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Rapper, actor Diggs hails Warriors in debut feature for ESPN

Tony and Grammy Award-winning actor and rapper Daveed Diggs — part of the Broadway hit “Hamilton” and the popular ABC series black-ish — will write and perform six pieces for ESPN tied to timely cultural sports moments.

The first piece, titled “Back to the Bay” about the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors, debuted Monday night during SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt.

Diggs, a Bay Area native, is a Warriors fan, so the subject of his first video comes as no surprise. ESPN The Magazine’s NBA Preview issue (on newsstands Friday) will run lyrics from the piece with annotations from Diggs himself.

“Daveed is so collaborative and devoted,” said Glenn Jacobs, ESPN senior coordinating producer. “We really wanted to let his unique voice and vision come through. He writes and creates music that’s very distinctive. As a big sports fan, dynamic performer and storyteller, it’s totally authentic.”

Diggs and “Hamilton” co-star Leslie Odom Jr. performed at ESPN’s 2016 Upfront.

ESPN NBA Opening Week includes the Warriors-Pelicans game on Friday, Oct.20 at 9:30 p.m. ET.

(ABC/Mitch Haaseth) ANTHONY ANDERSON, TRACEE ELLIS ROSS, DAVEED DIGGS
Daveed Diggs (R) co-stars with Anthony Anderson (L) and Tracee Ellis Ross in the ABC sitcom black-ish. (Mitch Haaseth/ABC)
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