NBA legend Julius "Dr. J" Erving changed the game of basketball with his offensive creativity. Tonight at 9 p.m. on NBA TV, fans will get to experience his high-flying theatrics through the new documentary, The Doctor.
Dr. J's innovation will also radiate through the documentary's unique soundtrack. It was produced by one of the top mixtape DJs in hip-hop J.Period, who also serves as the music supervisor for the Brooklyn Nets. Zak Levitt, who directed The Doctor and has worked on other NBA Entertainment films, first approached J. Period about working on the project after hearing his customized soundtracks for Nets game this past season. Levitt was interested in a fresh music approach for his sports documentary and asked J. Period to get on board. He agreed and also consulted with The Roots keyboardist James Poyser, who assisted with production for The Doctor.
"Traditionally, these films are not known for original music," J.Period tells Complex, "but Dr. J was such a dynamic and groundbreaking player that this seemed like a good project to try something new. In my mind, I heard a hybrid between an emotional, orchestral theme and a hype, hip-hop anthem—like a symphony and its own remix. It is, after all, a basketball documentary, so you've got to be able to dunk to it."
The Doctor arrives on the 30th anniversary of the Philadelphia 76ers' 1983 championship. The documentary, which reflects on Erving's illustrious career, includes highlights from his NBA years, rare footage from his days in the ABA, and never-before-head interviews about the challenges of his life off the court. So make sure you watch the doc—and listen out for J. Period's music—tonight on NBA TV.
You can listen to the theme song written exclusively for the doc below:
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