Complex UK x Sony Interview: D Double E Plays NBA 2K22

Under the warm and inviting lights of Jukebox Studios in West London, D Double E—sporting a stylish, retro Chicago Bulls tracksuit—is preparing to get a first look at the latest edition of the NBA 2K franchise, NBA 2K22, on the PS5.

Growing up in East London an avid basketball fan himself, the grime icon has seen the growth of basketball from both a cultural and gaming standpoint throughout the years. For D Double E, as a young Londoner, basketball courts weren’t as readily accessible as they are now and, as he recalls in our interview, the games weren’t “looking real like they do now.” Gone are the days of NBA Jam on Super Nintendo and NBA Street on PlayStation 2 where, although legendary games of their era, the realism and depth present in the new gen of console games had not yet kicked in.

The NBA 2K games have become the defining basketball game over the last decade, expanding in scope and scale with every release. This year’s title sees the re-introduction and evolution of The City on New Gen consoles—where players can roam, explore and customise their avatar, as well undertake missions and build their career journey in a new and exciting way. There are also even more customisation options, some of which D Double E tested out for himself.

With his track “Deeper” as part of the soundtrack, after spending a couple of hours with NBA 2K22, D Double E talked to us about his love of the sport, his first impressions of the game, the importance of the relationship between the UK and the US, and, of course, all things grime.

NBA 2K22 is available now on PlayStation 4 and 5 via the PlayStation store.