Harlem Globetrotters and has caused some journalists to criticize the tour.^[2] Supporters of the tour have responded by backing up AND1's credibility and the players' legitimate skill. The AND1 players maintain that they are serious basketball players who play against the seven best local players from each city.^[1] Many of the current and former AND1 Mixtape Tour players have played in college and in professional organizations such as the CBL, ABA, NBDL, or overseas.^[1][3]

[edit] AND1 Streetballers 2008

Coach: "Big Mike" Ellis

Official MC of the Tour: Duke Tango

• Grayson Boucher AKA The Professor from Salem, Oregon
• Kenny Brunner AKA The Bad One AKA Bad Santa from Los Angeles, California
• Jerry Dupree AKA The Assassin from Los Angeles, California
• John Humphrey AKA Helicopter from Raleigh, North Carolina
• Troy Jackson AKA Escalade from South Jamaica Queens, New York
• Hugh Jones AKA Baby Shack from Washington D.C.
• Tony Jones AKA Go Get It from Chicago, Illinois
• Jamal Nelson AKA Springs from Detroit, Michigan
• Andre Poole AKA Sylk from Baltimore, Maryland
• Antwan Scott AKA 8th Wonder from New Bern, North Carolina

AND1 Mixtape Volumes

• AND1 Mixtape Vol. 1 — Also referred to as the "Skip Mixtape" volume because the tape was mainly focused on Rafer Alston AKA Skip 2 My Lou, the current starting point guard for the New Jersey Nets. This tape and Skip 2 My Lou laid the foundation for what AND1 is today.

• AND1 Mixtape Vol. 2 — In order to get Volume 2, you had to buy a pair of AND1 shoes first. This tape was before AND1 started the actual AND1 Mixtape Tour. This volume introduced former AND1 Tour players Waliyy Dixon AKA Main Event, Shane "The Dribbling Machine" Woney, and Tim Gittens AKA Headache. Famous streetballers I'll Be Right Back and Future also played on this tape. All games on this tape were filmed in New York City and Linden, New Jersey.

• AND1 Mixtape Vol. 3 — Volume 3 was the introduction to the former AND1 player Philip Champion AKA Hot Sauce and former AND1 player Aaron Owens AKA AO. This tape also had to be obtained by buying a pair of AND1 shoes.

• AND1 Mixtape Vol. 4 — Volume 4 was the first tape documenting the actual AND1 Mixtape Tour. AND1 tour visited four cities: Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D. C. and New York City. Former AND1 player Robin Kennedy AKA Sik Wit It came out of L.A. and the late Antoine Howard AKA Flash came out of Chicago.

• AND1 Mixtape Vol. 5 — Volume 5 was the re-introduction of Rafer Alston AKA Skip 2 My Lou. Alston had been playing Division I basketball at Fresno State University and had been trying out for pro teams throughout the past three years; Volume 5 marked his return.

• AND1 Mixtape Vol. 6 — Volume 6 toured Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York City. The tape introduced former AND1 player Tyrone "Alimoe" Evans AKA The Black Widow. The 6'8" Alimoe impressed people with his fancy ball handling moves as well as his slam dunks. This tape also introduced Troy "Escalade" Jackson and was the year he got signed to the AND1 Team.

• AND1 Mixtape Vol. 7 — Volume 7 documented the year that the AND1 Mixtape Tour really took off. Every game was played in NBA arenas and the best local talent was found in the Open Runs. Volume 7 was the year that Grayson Boucher AKA The Professor was found in the Portland, Oregon Open Run. The Professor went through all the stops on the tour before being named the winner and newest member of the AND1 team. Former AND1 player Dennis Chism AKA Spyda and current player John Humphrey AKA Helicopter were the other two finalists along with The Professor. Tony Jones AKA Go Get It also had some highlights on this tape as he played on the opposing team and was eventually offered a spot on the team.

• AND1 Mixtape Vol. 8: Back on the Block — Back on the Block featured a lot of "Crash the Court" footage in which the AND1 team goes to streetball hot spots and plays against the local talent. This tape continued to show footage of the newer members of the tour.

• AND1 Mixtape Vol. 9: Area Codes — This volume shows the hometown and home court of every member of the AND1 team. It began in Philadelphia on the East Coast with Aaron "AO" Owens and finished with Kenny Brunner AKA Bad Santa and Jerry Dupree AKA The Assassin in Los Angeles on the West Coast. This tape officially introduced current AND1 players Andre Poole AKA Sylk and Hugh Jones AKA Baby Shack.

• AND1 Mixtape X: The United Streets of America — Most recently released, AND1 Mixtape X celebrates a decade of streetball dominance by AND1. This tape shows footage from the United Streets Of America tour. It introduces Jamal Nelson AKA Springs and Antwan Scott AKA 8th Wonder as well as the return of Hot Sauce, who took a brief hiatus from the tour.