The cross-section of hip-hop and the game of golf is expanding significantly. Artists like Schoolboy Q and Tyler the Creator can be seen hitting the links or embracing the lifestyle, and let’s face it — that alone makes golf cooler than ever. Utilizing that newfound cool factor for a great cause that helps musical artists means uniting two worlds that often seem at odds.
Enter 300 Entertainment and Malbon. No brand on Earth exists at the nexus of club-and-ball culture and hip-hop’s stylish, forward-thinking ethos like Malbon, and they recently had a chance to flex those bonafides at the 3rd annual 300 Entertainment x Malbon Golf Tournament, which took place last week at New Jersey’s Alpine Country Club.
300 Entertainment is the mega-successful label behind artists like Fetty Wap, Gunna, Hunxho, and Young Thug. That success, of course, starts at the top with their co-founder and CEO, Kevin Liles. Along with the golf apparel’s founder, Stephen Malbon, Liles delivered opening and closing remarks and hosted the star-studded affair, which saw celebrities like Anthony Anderson, Jim Jones, and Ja Rule teeing up alongside NBA Champion J.R. Smith and World Series Champion CC Sabathia.
The tournament, a four-person-per-team scramble, was not just a game but a platform to support a significant cause. It was organized to benefit the Free Our Art charity, which champions nationwide legislation defending creative freedom and expression. This cause holds a special place for the 300 Entertainment family, given the highly publicized RICO case against Young Thug, where his song lyrics have been frequently cited in court as he seeks to defend his innocence.
The partnership between Malbon and 300 is a powerful testament to their joint effort to protect First Amendment freedoms and ensure all artists have equal rights under the law.
The event also featured a 4:20 friendly installation hosted by Weed Maps, whiskey and refreshments provided by Bushmills, and additional sponsored support from Sprayground, Lexus, the NBA, King Construction, Hustle Butter, the LPGA, and JBL Audio. To cap off the proceedings, guests were treated to an exclusive performance by 300 breakout group WanMor during the award ceremony and closing reception. Ultimately, these efforts will help integrate hip-hop into country club culture, making it a cool, cutting-edge creative endeavor. But the larger fight for artists’ protection isn’t as simple as a hole-in-one.
With 300 Entertainment and Malbon giving voice to concerns that affect artists around the country and doing so in style, they’re helping to push the cultural conversation forward and create tangible change. By uniting hip-hop royalty and the innovative minds behind Malbon, both brands stand to amplify key voices and leverage their shared audience to raise awareness for an important cause and come together to help shape the future. Hopefully, with continued efforts like this, the protection of black art will become par for the course.
