Basketball 3×3 – In the first medal matches DJ Lass is there pumping the volume

TOKYO, July 28 (Reuters) – When a 3×3 basketball the match goes to a sudden death overtime, the distressing rhythm of Kanye West’s “Power” is just the right way to increase intensity on the field.

Elsewhere in the game, it could be the Fat River city anthem “Lean Back,” which hits the right mood, or the licking of the back guitar from surf rock. Because when 3×3 basketball debuted on the Olympic Channel in Tokyo, it came with an audio track. And behind the record player is Frenchman Lassana Karamoko, AKA DJ Lass.

The fast-paced, half-field version of basketball is constantly played to the accompaniment of pulsating hip-hop, recalling the origins of sports street ball. DJ Lass deals with sounds that match players, teams, and critical moments in the game.

“I usually start the game more slowly, and in fact, players dictate the pace,” DJ Lass said Tuesday during the silence between matches. “I only adjust to the strength of the field.”

While the pandemic has meant that Aomi Urban Sports Park’s 3×3 arena has had mostly spectators, he continued the music as a service to players and the culture of the novice event with the world’s greatest sports adventure.

“With the exception of the streets, many people have never seen a real 3×3 race,” he said. “And it’s good for players to have music all the time.”

DJ Lass has been a 3×3 match for the past four years, hosting events throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East. He typically has 600 tracks in a row, but the Olympics ’copyright notices meant he had to cut it by about half.

In addition to skateboarding, surfing and sports climbing, 3×3 has been added to these games in an effort to expand the attraction of the spectacle’s youth. With a 12-second shot clock and game time of just 10 minutes, 3×3 is customized for social media sharing.

In addition to the cool factor, music has a practical effect. In public shows, people tour songs and stay to watch the game. However, the games are the biggest step for 3×3, which has been handling events globally for about 10 years.

DJ Lass, 37, accepts requests from players and teams. For example, a Japanese women’s team, like anime-based songs, and their fast-paced style of play requires equally dynamic music.

On Wednesday, the 3×3 event will advance to its semifinals and the first ever Olympic medal competitions. Serbia men are very popular to take the gold, while Team USA’s women’s team, full of WNBA talents, is hard to beat.

But the tournament has already seen several disruptions. And if the gold medal bets weren’t exciting enough, DJ Lass is involved in reinforcing the drama.

“I put on songs with a higher BPM (beats per minute) in the final seconds of the game to get even more anxiety and emotion from the fans,” he said.

Rapporteur: Rocky Swift; Edited by Stephen Coates

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