Pharrell Williams and NFL Star Ray Lewis Team for Mixtape
Pharrell Williams is clearly is the MVP of Pop Music this year — he’s already dominated airwaves by singing the hook on Daft Punk‘s disco throwback “Get Lucky” and producing Robin Thicke’s funky smash “Blurred Lines.” But the hitmaker’s latest collaboration is a bit unorthodox: Williams has teamed up with Under Armour to produce the “Natural Born Hitters” mixtape, which pairs electronic beats with motivation vocal samples from retired NFL linebacker Ray Lewis.
Find Out What Pharrell Really Thinks About Working With Daft Punk
The inspiration for the project came from Ready for August, a short film based on the football star’s high school career. While the pairing of Williams and Lewis may be unexpected, there’s clearly a mutual respect between the two parties.
“[Lewis] is a warrior that doesn’t understand ‘no’ — and doesn’t mind dying by the word ‘yes,'” Williams says in the project’s official trailer. “This is about his amazing story and his victory speech.”
Under Armour have also unveiled a interactive “Natural Born Hitters” app, which allows beatmakers to upload their own tracks using the original mixtape stems. The winning submission will be featured in a Ready for August commercial that will air during the September 23rd installment of NBC’s Monday Night Football.
Check out the “Natural Born Killers” trailer below:
Download the mixtape below: