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User:TonyTheTiger/sandbox/Go New York Go

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"Go New York Go"
Single by Jesse Itzler
Released1993
Recorded1993
GenreRap/Hip hop
Length1:32
Songwriter(s)Jesse Itzler, Dana Mozie
Producer(s)A. Cohen
Music video
"Go New York Go" (1994 version) on YouTube

"Go New York Go", "Go, New York, Go", "Go NY Go" or "Go New York Go New York Go" is a song written and performed American entrepreneur, author, songwriter and rapper Jesse Itzler and songwriter/promoter Dana Mozie in 1993. The song is the anthem of the New York Knicks playing before and during every home game for the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Background

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Itzler was raised in Roslyn, New York.[1] Three generations of his father's family were raised in Brooklyn.[2] Itzler began his music career recording in his college dormitory.[3] Itzler signed a recording deal in 1991.[4] Two of his songs charted on the Billboard Hot 100.[5] By 1993 his rapping career had plateaued and he continued songwriting.[4]

In the late 1980s, Mozie was a college student promoting rap music in the Washington metropolitan area. Eventually he decided to move to New York City to work with Salt-N-Pepa and Itzler moved to New York as well.[6] Mozie's started at WOL and made introductions with Sean Combs and Digable Planets. His backstory includes a 1989 invite from Salt-N-Pepa to come to New York to work for them.[7]

One of Itzlers clients was a clothing company by Knicks executive Ernie Grunfeld's wife Nancy Grunfeld.[4][1] Some accounts of the history of the song note that he worked on a jingle for a clothing company by Knicks executive Dave Checketts' wife Deb.[8] Both accounts note that he requested the opportunity in 1993 to write the song to amp up the crowds at Knicks home games.[4][8][1] Itzler recorded the song in the closet of his Upper East Side apartment.[1][9] Mozie's backstory includes getting the Knicks job by entering a songwriting contest.[7] Both Itzler and Mozie are officially credited for the song and there are accounts in the press that both are almost the sole creative source of the song.[6] At first only some of the fans got caught up in the song, but gradually more and more fans reacted to it. Then the local radio stations started playing it, and Budweiser licensed the song as did The Wiz.[1] That original version of the song became popular during the Knicks 1994 NBA playoffs run.[8][10] The song is frequently updated.[10] Updated versions of the song have included performances by P. Diddy, Run DMC, and Q-Tip.[4] Mozie is described as the producer of the 1997 version that included free appearances by DJ Run, Puff Daddy and Ed Lover.[11]

Legacy

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Before the 1994 playoffs were over, NBA Entertainment hired Itzler to produce a 60-second "I Love This Game"-themed commercial featuring celebrities such as Spike Lee and Cindy Crawford.[12] The following season, both the Washington Bullets and the Charlotte Hornets sought Mozie and Itzler's anthem songwriting services.[13] They went on to write songs for several other National Basketball Association and Women's National Basketball Association teams including Los Angeles Lakers, New York Liberty, and Milwaukee Bucks. The NBA teams own the intellectual property rights to the rally songs and pay a flat fee. Although the pay was $5000 ($10546 in 2023) for "Go New York Go", by 2004, Itzler was making $50,000 ($80655 in 2023) for his songs.[4] He won a Sports Emmy Award for his role in the "I Love This Game" music campaign for the NBA.[14] In 1996, he and his partner created a company to produce music compilations for all major league sports.[15] Within 3 years, his company had expanded its client list to include Foot Locker and Coca-Cola and was bought out for $4 million ($7.5 million in 2023) plus participation future earnings.[16] In 2015, he became a minority part-owner of the Atlanta Hawks.[1][17][18] By 2023, he had written songs for over 50 sports teams and retired.[8]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Best, Neil (May 25, 2021). "He wrote the Knicks' 'Go New York' anthem of the mid-1990s. Now, Long Island's Jesse Itzler co-owns the Hawks". Newsday. Archived from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  2. ^ Frankel, Bethenny (June 17, 2021). "Episode Transcript". Just B. iHeartMedia. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  3. ^ Greathouse, John (July 19, 2020). "This Emmy Winning Rapper And Best-Selling Author Founded A Billion Dollar Startup And Runs The Height Of Mount Everest For Fun". Forbes. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Janes, Erika Rasmusson (November 1, 2004). "NBA Idol: An entrepreneur raps his way into the big leagues". CNN. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  5. ^ Dickey, Megan Rose (November 11, 2013). "This Rapper From The Nineties Has A Sick New Startup". Business Insider. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Wax, Emily (March 31, 1998). "Song Evokes Creative Dissonance / Sour notes over who wrote Knicks theme: [QUEENS Edition]". Newsday. p. A29. ProQuest 279109064. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Hinckley, David (May 18, 1995). "BASKETBALL COMPOSER SHOOTS FROM THE HIP-HOP - DANA MOZIE, THE KNICKS' 'GO' MAN, TAKES AD-VANTAGE OF HIS SUCCESS". New York Daily News. p. 48. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d Tien-Dana, Jack (April 29, 2023). "The shocking behind the scenes history of Knicks anthem "Go New York Go"". Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  9. ^ Borden, Sam (May 17, 2024). "'Go NY Go': Behind the song pumping up the Knicks' Garden". ESPN. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  10. ^ a b Helin, Kurt (April 19, 2011). ""Go New York Go" 2011 vs. 1994". NBC Sports. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  11. ^ Rush, George, Joanna Molloy and Baird Jones (April 23, 1997). "NO TIGER IN ITS TANK, HOUSE SINGS THE BLUES". New York Daily News. p. GEORGE RUSH AND JOANNA MOLLOY with Baird Jones. Retrieved May 19, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ Rosenbloom, Steve (May 23, 1994). "No Crashing This Garden Party: [LATE SPORTS FINAL Edition]". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 10. ProQuest 258052609. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  13. ^ Rhoden, William C (February 18, 1995). "Sports of The Times; Hip-Hop In Orange And Blue". The New York Times. p. A.29. ProQuest 430065520. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  14. ^ Abramson, Mitch (January 6, 2007). "For Jesse Itzler, nothing's impossible, not even 100 miles in 24 hours". Newsday. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  15. ^ "Have Fun. Start Companies". The New York Times (Online). December 10, 2006. ProQuest 2224129587. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  16. ^ Schleier, Curt (August 3, 2018). "Entrepreneur Jesse Itzler's String Of Successes Includes Private Jets And Coconut Water". Investor's Business Daily. ProQuest 2082299104. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  17. ^ "Hawks finalizing sale with billionaire Antony Ressler". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on 24 April 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  18. ^ NBA: "Group Led By Tony Ressler Completes Purchase of Atlanta Hawks" June 25, 2015 | "Other investors include seven-time NBA All-Star Grant Hill, who will serve as Vice Chair of the Board, Townsquare Media Chair and CEO Steven Price, Clayton Dubilier & Rice partner Rick Schnall, and Spanx founder Sara Blakely and Marquis Jet co-founder Jesse Itzler, who are married"
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