Videos by According2HipHop
Hip-hop and sports have become synonymous with each other over the years. Athletes want to be like rappers. So they duplicate it using fashion with baggy jeans and big chains. And on the flip side, the rappers also want to live the lifestyle of athletes. As a result, over the past few years, we have seen athletes make the transition to the recording studio. Here a four athletes who went from the ballcourt to the booth.
Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson is probably singlehandedly responsible for hip-hop culture being intertwined with sports. A.I. sported cornrows, wore flashy jewelry, and the latest designer wear, and then would turn around and drop 30 points. Because A.I. was crossbreeding sports and hip-hop, he developed a bit of a beef with former NBA Commissioner David Stern so much that he enforced a dress code that prevented players from wearing things such as “baggy clothing.”
A.I. went from emulating the hip-hop lifestyle to contributing to it. He recorded his debut album Misunderstood in 2001 under his rap alias Jewelz. However, the project never hit the shelves. The first single of the project titled 40 Bars received a lot of backlash for being sexist and homophobic. And thus the project was scrapped entirely.
Shaquille O’Neal
Shaquille O’Neal is widely regarded as one of the most dominant big men in NBA history. But he also had one of the more prominent rap careers in the 1990s. His self-titled debut album “Shaq Diesel” was released in 1993. The studio album was RIAA-certified platinum status. And singles like “(I Know I Got) Skillz” and “What’s Up Doc? (Can We Rock)” charted on the Billboard Hot 100. He has also collaborated in the studio with legendary artists such as Jay-Z and the Notorious B.I.G.
Damian Lillard
Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard is another NBA star who has gone from the ballcourt to the booth. Dame has proven that he is not just some run-of-the-mill athlete who can afford to waste money on studio time. The kid has got mad skills on the mic. Lillard released his debut album, The Letter O, in October 2016. And it trended well as it peaked at number 119 on the Billboard chart, nearly cracking the Hot 100. He has also collaborated with several high-profile artists such as Jamie Foxx, Lil Wayne, and Snoop Dogg.
Kobe Bryant
Before Kobe Bryant was one of the best basketball players on the planet he tried his hand in the music industry. The late Los Angeles Lakers star began rapping when he was younger as part of a group named Cheizaw. But he would soon be discovered by famed record executive Steve Stoute. And in 1999 he inked a deal with music giant, Columbia Records. His debut album, Visions would be completed a year later in 2000. And featured collaborations with some of the top hitmakers, such as Nas and 50 Cent. The album was never officially released but would later be leaked to the masses.
