Posted by Andrew Unterberger on 04/19/2011 at 5:27 PM Videos

The Popdust Files: NBA, new york knicks, swizz beats, theme song

The New York Knicks’ first playoff run in seven years (and first legitimately competitive team in even longer) demanded commemoration in stadium-anthem form. Super-producer, longtime New Yorker and devout Knicks fan Swizz Beats was more than willing to oblige, updating the now-classic Knick anthem “Go New York Go” (known in some corners as “Go New York, Go New York Go”), which has been pumping up crowds at Madison Square Garden since its debut back in 1994, with help from current Knick superstars Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony.

We’re not huge here on Swizz’s hi-NRG, synth-heavy spin on the Knicks’ signature song, since it strips the casual (if somewhat awkward) funk and fun of the original for something that’s a little too flashy and frenetic for our tastes. Still, its concessions to trends in current pop music are forgivable in the name of trying to further drum up enthusiasm for the best Knicks squad since Latrell Sprewell slipped and fell on his yacht (true story).

Compare it with the original below, and also check out Dan Devine’s power rankings of the five best versions of the song. (No. 1 is “Virtually any other rap song referencing New York, basketball and the New York Knicks that is not “Go New York Go,” because it is not, truth be told, a very good rap song.” Meh.)