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NBA superstar LeBron James has found plenty of ways to expand his brand and has managed to stay relevant not just in basketball, but also in popular culture.
James' collaboration with HBO in "The Shop," is one of his most well-known endeavors into popular culture. It's a talk show created by Paul Rivera starring himself and businessman Maverick Carter, who have conversations and debates with guests in a barbershop.
His frequent associations with Drake, Jay-Z and the like have often kept him alive in popular culture. Through these associations, James has managed to create a marketable persona, even when he's not on the court.
Regina Hall on Sunday at the Oscars, took shots at LeBron James, talking about his movie "Space Jam: A New Legacy:"
"I was very disappointed that Space Jam 2 did not get nominated for the hairline they gave LeBron James..it was really good!" (h/t) indy100
Co-host Wanda Sykes responded to Hall's comments:
"Black twitter is gonna love that" (h/t) indy100
LeBron James off the court
Just as LeBron James has been relevant in basketball for a very long time, his collaborations and relevance off the court haven't taken a hit. That includes going back to 2011, when LeBron starred in the music video for "Forever" by Drake, Kanye West, Eminem and Lil Wayne:
LeBron's brand endorsements include contracts with Nike, Coca-Cola, Audemar Piguet, Beats by Dre and many more. He is also an angel investor in the tequila and mezcal company LOBOS 1707. James also served as an executive producer on rapper 2 Chainz's album "Rap or Go to the league."
LeBron's activism and charity is another considerable part of his work off the court. Under the LeBron James Family Foundation banner, James has funded the I Promise school, the I Promise institute, I Promise village and House Thirty-Three, all located in Akron, Ohio. He has referred to the I Promise school as one of the most important professional accomplishments of his life.
The LeBron James Family Foundation, since 2005, has held an annual bike-a-thon to raise money for various causes. James also donated $2.5 million to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture to support an exhibit on Muhammad Ali.
James has also partnered with the University of Akron to provide scholarships to as many as 2,300 students. He was awarded PBWA’s 2016-17 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award.
