Comic books are full of fun crossovers, but in a new TV spot for Spider-Man: Homecoming, which hits theaters in July, hip-hop producer and former Terror Squad member DJ Khaled crosses paths with the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. The spot, which is a cross-promotional effort with the NBA Finals, is peak New York. We see Spidey, under orders from Happy (Jon Favreau) to pick up snacks at a bodega (natch) for Tony Stark’s NBA Finals party, freak out over fellow bodega-shopper DJ Khaled.
Although probably non-canonical to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s a shamelessly fun commercial that hits all the demographics: comic book nerds, basketball fans, and hip-hop lovers. And all three have crossed paths at some point or another.
Just a few months ago, Jeremy Lin of the Brooklyn Nets was featured in a two-issue storyline of Marvel and Greg Pak’s Totally Awesome Hulk. A few more years ago, Fred Van Lente wrote Eminem/The Punisher, a one-shot crossover which has rapper Eminem reluctantly team up with the Punisher. And Method Man, famously of the Wu-Tang Clan, is also a notorious comic book buff. The rapper frequently calls himself Johnny Blaze (a reference to his favorite superhero, Ghost Rider) and recently wrote the digital comic Ghost Rider X-Mas Special #1, where Ghost Rider murders Krampus. Method Man also exists in the MCU, where he makes a cameo appearance in Luke Cage and performs a song in honor of Harlem’s new hero.
Check out the spot below, where two New Yorkers ask for a picture of Spidey instead of the famous hip-hop producer. (“That’s definitely a first,” DJ Khaled tells himself.) The spot is actually this third entry in Spider-Man’s NBA finals saga. The second one, especially, is much nerdier, with a cameo from none other than Stan Lee.
Spider-Man: Homecoming hits theaters on July 7.
