Photo credit: Phil Ellsworth / ESPN Images

Welcome to a new monthly feature in The Hip Hop Museum newsletter. Each month, we will speak to an athlete, celebrity, or culture influencer about what Hip Hop means to them.

For our inaugural edition, we connect with former NHL goaltender, current ESPN and NHL Network broadcaster, and analyst Kevin Weekes. Playing for teams like the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, and New Jersey Devils, Weekes was among the few black players in the NHL. Today, Weekes is considered one of the game’s most trusted insiders, elite broadcasters, and analysts.

So Kevin Weekes, what does Hip Hop mean to you?:

“It’s a life soundtrack for a lot of different people. And often, it helps fuel belief, motivation, inspiration…it fuels entertainment and culture. From Biggie to Nas to Busta. So many of the greats that I listened to for workouts. Driving. Before games. Walking into arenas. A lot of them have been a big part of my life.

It has been an audio soundtrack but more of a life soundtrack through different life moments: signing a contract, signing another contract, going through a trade, playing games, and coming back from injuries.”

Follow Kevin Weekes on Instagram and X.

Read more interviews on The Hip Hop Museum!