The hallmark to a good sports game soundtrack is to appeal to the widest base possible. Last year featured some of the most unique choices for a NBA 2K soundtrack, which historically featured more old-school and underground hip-hop artists, such as DOOM, E-40, DJ Premier and more.
2K Sports has revealed this year’s soundtrack with somewhat of a return to the roots of what made NBA 2K’s soundtracks memorable, with the inclusion of some of hip-hop’s hottest acts. Songs from artists like Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$, Quavo from Migos and XXL Freshman Class member A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie combine with old-school joints from Mase, Diddy, Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest and Mobb Deep. To round out the modern feel of the soundtrack, Shakira’s Chantaje, Def Leppard’s Pour Some Sugar on Me join the hip-hop heavy soundtrack.
The full tracklist is below, as well as available for streaming on Spotify. NBA 2K18 releases for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on September 18th. Kyrie Irving fronts the NBA 2K18 cover, except for in Canada where Toronto Raptors star DeMar DeRozan is the featured athlete. Inside the NBA analyst Shaquille O’Neal fronts the Legend Edition for this year. Players who pre-order will also receive the title on September 15th as a part of Early Tip-Off Weekend.
- Feel So Good – Mase
- 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 BIG & Busta Rhymes
- ’93 Till 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 Bada$$
- Wasatch Front – Dame DOLLA
- 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
- U Don’t – Double K