Big shout out to Lynn Hoppes and the staff at ESPN for this interview:

 If you listen to "First Take" on ESPN2 this week, you'll hear a new song by Wale & Stalley called "Every Word Great." The track was produced by one of the hottest in the game: Amadeus.

Playbook had a few minutes with Amadeus to talk about the collaboration.

What was it like working with Wale and Stalley and this song?

"It was an amazing experience working with both Wale and Stalley, who are both very relevant in the music business and signed to one of the most success record labels of our time, Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group. It was my first time meeting them, but it felt like we worked together already. When we got in the studio, the chemistry was great, and we were able to create a great theme song."


How was it meeting hosts Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith?

"It was the best. I'm a true sports fan, and I'm also a fan of ESPN and the ESPN 'First Take' show, so to meet those two guys was a great experience. The moment we met we began to argue immediately about football teams and who was going to take the victory that Sunday and, of course, my team, the champions New York Giants, beat Tampa Bay. It was also really exciting to see both Stephen A. and Skip Bayless dancing and loving the track that I created for their show."

How big of a sports fan are you and what do you think of the show?

"I'm a big supporter of the following teams: New York Giants, New York Yankees, New York Knicks and New York Rangers! Of course I love the show, to see two guys passionate about sports debate for two hours Monday through Friday is classic. But not only do I enjoy the debates, I also appreciate their knowledge of sports, so I learn a lot watching 'First Take.'"


Your first name is Antwan. Where did "Amadeus" come from?

"Yes, my government name is Antwan J. Thompson Sr., but my producer stage name is Amadeus. It means 'Loves God,' which I do, and we all know that Amadeus was a famous classical composer who created hundreds of masterpieces at a young age and went on to make history. While being inspired by him as a musician, I wanted to continue the legacy and use the name Amadeus and become one of the best music producers of my time! FYI, I've produced for more than 50 artists, and now I can add ESPN 'First Take' theme song to my résumé."

What do you think of the hip-hop game today, and why do you think it flows so well with sports?

"The hip-hop game has definitely changed drastically since I entered 16 years ago, but the love and appreciation I have for hip-hop pushes me to stay in it and keep going. I've always believed that music is expression, and we all have the right to express ourselves in anyway possible, and that relates to sports and ESPN's 'First Take' show. Most athletes as they're preparing for a game, they listen to music to get them hyped and pumped, and a lot of them listen to hip-hop music. We as the hip-hop community support them and enjoy sports as entertainment. We're like one big family! God bless."