'WE LIT!': Flames adopt local artist's hype song as backbeat to potential Cup run

Song from local rapper adopted by Flames WE LIT!, from Calgary rapper True Mamba, is the theme song of the Flames' 2020 playoff run.

Calgary — The Broad Street Bullies, aka the 1974-75 Philadelphia Flyers, had Kate Smith's "God Bless America". The Detroit Red Wings had Journey's "Don't Stop Believing". The Boston Red Sox had Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline".

The Calgary Flames have recently adopted a Calgary musician's hype song as their unofficial playoff anthem. Only time will tell - and how deep the Flames go in this year's playoffs - whether it ever makes it into the same paragraph as those first three songs.

Akrit Jawanda, who goes by the stage name True Mamba, is the man behind a track called “WE LIT!"

The song, which actually had a brief rollout in 2019,  features rhymes about current Flames players - with a few nods to the glory days of Theo and Lanny -  and the desire to bring the Stanley Cup back to Calgary.

“I made a Calgary Flames anthem called “WE LIT!”

“People are really enjoying it, the Calgary Flames have picked it up a couple days ago and they made a hype up video for it," True Mamba says.

True Mamba has been rapping since he was eight years old. A diehard Flames fan and musician, he drew inspiration from the Flames 2004 Cup run song “In Da Dome", which ended up one Game 7, 2-1 loss to Tampa (and a bad call in double overtime of Game 6) from becoming unforgettable.

“I was younger  then you know, I was really young," he says, "(but)  listening to that definitely gives me inspiration - but for myself it comes from a place of passion."

“I’m a die-hard Flames fan but it's more just being an artist.”

True Mamba says he came out with a song last year during playoffs also called “WE LIT!” He says this version is more refined and considers it version 2.0.

“I put out that first version last year,” he said “It has been about a year and a half - two years with that first version and what I wanted to do this year was just amp things up, change the energy.”

Over the past few weeks True Mamba has been in contact with the Flames organization. He says they told him there’s a real possibility of the team using the song and making a video.

“I’m ecstatic” said True Mamba.

“It’s crazy just to have my name and the song tied with the organization, at that level anytime, the NHL the Flames, any time your name is alongside that means so much.”

The song isn't just inspiring fans either: according to Flames V.P. of Communications Peter Hanlon, "I've heard WE LIT! a couple times in the locker room during pre-game warm up."

“WE LIT!” can be found on YouTube and all streaming platforms and True Mamba is hoping the city will use the hashtag #WELITCALGARY on social media and get the entire city and Flames fan base lit and behind the team, hopefully for a deep run into the 2020 playoffs.