Common, Karriem Riggins and James Poyser Tapped to Compose "NBA on Prime" Theme Music

Award-Winning Musicians Team Up to Create Sonic Identity for NBA on Prime Global Telecasts

Pre-save "Victory (NBA on Prime Theme)" Now and Stream Everywhere on October 24

CULVER CITY, CALIF., - October 9, 2025 - Three-time Grammy Award-winning artist Common has collaborated with acclaimed musicians and composers Karriem Riggins and three-time Grammy Award-winner James Poyser to create the official theme music for NBA on Prime. The composition, titled Victory (NBA on Prime Theme), captures the rich legacy of basketball culture and will serve as the signature sound for NBA on Prime each week beginning with the 2025-26 season. Victory will be the first national broadcast theme created for NBA coverage by three Black composers.

The theme was recorded at Ocean Way Studio in Nashville with a 60-piece orchestra under the direction of Common, Riggins and Poyser in September. Drawing from their deep personal connection to basketball and decades of experience writing award-winning music, the composers crafted a piece that reflects both the game's historic moments and the energy of today. Victory will be featured throughout NBA on Prime programming and global telecasts, creating a distinctive sonic identity for Prime Video's exclusive NBA coverage.

"Our NBA coverage will be a celebration of the game for fans around the world, and we believe music plays a key role in that experience," said Amina Hussein, Executive Producer, NBA on Prime. "Our theme needed to be timeless, modern, and soulful - and that's exactly what Common, James, and Karriem brought us. We believe their composition will become synonymous with the excitement and energy of NBA basketball on Prime Video."

The composers crafted Victory as a dynamic, orchestral score that moves seamlessly between musical styles, mirroring the different emotions of NBA basketball. To further expand its versatility for broadcast, they created two additional arrangements - a powerful rock version and a hip-hop interpretation.

"Basketball and music are two of my greatest loves," said Common. "James, Karriem, and I wanted to create a piece of music that expresses the togetherness, soul, fun, creativity, and spirit of the NBA and what the game represents. As Black artists coming from where we come from, creating the theme song for the NBA on Prime is one of the greatest moments of my career."

"Basketball has always been inspiring to me," said Riggins. "The rhythm of the game, the culture around it, and the way it brings people together. Creating music that captures that spirit for NBA on Prime alongside Common and James was truly an honor."

"To me, basketball and music speak the same language - the rhythm, the energy, the flow," said Poyser. "That spirit inspired us in creating this theme song, and we're grateful for the opportunity to share it with the world."

Grammy-award winning audio engineer Manny Marroquin will mix the final score. The completed score will be introduced during NBA on Prime's opening night doubleheader on Friday, Oct. 24. featuring the Boston Celtics at New York Knicks followed by the Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers. Victory (NBA on Prime Theme) is available to pre-save now to stream on all music platforms on Oct. 24.

For up-to-date information regarding Prime Video's NBA coverage including the full schedule, visit the NBA on Prime page on Prime Video and follow @NBAonPrime on X, Instagram and Tik Tok.

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About Common

Academy Award, Emmy and Grammy-winning artist, actor, author, and activist, Common continues to break down barriers with a multitude of critically acclaimed roles, and continued success in all aspects of his career. In Summer 2024, Common released his album with Pete Rock titled "The Auditorium, Vol. 1," via Loma Vista Recordings. This marked Common and Pete Rock's first full-length collaboration. The album received two Grammy nominations for "Best Rap Album" and "Best Rap Performance". Common is currently in production for Season 3 of Apple TV+'s hit sci-fi drama series, "Silo." In Winter 2024, Common released his health and wellness book, AND THEN WE RISE, which encourages people to take care of themselves through mind, body and soul. In Winter 2022, he made his Broadway debut playing Junior in BETWEEN RIVERSIDE AND CRAZY. His album A BEAUTIFUL REVOLUTION Part 2 was released in September 2021 and served as an inspiring follow up to his previous album, A BEAUTIFUL REVOLUTION Pt 1, which was released in March 2020. In 2019, Common released his hit album LET LOVE, inspired by his work and experiences writing his New York Times best-selling second memoir, LET LOVE HAVE THE LAST WORD. In 2020, Common partnered with Audible to release his podcast "Mind Power Mixtape" as well as the Audible original "Bluebird Memories: A Journey Through Lyrics and Life." He has dedicated countless hours and has been deeply engaged in social justice and advocacy work around mass incarceration, mental health and voting. Common's foundation FREE TO DREAM encompasses his 20 years of leadership as a change-maker, using his entertainment platform to advance the world's most critical social causes, with a focus on education, justice, wellness, and jobs.

