While the main goal of the 2019 NBA All-Star game was celebrating the game and the talented players voted to be All-Stars, it was also celebrating North Carolina, specifically the city of Charlotte. Two years removed from the controversy that relocated the All-Star game to New Orleans, the game kicked off on Feb. 17 at the Spectrum Center, but not before Anthony Hamilton, 48, performed “The Star-Spangled Banner.” In his shiny gold suit coat, the Charlotte native and 17-time Grammy nominee hit the court to perform the U.S. national anthem, and it was just as soulful as expected. While it may not be as “viral” as Fergie’s rendition from the prior year, it was just as amazing.
https://twitter.com/_MarcusD3_/status/1097306335253856258
With a pair of acoustic guitar players behind him, Anthony added some country and soul to his 2 minute long, heartfelt rendition of America’s theme song. It was enough to make a grown man cry… and some probably did.
A quick FYI: Anthony was born in Charlotte, and began singing at age 10. In 1992, he packed his bags and headed to New York City, where he signed with Uptown Records. He co-wrote Donell Jones’s 1999 hit “U Know What’s Up,” and was a background vocalist on D’Angelo’s Voodoo album. In 2003, Anthony really broke out with his sophomore album, Comin’ From Where I’m From. As of 2019, he’s released seven studio albums in total, the last being 2016’s What I’m Feelin’.
“What you can take away from [What I’m Feelin’] is the journey, my journey. I think it’s not only my journey, but I think it’s a journey of a lot of people,” he told VIBE in 2016. “We have a lot of similarities in our lives. I believe people will be able to identify with that and see that I’ve been through all these things. I’ve traveled, I’ve met people who I wanted to push to get outside of their comfort zone, I’ve lost, I’ve gained, [and] I’ve partied. All those things that people desire, think about, or experience, they’ll take away a real life on here.”
Yes, I think we can all relate to Anthony, for sure. With Anthony wrapping up the American custom, it was time to sit back and watch Kendall Jenner‘s boyfriend, Ben Simmons, bang boards alongside the best ballers in the league. Enjoy the big NBA All-Star game.