Public Enemy's Chuck D and Flava Flav, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, Busta Rhymes, MC Lyte, and Phife (from A Tribe Called Quest) have teamed up to write and record the theme for the ESPY Awards, to take place July 16th at Hollywood's Kodak Theater. Calling themselves "the Spitballers," the rappers and rockers contributed the song "Let's Get Loud."

"The song basically shows how much musicians love sports and vice versa," says Chuck D, who first partnered with ESPN last year to do the theme for its Sunday Night Baseball show. "And that we can translate that love directly into a song."

Chuck hopes that love will last forever. "The goal here is that this song has afterlives," he says, "as a strong song unto itself and as an arena and stadium theme for years to come."

The ESPY's will open with a video of the song that will feature a mix of sports highlights and footage of the musicians. Chuck D's lyrical mention of drawing blood will be synched up with video footage of Mike Tyson biting Evander Holyfield's ear. After the video is shown, Chuck D will perform the track live at the awards show.

Comedian Jamie Foxx will host the show, which is ESPN's annual celebration of the best achievers and moments in sports.

As for Chuck D's all-time best sports moment? Hank Aaron breaking Babe Ruth's home run record in 1974. "I waited three years, especially after Hank hit forty-seven homers in 1971," he says. "Up 'til then I thought Willie Mays was gonna do it."

COLIN DEVENISH
(July 10, 2003)