Saweetie is bringing her talents to the gridiron spotlight this year. The multi-platinum rapper has been named ESPN’s official Monday Night Football (MNF) Music Curator for the 2025-26 NFL season, making history as the network’s first-ever female music curator.
In her new role, Saweetie will hand pick tracks for select MNF games — from pregame promos to Monday Night Countdown and during live telecasts.
“Football has always been in my blood, so I’m beyond grateful to be the first female curator for Monday Night Football on ESPN,” Saweetie said before kicking off the new partnership in style.
What Is Saweetie’s Connection to Football?
Saweetie, born Diamonté Quiava Valentin Harper in July 1993, grew up in Santa Clara, California and her family roots run deep in football. Her mother, Trinidad Valentin is of Filipino and Chinese descent, while her father Johnny Harper, is African American. But the football connection? That comes from her father’s side.
Saweetie’s grandfather Willie Harper was a linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers in the 1970s and early ‘80s. He was part of the Niners’ legendary Super Bowl XVI team that captured the franchise’s first Lombardi Trophy in 1981.
The football lineage doesn’t stop there. Her uncle, Josh Harper, also starred as a wide receiver at Fresno State. Now, Saweetie continues to keep that connection but in her own way.
Multi-Platinum Music Career Meets NFL
Saweetie broke into the rap scene with her 2018 EP High Maintenance, but it was the single “My Type” that launched her into mainstream success. The track peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of her signature anthems.
She’s since earned multi-platinum certifications from the RIAA, including 4x Platinum honors for both “My Type” and “Best Friend” with Doja Cat, 2x Platinum for “Icy Grl”, and 1x Platinum for “Back to the Streets”.
Now, her music will take center stage in the NFL. For the 2025 season, Saweetie’s track “Pressure” from her latest five-song EP Hella Pressure will be used during ESPN’s Week 1 Monday Night Football broadcast for the Vikings and Bears game, setting the tone for primetime action.
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Saweetie Is a Proud 49ers Fan
She collaborated with fellow Bay Area rapper P-Lo and the 49ers in early 2024 for a hit anthem “Do It for the Bay,” which was released to rally support during the team’s playoff run. That hard-fought run ultimately ended in a Super Bowl LVIII heartbreak with a 25-22 loss in overtime to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The video featured lyrics and visuals that highlighted Bay Area culture, Levi’s Stadium, and the 49ers’ Red & Gold legacy — a fitting tribute to her grandfather’s place in the franchise’s history.
Past NFL Monday Night Football Music Curators
Saweetie isn’t the first superstar to blend music with the NFL’s primetime broadcast. In recent years, ESPN has tapped some of the biggest names in the industry to bring fresh energy to Monday Night Football:
- J Balvin (2024)
- Timbaland & Justin Timberlake (2023)
- Marshmello (2022)
- Drake (2021)
- DJ Khaled (2020)
- Diplo (2019)
From her family’s Super Bowl pedigree to her own multi-platinum career, Saweetie’s journey to ESPN’s MNF stage feels both destined and historical. She’ll set the soundtrack as the 2025 season’s Monday Night games kick off with Vikings vs. Bears on September 8.
MORE: Monday Night Football Schedule For 2025 NFL Season: Dates, Times, Matchups, and More
It is also part of an MNF schedule that also features the Philadelphia Eagles vs. Green Bay Packers Wild Card rematch at Lambeau and two marquee Chiefs games – Week 5 at Jacksonville for Travis Hunter’s first nationally televised NFL game and in Week 8 against last season’s NFC runner-up Washington Commanders.
