Video game publisher 2K Sports has successfully used soundtracks in recent years to reach larger audiences, leveraging popular musicians like Jay-Z, Pharrell Williams and DJ Khaled (plus the likes of LeBron James) to put their names on the box as curators of the playlists.
While there is no one in that position with "NBA 2K18," the soundtrack offers a wide variety of current-day hits and blasts from the past that goes 50 songs deep.
MORE: How to play with new rookies, updated rosters on "NBA 2K17"
Among the artists featured are Kendrick Lamar, Future, Drake, Pitbull, OutKast, Naughty by Nature, Def Leppard, Nas and even Trail Blazers star point guard Damian Lillard, who raps under the name Dame D.O.L.L.A. He actually has two songs in the game, with one of them hidden away to be unlocked through the game's MyPlayer career mode.
A playlist has been put together on Spotify which features 48 of the 50 songs.
Feel So Good — Ma$e
Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) — C + C Music Factory
Hip Hop Hooray — Naughty By Nature
I Can't Drive 55 — Sammy Hagar
Jungle — X Ambassadors feat. Jamie N Commons
Pour Some Sugar on Me — Def Leppard
Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See — Busta Rhymes
Shook Ones Pt. II — Mobb Deep
Sirius — The Alan Parsons Project
So Fresh, So Clean — OutKast
The Walker — Fitz & The Tantrums
The Zoo — Scorpions
They Reminisce Over You — Pete Rock & CL Smooth
Victory — Puff Daddy feat. Notorious B.I.G. & Busta Rhymes
93' Til Infinity — Souls Of Mischief
All Of Me — Big Gigantic feat. Logic & ROZES
Am I Wrong — Anderson .Paak feat. ScHoolboy Q
Birdwatching — The Shelters
Can't Have — Pitbull feat. Steven A. Clark & Ape Drums
Comin Out Strong — Future feat. The Weeknd
Conrad Tokyo — A Tribe Called Quest
Deep End (Tarro Remix) — THEY.
Do What I Want — Lil Uzi Vert
Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time — Panic! At The Disco
HTP — Vintage Lee
Humble — Kendrick Lamar
Know The Ledge — Eric B. & Rakim
Let It Fly — Johnny Stephene
Living Like Khaled — Cousin Stizz
Nas Is Like — Nas
No Lie — Sean Paul feat. Dua Lipa
Portland — Drake ft. Quavo & Travis Scott
Shock Horror — Shy Luv
Slam — Onyx
Stand Back — PnB Rock / A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie
Victory — Joey Bad
Wasatch Front — Dame D.O.L.L.A.
Wrote My Way Out — Nas, Dave East, Lin-Manuel Miranda & Aloe Blacc
Hush — Linda Lind
Aurora — RL Grime
1984 — Salmo
4 Vérités — Take A Mic
Chantaje — Shakira feat. Maluma
CULT — Emiskilla
Feel It — GTA & What So Not feat. Tunji Ige
Fever — Roosevelt
Human (Rudimental Remix) — Rag'n'Bone Man feat. Rudimental
Tokyo Drift — Woodie Smalls
Última Jugada — Carlos Jean & Arkano
U Don't — Double K
"NBA 2K18" will release on Sept. 15 to those who pre-order. Shaquille O'Neal is featured on the two pricey special editions of the game, which will be sold for $150 and $100, and Kyrie Irving is on the cover of the standard edition.
With less than two months until release, nothing has been seen from "NBA 2K18," nor have any features or improvements been revealed. One reason for the lack of media may be the new Nike uniforms that the league will want to fully reveal before they are seen in footage and screenshots of the video game.
Bryan Wiedey posts sports gaming news and analysis daily at Pastapadre.com, is co-founder of the sports gaming site HitThePass.com, hosts the "Press Row Podcast" and be reached on Twitter @Pastapadre.