In case you forgot who was executive producer

If you want to gain some street credibility for your new game, maybe the way to go is to hire a multi-million selling hip-hop star as executive producer: yep, that might do it. It's been confirmed that executive producer of upcoming Wii and Wii U title NBA 2K13 will be rap royalty JAY Z, who's had almost as many hits as Mario has games.

In fairness to JAY Z, he does have a track record of entrepreneurship and business success, as well as part-ownership of an actual NBA basketball team: his brief in the game is to add a new style and image to the 2K series, as well as contributing to the soundtrack. You can read the details — with some comments from JAY Z that sadly aren't a rap — in the press release below, and 2K Sports was so excited that it even produced a short trailer for the announcement.

2K Sports today announced an unprecedented partnership with entertainment mogul Shawn “JAY Z” Carter to serve as Executive Producer of NBA® 2K13, the next installment of the top-selling and top-rated NBA video game simulation franchise.

“This has been a unique opportunity to collaborate with 2K Sports and be a part of one of the best sports video games in history,” commented JAY Z. “NBA 2K13 will be the next evolution in sports and basketball culture, and I’m ready to usher in the new era of the franchise.”

JAY Z’s interests and influences extend well beyond his illustrious music career as a 14-time Grammy award winner, as evidenced by his part-ownership of the 40/40 sports clubs and of the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets, having recently helped craft that team’s iconic black-and-white logo and visual identity. As Executive Producer of NBA 2K13, JAY Z’s artistic vision and style will permeate the experience , from the overall look and feel of the game, to the hand-picked soundtrack, interactive in-game menus and more.

“We aren’t content with just being the best, and we will continue to grow the NBA 2K franchise into one of today’s premier entertainment experiences,” said Jason Argent, vice president of marketing for 2K Sports. “JAY Z’s role in NBA 2K13 represents a unique fusion of basketball, music, art, and entertainment, and illustrates the evolution of NBA 2K into something much bigger than simply the best basketball video game series ever made.”

The audio and visual aesthetics of NBA 2K13 will reflect a balance of basketball and musical influences, with JAY Z himself hand-picking the game’s soundtrack. The 24-song collection features some of his top hits, along with an eclectic mix of music’s biggest acts.