It’s been about 15 years since Duke Tango, the legendary voice of the AND1 Mixtape Tour, last brought streetball fans his one-of-a-kind, on-court, in-game commentary. Countless “Ay, yo!” remarks after a nice move. The classic “Oh, baby!” response after a big play.
AND1 made braggadocious talk, showmanship and sublime ballhandling mainstream. With the company’s officially celebrating its 30th anniversary Sunday, Tango (born Thomas Mills) is excited for the people who made his time on the tour special.
“The fans, the fans,” Tango said. “Giving the fans what they want. Making them come to the arena, making them leave happy — or you come in happy, you leave happier.”
AND1 as a global product, on and off the basketball court, did more than make fans happy. It made an impact on the sport that is still felt by many. It made wearing “Trash Talk” T-shirts fashionable. It challenged basketball shoe powers like Nike, Adidas and even Reebok and Fila. It made streetball legends famous internationally. It also brought flashy on-court play to a new audience in the 1990s and normalized it for modern-day audiences.
AND1 brought back its famous open runs last month as part of its 30th-anniversary celebration. The company also is using its “Paint the Park” initiative…
