Instagram/@therealfaithevans
Trae Young has once again brought the heat to his TraeDay Weekend, and this year, they are already rolling out the carpet for the legendary R&B diva Faith Evans. The NBA guard has a huge population of followers on Instagram and teased that very small group with a promotional picture that simply yelled “party.” The advertisement was full-on star power: Evans raring in red glamour, the absolute queen of the show, and Young dripping in gold chains, cool down the pose. The caption was as casual as can be: “My Family Pullin Up To The City @therealfaithevans… #TraeDayWeekend 🤘🏿.” Because with Trae Young, really, you might not really need to explain why there would be a Grammy-winning artist at his event.
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The nitty-gritty details were kept from the public, allowing tons of speculation to surface. “Which event???? Or will she be at all of them?” someone shot back quickly, while another blandly demanded, “What event will Faith Evans be at?”–a testimony that Young’s fan base is not to be hoodwinked by the artist’s surprises. The graphic on its own should serve as a near-perfect hype machine: big chunky metallic-appearing “TRAEDAY” letters jumping at you, accompanied by the chilling tagline: “Special Guest Faith Evans will be in attendance.” Translated: clear your calendars.
Following this train of thought goes into the whys of the combo, since Evans has ties to Atlanta (she infamously wed Notorious B.I.G. there) and Young is infamous for blending basketball with hip-hop culture. Last year’s TraeDay was replete with celebrity softball games and a concert — so chances are Evans is either belting out “Love Like This” while halftime goes on at a charity basketball game or she’s judging a dunk contest in which young tries jumping over a parked-in Rolls Royce. In any case, the people want a longing livestream.
What separate young from other athletes who are building a brand is his ability to build onto his basketball career. Most athletes get a camp and call it a day. TraeDay has blossomed into a cultural phenomenon-where big names grace the occasion. Last summer it was Lil Baby who came out, now it’s Faith Evans? At this rate, maybe Beyoncé will be next year’s headliner, going straight from her set right at center court. He understands spectacle, and, more importantly, he understands that truly unique backdrop of Atlanta where sport meets music in a wicked pick-and-roll.
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The other question is if a Biggie tribute is to happen during Lord Evans’s set, for nothing quite spells out “TraeDay” like 90s R&B nostalgia blueprinted with present-day NBA swagger. Something is for sure: The moment Young gives you a deliberately cryptic tease; generally, it means some big arena stuff is underway. So stay tuned.
This story originally appeared on Celebrityinsider
