Knicks party rolls into ESPYs with Ghostface, De La Soul and Fat Joe
New York rap royalty soundtracked the 2026 ESPYs as the Knicks’ championship glow took over Lincoln Center.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
2 min read
The Knicks’ title party did not stop at the parade route. At the 2026 ESPY Awards in New York, the celebration spilled onto the stage with sets from De La Soul, Slick Rick, Ghostface Killah and Fat Joe, according to Rolling Stone.
The awards show was held Wednesday at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, where the NBA champions were a central theme of the night. The musical lineup leaned hard into New York hip-hop, matching the citywide mood after the Knicks’ championship run.
Long Island’s De La Soul were first up, Rolling Stone reported. The group performed a medley that included parts of “Stakes Is High” and “Run It Back!!” while urging the athlete-heavy crowd to get on its feet.
Okayplayer later posted video from the De La Soul performance on X, labeling the clip as “DE LA SOUL (LIVE) - ESPYS 2026.”
Slick Rick followed with a performance that began from the audience before he moved to the stage, according to Rolling Stone. The Bronx-via-London rapper delivered a shortened version of “La Di Da Di,” his classic record.
Okayplayer also shared video of Slick Rick’s appearance on X, calling it “SLICK RICK (LIVE) - ESPYS 2026.”
Ghostface Killah brought the Wu-Tang corner of New York into the room. Rolling Stone reported that the Staten Island rapper opened by nodding to fellow Wu-Tang members Raekwon and Ol’ Dirty Bastard, using “Ice Cream” and “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” before moving into his own “Cherchez LaGhost.”
The appearance came weeks after Ghostface joined Wu-Tang Clan for a halftime performance during Game 4 of the NBA Finals, Rolling Stone noted.
Fat Joe, who Rolling Stone described as a steady presence during the Knicks’ championship run, handled the finale. ESPN posted video on X saying Fat Joe closed out The ESPYS with “All the Way Up.”
The Knicks’ night was not limited to the music. Rolling Stone reported that Finals MVP Jalen Brunson won both “Best Championship Performance” and “Best NBA Player.”
OG Anunoby’s last-second tip was named “Best Play,” according to Rolling Stone, and the Knicks as a group took home “Best Team.”
That made the ceremony feel less like a neutral awards show and more like another stop on the Knicks’ victory lap. Between the trophies, the Lincoln Center setting and a soundtrack supplied by New York rap heavyweights, the ESPYs kept the city’s basketball summer going for one more night.
This story draws on original reporting from Rolling Stone.