True to Atlanta, indeed.<\/p>\n
The Atlanta Hawks on Thursday announced plans to honor Magic City \u2014 which they called \u201cthe city\u2019s iconic cultural institution,\u201d but is best known to those outside ATL as \u201cone of the city\u2019s most famous strip clubs\u201d \u2014 during a March 16 home game against the Orlando Magic at State Farm Arena. No dancers will take part in the festivities, according to the Hawks.<\/p>\n
At first glance, the news may seem odd, but that\u2019s most likely the purview of people who don\u2019t know the club\u2019s connection with just about all aspects of Atlanta\u2019s modern cultural life. Atlanta has lots of strip clubs that have gained popularity and\/or notoriety over the years, from Cheetah to the infamous Gold Club. But Magic City has lasted for decades, with no sign of slowing down.<\/p>\n
Founded in 1985, Magic City has a unique history as not only one of the top strip clubs in a city known for, uh, after-hours entertainment, but also for its connection to multiple pro sports teams and to the local and national rap, trap and hip-hop scene. Basically, if you want to make it in Atlanta, you have to, at some point, get familiar with Magic City.<\/p>\n
Migos, Drake, Jermaine Dupri, 2 Chainz, Big Boi, Future and countless others had their music played in the club by DJs who made up-and-coming artists into stars by giving them airtime between the sets, where the performers\u2019 gyrations made it rain in front of producers and other influencers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere wouldn\u2019t be a Migos without Magic City,\u201d the rapper Quavo, Migos\u2019 frontman through the group\u2019s breakup in 2023, said in a documentary about the club that aired on STARZ last year.<\/p>\n
In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down most of the world, then-Los Angeles Clippers guard Lou Williams was granted permission to leave the NBA \u201cbubble\u201d at Disney World in Florida to attend the funeral of Paul Williams<\/a>, a local businessman well known throughout Atlanta\u2019s Black community, mentor to the three-time Sixth Man of the Year<\/a>, and father of Williams\u2019 best friend.<\/p>\n But after the service, Williams went to Magic City \u2014 not for a lap dance, but to get the club\u2019s well-regarded lemon pepper wings.<\/p>\n When he returned to Orlando, under the NBA\u2019s protocols, Williams had to quarantine for 10 days before being let back into the bubble. But the wings were, and are, as good as advertised<\/a>. They had better be: They are named the \u201cLouWill Lemon Pepper BBQ\u201d wings for a reason.<\/p>\n In 2018, Atlanta United players took the MLS championship trophy to the club<\/a> after the team captured the MLS Cup.<\/p>\n And Hall of Famer Shaquille O\u2019Neal disclosed that in 1996, he received word that his agent and the Los Angeles Lakers had reached an agreement on a $120 million contract, and that he needed to return to his Atlanta hotel to sign the papers.<\/p>\n Except \u2026 the Diesel was busy.<\/p>\n \u201cI still remember the girl\u2019s name, too \u2014 Elektra,\u201d O\u2019Neal said on T.I.\u2019s \u201cexpediTiously\u201d podcast<\/a> last month.<\/p>\n