Magic & Bird

Andy Mineo and Wordsplayed teamed up for the duo's first project, Magic & Bird, a basketball-themed mixtape released by Reach Records. The record from the longtime friends evokes the nostalgia of “Basketball,” a song by hip-hop legend Kurtis Blow released in 1984. That was the year the National Basketball Association cemented its place as a premiere sports league as Hall of Famers Larry Bird and Earvin “Magic” Johnson faced off for the first time in the NBA Finals.

While Bird and Johnson are usually seen as rivals, Mineo and Wordsplayed embody the spirit of the 1992 Olympic “Dream Team,” joining forces and having fun on the summer mixtape. They wanted to make a record that was clean, fun and energetic.