On Wednesday night, the Pacers unveiled their intro video for the 2017-18 season, featuring the hit song "You Can't Stop Me" by rapper Andy Mineo.
For those unfamiliar with Mineo's work, the New York-based Christian hip hop artist is one of the hottest names in the industry, whose 2015 album "Uncomfortable" rose up the charts to become the No. 1 independent record in the country.
The song from Mineo featured in the Pacers intro, "You Can't Stop Me", is no stranger to the sports world. It won an ESPN Whammy Award for being Major League Baseball's most popular walk up song in 2015. When asked if he had any idea that the song would be used so heavily in professional sports, Mineo explained that he actually had sports highlights in mind while recording it.
"It's just kind of an anthem that everyone can relate to," Mineo told ESPN. "Facing self-doubt, fear, and working through that and saying, 'The only thing that can stop us is ourselves.'"
In addition to his music, Mineo also hosts a webseries on YouTube called "Saturday Morning Car-Tunez" which has notched over one million views and offers a behind-the-scenes view of Mineo's creative process.
Mineo, who is originally from basketball-crazy Syracuse, New York, understands Indiana's deep love of the sport and was honored to come out and film the intro with Pacers players.
"I think the thing that makes Indiana basketball special is that they have incredible teams, both college teams and pro teams, and they're all about grit." Mineo explained during the shoot. "So I think of Larry Bird, I think the greats coming through, and always giving 110 on the court."
The song itself — from Mineo's album "Never Land" — is a testament to perseverance and overcoming the expectations of others. The first verse of the song closes with the lyrics:
I'll be living like woulda, shoulda, coulda, I'll be paralyzed by fear
Huh, ain't that the truth, if I quit the only way I lose
I got two choices when I do this, make moves or make excuses
Huh, if you know who I'm talking about, then you got me
My biggest enemy is me and even I can't stop me
"It's an incredible song to match a great team this year." Mineo said.