About Karriem Riggins

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Karriem Riggins found sanctuary in music from an early age. His father, Emmanuel Riggins, played with the renowned Grant Green Band; he introduced Karriem to many jazz greats and their shared passion for creativity and precision. With a foundation of work ethic, and a flair for the playful, Karriem developed his art into an industrious career as a drummer, record producer, rapper, and DJ. Whether he's working with his hip hop supergroup collective, August Greene (alongside Common and Robert Glasper), or as Jahari Massamba Unit (his jazz duo with Madlib), Riggins is sure to show his far-reaching range. Among his prolific list of collaborations and accolades, Riggins holds an Emmy award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics, was nominated for an Album of the Year Grammy for his production with H.E.R., and has also lent his talent to Paul McCartney, Ray Brown, Stevie Wonder, J. Dilla, The Roots, Norah Jones, and Erykah Badu. His work with these cultural giants places Riggins among the few producers with the balance of vision, style, and technical prowess to steer effortlessly between the most revered players in jazz, hip-hop, and R&B.

About James Poyser

James Poyser is a multiple Grammy Award-winning and Emmy nominated musician, producer, and composer whose artistry has profoundly influenced modern soul, R&B, and hip-hop. Hailing from the United Kingdom and raised in Southwest Philadelphia, he is best known for his integral role in the legendary hip-hop band The Roots, the house band for "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon." His extraordinary talent has allowed him to produce, write, and perform with a remarkable array of influential artists, including Mariah Carey, Adele, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Jay-Z, D'Angelo, Rihanna, John Legend, Al Green, and Common among many others. Poyser's distinctive musical style is characterized by a signature soulful touch, which has graced numerous critically acclaimed albums and landmark songs. As a versatile musician, James has toured and performed across genres, evident in his role recently as the musical producer for the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Homecoming Concert. His accomplishments as a score composer for film & television includes many projects including, "Long Bright River," "The Equalizer," "The 1619 Project," 2 Distant Strangers," "Boxing Day," and "The Book of Clarence."

About Prime Sports

Prime Video supports a growing lineup of live sports globally, including Thursday Night Football, NBA, the Masters Tournament, NASCAR, the New York Yankees, Seattle Kraken, and Overtime Elite in the United States; Premier Boxing Champions in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada; the NWSL, the WNBA, and ONE Championship in the United States and Canada; NHL Prime Monday Night Hockey and PWHL in Canada; UEFA Champions League football in Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Ireland; Roland-Garros in France; Wimbledon in Germany and Austria; Premier League in Sweden and Denmark; New Zealand Cricket in India; ICC Cricket in Australia; Copa do Brasil football, Serie A football and the NBA in Brazil; boxing in Japan; and Chivas in Mexico. While availability varies by marketplace, fans can also subscribe to streaming services such as FanDuel Sports Network, Eurosport, FOX Sports (Mexico), Paramount+, FOX One, Peacock, Viaplay Sport, MLB.TV, NBA League Pass, NBA TV, DAZN (Germany and Spain), and Premiere FC (Brazil) through Prime Video add-on subscriptions. This is in addition to a selection of Amazon Original documentaries including Kelce, Bye Bye Barry, Coach Prime, Giannis, and the Amazon Original All or Nothing franchise, including All or Nothing: Arsenal, All or Nothing: Juventus, All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs, and All or Nothing seasons with various NFL teams, as well as the NCAA's Michigan Wolverines football team.