Dave's JOINT

Photo courtesy of Dave’s Joint.

By David Cordova

This edition of The City Game will be talking about some of the city’s most prominent announcers in some of the tri-state area’s finest tournaments during the summertime. 

When the month of June hits, many in the New York City area flock to the parks to see what they’ve been waiting for since the previous year: streetball. Not only do folks go to see some great action, but what makes the action so special is the people that are on the mic as the games are being played. 

In the ‘hood, the announcers are just as exciting as the games themselves. They control the tempo of the park by providing plenty of entertainment and also calling a masterful event. They are what they call the MC’s, short for masters of ceremonies. Here are a few of the tri-state area’s famed announcers:

David Teele /aka “Cha-Ching”

The Sugar Hill section of Harlem has produced plenty of famous people, including W.E.B. DuBois, Thurgood Marshall, Cab Calloway, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Duke Ellington, rapper Juelz Santana. Cha-Ching is the latest luminary from that historic place and has come up from obscurity to one of the city’s most memorable voices. He honed his skills first at Carmansville Playground, “known locally as The Battlegrounds,” and then parlayed it into calling games at another famous tournament known in Harlem as the Tri-State Classic. And then for the last nine years, he has been the emcee at the famed Dyckman Basketball Tournament in the Inwood/Washington Heights section of Manhattan, which is also known as “The Red Carpet of Streetball.” These days, no matter where he’s at, whether it’s a small tournament or NY vs. NY, his voice is one that is synonymous with the culture. Also known for his parodying of celebrities, he is definitely one to provide a great show wherever he goes.

Jaden Edwards /aka “Mr. Talk Spicy”

A native of The Bronx, Talk Spicy is one of those voices that connects with the youth, as he is in tune with the college stars and the high school players, whether they’re hidden gems or All-Americans. His ability to call games has taken him from tournaments such as the Tri-State Classic in Harlem and the Watson Basketball Classic in The Bronx to events such as the Iverson Classic, Overtime Elite, NY vs. NY and the SLAM Summer Classic. He’s also known for the phrase, “I Pledge Allegiance to the Flagg,” which was a play on the name of Cooper Flagg, a native of Maine who is the No. 1 prospect in the high school class of 2024 out of Montverde Academy in Florida and is committed to Duke University, where he will begin his freshman season in 2024-25. Talk Spicy also has masterful knowledge of the game, having played basketball himself in high school, as he played varsity basketball at Forest Hills High School in Queens and played collegiate basketball at Columbia-Greene Community College in Hudson, New York. Simply put, Talk Spicy is the voice of the current generation.

Larry Agee /aka “Mic Larry”

A native of The Bronx, whenever Mic Larry is on the aforementioned microphone, you’ll definitely hear comedy and also rapid-fire preaching during his commentary. For a few years, he was one of the famed emcees at the Rucker Park Streetball tournament, and has also done commentary for The Basketball Tournament, Under Armour Elite 24 and is also the emcee for HBCU Live starting this season, and will also be doing commentary for Hofstra University’s home games. The last couple of summers, he has also done commentary for the Bolden Mack Park league in Amityville, Long Island. He always gives great advice to the youth on the mic and always has some hilarious catch-phrases on the court. If you know, you know.

“Fly Ty”

A Brooklyn native, Fly Ty represents his borough proudly and to the fullest. The main attraction at the Gersh Park tournament in East New York, he provides masterful commentary on the mic for a raucous crowd. No matter if it’s the championship series in August. the all-star game in July or even the first day of the tournament in June, he makes it a spectacular vibe. If you take the 3 MTA subway train down to Brooklyn during the summer, make sure to stop by to see the action at the “Nightclub of Streetball.”

Joe Pope

A native of The Bronx River Houses in The Bronx, Pope has been an OG on the mic and has made a name for himself over the years. In the early days of the Watson Basketball Classic in the Soundview section of The Bronx, even before they became acquainted with Nike, he was the man on the mic. Later on, that parlayed into various Nike events, as he has called events such as the Nike Tournament of Champions, and was the emcee of the Dyckman Basketball Tournament for several years, as well as the Tri-State Classic, the Mackay Park Classic in Englewood, New Jersey and even the Rose Classic, the premier girls tournament for middle and high school players that is based in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn during the spring & the fall, and also the Miami Pro League in Miami, Florida. During the summer, you can catch him at the Nike Pro City tournament, which New York City’s only pro-am tournament and where the best of the best come to hoop. Pope’s ability to crack plenty of jokes has earned him plenty of acclaim. It’s always a good time whenever Pope is on the mic.

Rell Jones

A native of Harlem, Jones is a true entertainer in every sense of the word. As one of the emcees at the Rucker Park Steeetball tournament and the main emcee at the Kingdome Classic (both of whom are in Harlem), he has created a type of following on the mic that is definitely worth tuning in to. Along with Mic Larry, he is a part of the “Bad Boys of Streetball” duo that have called many events together on the mic. There is no doubt that the kid from Central Harlem is rather unique.

Johnny Marrero /aka “Here’s Johnny”

A native of the Bronx, Marrero is able to make his presence felt with his Latino flavor, with words like, “Papasito,” and phrases such as “Who’s going to get casted (meaning getting dunked on) tonight?” At places like the Rose Classic, Hoops in the Sun out in The Bronx’s Orchard Beach & the Top of the Hill Classic, which is based out of Soundview, and is one of the fast rising summer leagues in the city, he’s always making noise with his entertaining qualities on the mic. There’s only one, “Here’s Johnny!”

“Kessy”

During the summertime in White Plains, when walking up Ferris Avenue, you’re likely to hear an announcer cracking jokes, calling an excellent game and telling folks to move their vehicles at all times. Kessy is the voice of Westchester and aside from the talent at Ferris World Ball, he is one of the reasons that the event has had packed crowds every week during the months of June, July & August at Gardella Park. Next summer, you may as well make that trip to see him in action. It’s definitely worth the trip.

“Rah Slime”

A Brooklyn native, Rah Slime is one of the borough’s voices that brings plenty of liveness to any environment he’s in. When he’s not making the “Good Brothers Podcast,” with Cha-Ching or coaching New Heights (the Brooklyn-based AAU program), he’s one of the main attractions at the Zone 6 Classic on Lafayette Avenue in Bed-Stuy. Every weekend, you can find him entertaining the crowds, which pack the inside of the park and stand outside the gates 100 deep to see the action. He’s truly Brooklyn through and through.

For all of those not from the New York metropolitan area, if you’re trying to check out the action during the months of June, July and August, go on the Instagram pages of the tournaments named above and look out for the good games. You never know when you’ll see one of these guys in action.

Look out for the next installment of “The City Game,” as we will be talking about the Nazareth High School boys varsity basketball team out of East Flatbush, Brooklyn, as the Kingsmen have been one of the city’s best up-and-coming teams throughout the last two seasons, making the CHSAA “A” division championship game. This season, they will be joining the “AA” division and will be looking to make their presence felt on the Catholic League’s biggest stage.