New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ RoadRunner Records) Grammy Award-winning international superstars
Rihanna and
Lenny Kravitz will headline the 2011 NBA All-Star Entertainment Series presented by American Express. Kravitz will tip off the 60th NBA All-Star Game, on Sunday, Feb. 20 with a special performance during the player introductions while
Rihanna will perform at halftime. The game will air live at 8 p.m. ET on TNT, Score Canada, ESPN Radio, and in more than 200 countries in more than 40 languages.
As the first-ever presenting partner of the NBA All-Star Entertainment Series, American Express will offer Cardmembers exclusive access including a special, behind-the-scenes tour of Staples Center to view artists' rehearsals, as well as receive premier seats adjacent to the performance stage for NBA All-Star Saturday Night and the 2011 NBA All-Star Game.
In December, the NBA and American Express announced a comprehensive, multiyear marketing partnership that makes the leading global services company the league's Official Credit Card Partner. American Express will provide Cardmembers with exclusive experiences and access to regular-season and playoff games, and premier NBA events such as NBA All-Star, the NBA Draft, and NBA Games - London 2011, the league's first-ever regular-season games in Europe, available at www.americanexpress.com/entertainment.
Grammy Award-winning artist Lenny Kravitz will rock the 2011 NBA All-Star introductions with his new song, Come on Get It, welcoming the East and West All-Stars to the court before Sunday's game. The song, featured in NBA on TNT promotions throughout the season, also has a basketball-themed video which was released in October and will appear on Kravitz's upcoming album. The Hollywood crowd will then be serenaded by American multi-platinum superstar Josh Groban singing the U.S. National Anthem and R&B singer Melanie Fiona belting out the Canadian National Anthem.
As the headliner for the NBA All-Star Entertainment Series presented by American Express, pop diva Rihanna will mesmerize basketball fans at half-time performing her single What's My Name in addition to her chart-topping hit Only Girl (In the World) off of her current album Loud.
On Saturday, Feb.19, as part of All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm, pop-artist Keri Hilson will sing her rendition of the U.S. National Anthem prior to Canadian born R&B/soul singer Aion Clarke taking the court to perform the Canadian National Anthem. Between the Haier Shooting Stars and Foot Locker Three Point Contest, 2011 Grammy nominee and singer/songwriter Cee Lo Green will get the crowd going as he performs his latest single "Forget You." Tipping off the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest, pop/hip-hop group Far East Movement will hit the stage with their newest single, Rocketeer, from their debut album Free Wired. All performances will air before a nationwide audience, live on TNT at 8 p.m. ET.
The sensational group Cali Swag District will perform their hit Teach Me How to Dougie on Friday, Feb. 18, as part of the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam which will be televised live on TNT at 9 p.m. ET.