NEWS
Sports Team are offering fans a chance to fire five shots of a web-controlled paintball gun at them – read on to find out how.
The Cambridge band are preparing to release their third studio album ‘Boys These Days’ on May 23 via Distiller Records/Bright Antenna, which you can pre-order/pre-save here. They have previewed the album with the singles ‘I’m In Love (Subaru)’, ‘Condensation’, ‘Bang Bang Bang’ and ‘Maybe When We’re 30’.
Ahead of the release, they will be offering people who pre-order the album the opportunity to hurl paintballs at them.
In an Instagram post on Friday (May 9), they wrote: “On Tuesday we’ll be spending the day in a room doing live sales of the new album with what remains of our dignity and a 3000psi, web-controlled paintball gun. Buy the record. Get five shots.”
The post comes alongside a video of the band in the studio, showing the paintball gun in question aiming at a range of melons. “It’s ok to hate Sports Team,” reads a caption. “Six band members, four hours, one web-enabled fully remote paintball turret gun. Buy the album, get 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 shots. 13th May.”
The band have also announced a series of in-store gigs to take place around the release of the album – tickets are on sale now and can be bought in participating stores or on the band’s site here.
MAY
21 – Banquet, Kingston
22 – Assai at Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh
23 – Assai, Glasgow
24 – Live at Leeds signing
25 – Jacaranda Baltic, Liverpool
26 – Rough Trade, Nottingham
27 – Rough Trade, East London
28 – Resident, Brighton
29 – Rough Trade, Bristol
‘Boys These Days’ will be the follow-up to 2022’s ‘Gulp!’, which NME awarded four stars and noted was “a cocky, self-assured record that blends Sports Team’s chaotic energy with a smart, heartfelt understanding of the power of guitar music.”
“Through it all, Sports Team are just trying to have a good time. It’s a relatable sentiment given these times, and whether it’s the escapism of the live show or their communal spirit, ‘Gulp!’ sees the band continue to build something to believe in.”
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso honored Shyne with a key to the city during a ceremony held at the East Flatbush Young Men’s Mentorship Expo on Saturday. The recognition highlighted both his influence in hip hop and his contributions as a public figure and advocate. Reynoso also declared April 25, 2026 as “Shyne Day” in Brooklyn.
“Shyne embodies what is possible when a community believes in its young people, and the magic that can happen when young people are given the resources they need to thrive. East Flatbush raised Shyne, and it only made sense to present him with the Key to Brooklyn as we team up to deliver hope and opportunity to dozens of young men today,” Reynoso said at the event, as caught by BK Reader.
Shyne also addressed the crowd. “This is the community that raised me, and it’s important for me to pass that love forward,” he said. “There couldn’t be a better way to celebrate this milestone than coming back home and pouring into the next generation.” He also revealed that everyone in attendance would receive complimentary tickets to his 25th anniversary concert on May 2 at the Kings Theatre.
The show will mark 25 years since the release of his self titled debut studio album, which arrived on September 26, 2000. Even while Shyne was incarcerated at the time, the project debuted and reached number five on the Billboard 200 chart. It moved close to 160,000 units in its opening week.
Earlier this week, Shyne posted a video of himself standing outside the Kings Theatre on Instagram while promoting the upcoming performance. "Can’t wait to see you this Saturday, May 2 @kingsbklyn as we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Shyne Album…..the celebration will continue @crownhilltheatre where I will meet, take pictures and party with you, my loyal supporters, who’ve made Shyne a Rap Legend," he captioned the post. Fans filled the comments with fire emojis in response.
