Ice Cube, Fat Joe will perform before two World Series games

Ice Cube and Fat Joe will continue to show their love for the LA Dodgers and New York Yankees, respectively, by appearing at the second and third World Series games.

Hours before Friday's Game 1 opener, Major League Baseball announced that the hip-hop pioneers will take the stage in front of their respective hometown crowds at the Dodgers-Yankees World Series showdown.

South LA rapper Ice Cube has been hired for a pregame set at Saturday's second game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. South Bronx broadcaster Fat Joe will serve as opener for Game 3 on Monday at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

Ice Cube, formerly of NWA and “Straight Outta Compton,” is a long-time supporter of the boys in Dodger Blue and has made LA sportswear a part of his signature look. He will perform “World Series special editions” of his hits “Bow Down” and “It Was a Good Day.”

Joe, who has narrated promotional material for his beloved Yankees, will perform “bespoke versions” of his hits “New York” and “All the Way Up”. Game 3 will be the first of the 2024 postseason series to be played at Yankee Stadium and the first time a World Series game will be played at the venue since the Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in the Fall Classic in 2009 – the year the team's new stadium opened.

“Both stars are lifelong fans of their hometown teams and welcome the opportunity to prepare their fans for this year’s World Series matchup,” MLB said in a statement. The performances will take place each night following the national anthem and will be shown during Fox Sports' exclusive pregame coverage.

On Friday, the league also debuted a commercial titled “Empire State of California Love,” inspired by both states' unofficial anthems and promoting postseason games between the two storied franchises. The 30-second spot features Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' 2009 song “Empire State of Mind” mixed with Tupac Shakur's 1995 anthem “California Love” featuring Dr. Dr. It plays the postseason highlights of the Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts and the Yankees' Juan Soto and Aaron Judge.

Meanwhile, other celebrities are joining in on Game 1. Dodgers superfan and Grammy Award-winning country musician Brad Paisley will sing the national anthem and “Breaking Bad” star and avid Dodgers fan Bryan Cranston will be the all-important instruction of the late Vin Bring it to Scully. “It's time for Dodger baseball.” World Series champions Orel Hershiser (1988) and Steve Yeager (1981) of the Dodgers will throw out the ceremonial first pitches.