Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Rapper J. Cole will be featured on a special edition cover of the upcoming video game NBA 2K23, the National Basketball Association (NBA) said Thursday.
The Grammy Award-winning artist will grace the front of NBA 2K23's "Dreamer Edition," which will be available exclusively through GameStop stores.
Beyond being seen on the cover, players will also be privy to a number of in-game cameos from the star, as it was announced that J. Cole will also appear in the game's MyCareer mode.
One of the game's most popular features, MyCareer mode allows users to simulate the life and career of an NBA player, both on and off the court.
"The [MyCareer] story kicks off after the NBA Draft and challenges players to balance their performance in the NBA, while navigating their off-court career through music, fashion, and business," according to game developer 2K.
A video released by 2K on Thursday also showed off some of the realistic conversations and events that take place in the MyCareer mode, including interactions with J. Cole.
The "Dreamer Edition" of the game is named after J. Cole's self-founded record label, Dreamville Records, with two Dreamville-signed artists, Bas and Elite, also being featured in MyCareer mode. Together, the three rappers will assist the MyCareer player through their NBA journey.
"NBA 2K has long been a place to discover new musical talent through their game and continues to be a gold standard for showcasing all things basketball culture," J. Cole said in a statement. "It's been an amazing journey to not only appear on a cover of this year's game, but to be part of the MyCareer storyline, soundtrack and bring the Dreamer brand into NBA 2K."
The rapper is a self-proclaimed NBA super fan, and even signed on to play professional basketball earlier this year with the Canadian Elite Basketball League.
As part of an ongoing effort to highlight hip-hop culture with the NBA, the game's soundtrack will include singles from J.Cole and Dreamville, as well as rappers such as Jack Harlow, Drake and Megan Thee Stallion.
For those who do not purchase the "Dreamer Edition," NBA 2K23 will also be releasing a number of other editions with other cover athletes.
The standard cover of the game features Phoenix Suns superstar shooting guard Devin Booker.
Two deluxe "Championship" and "Michael Jordan" versions of the game feature NBA legend and Chicago Bulls icon Michael Jordan, considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time.
Finally, a version celebrating the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) will highlight both Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury and the recently retired Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm.
NBA 2K23 will be released on Sept. 9.
