Rap lyrics and NBA players: a comparison
After getting the idea for this article last December, I’ve compared some of the more prominent rap lyrics to current NBA players.
I ran this article idea past The Deep Two host and editor Dante Boffa once I got to Colombia but haven’t had a chance to write it as I also went to Panama (on a cruise through the San Blas islands) as well as finding time to go to Mexico.
Yes, I’ll answer the burning questions I know you have: ‘Yes, I know, I’m well-travelled, and yes, my perspective on the world has been widened while also being fine-tuned and you’re right, I am sager and wiser now, thankyou.’
I’ve collected some various lyrics and compared them to NBA players who embody the lines. Now let’s get into it:
‘I’m just sayin’, hey, Mona Lisa // Come home, you know you can’t roam without Caesar’
- Kanye West, “Flashing Lights”
Jimmy Butler or Jimmy G Buckets is one of the most competitive players in the league today. The way he’s displayed this drive has ruined relationships within locker rooms he’s been a part of.
Here, “Mona Lisa” is KAT and “Caesar” is Jimmy Butler, and as of All-Star Weekend, they have records of 16–37 and 35–19 respectively. Although you may not agree with how Butler approaches the game, you can’t argue the fact he will put himself in a position to win.
‘He said kangaroo // I gotta hop around coz that’s the fucking thang to do’
- King Los, “Sway Freestyle”
Ja Morant has jumped into his inaugural season with no hesitation whatsoever. He’s already dunking on your favourite rim protector and couldn’t care less about the long-term health of his knees.
There may be extra chocolate eggs in Memphis this April, because Ja might actually be the Easter Bunny with the way he bounces.
Exponential growth in his game and height since coming out of high school could also resemble that of a kangaroo’s hop and that’s just the fuckin thang Ja did. This pre-draft video illustrates the past few years of Temetrius Morant’s life accurately and concisely, you gotta (kanga)root for this guy.
‘Didn’t go to college for a free throw’
- Denzel Curry, “Speedboat”
Lonzo Ball is a career 46.7 percent free throw shooter. Genius.
‘Why the fuck is we here? // Why you tell me go back where I’m from // When you dragged me here? // Why we born to be poor? // Why our fathers be gone? // Why my father forsake us? // Why my momma so strong?’
- GoldLink, “Zipporah”
KD is an extremely outspoken person both when defending himself and with issues pertaining to African Americans.
The video he and LeBron made in response to being told to “shut up and dribble” is just one example of that. “Why my father forsake us? Why my momma so strong?” is a quote that is applicable to many NBA players (again, this could be for LeBron) but Durant is the perfect example of this. His MVP speech could make a robot cry, and his real MVP is “so strong”.
‘If I send these flicks to your phone you can’t leak // Motorcycle Patches was earned on the street’
- Travis Scott, “Motorcycle Patches”
Let’s do this one in two parts, starting with the second: Draymond Green’s path to the NBA was not as glamorous as most of the top players in the league. He spent four years in college before becoming a second-round pick, and his game at Michigan State made it hard for him to stand out. He was the same gritty defender then as he is now.
He also grew up in Saginaw, which is more dangerous than 90% of U.S. cities, so Green absolutely earned his patches. Now for the first part of this lyric, I’m sure we’ve all seen the multicoloured sweet-potato-like hummer that was leaked after Draymond presumably sent these flicks to “your phone”.
‘One for you and one for your sister’
- Lupe Fiasco, “Superstar”
Double meaning for this gem from Lupe, so get your sister and read one each.
James Harden’s bag is endless, he has a move for you, your sister, anyone you’re related to. His hesi, ability to shake the best of defenders, ability to get to the rim and lay the ball up, gently float the ball, step back, double step back, one foot step back, pull up. Whatever way an NBA player can score, Harden can accomplish it.
He also has a reputation of getting to the free throw line, where players usually take two shots, and one could be for you, with the other being for your sister and I think that’s kinda cute.
‘Best I ever had, Best I ever had, Best I ever had, Best I ever had’
- Drake, “Best I ever had”
I think you get the point, but we’re going to take it further. LeBron James is the definition of bigger than basketball: he speaks out on social issues, has built a school for “at-risk” students in Akron, has pledged to send 2,300 kids to college and has been a role model for those who don’t have one, as well as inspiration for anyone that knows anything about him.
To judge him solely on what he does on the basketball court is idiotic, although what he is doing is averaging 25–8–11 at 35-years-old… can you even call it old for LeBron? What the fuck man, 25–8–11 after 58,021 minutes? That’s 957 hours!!
He has adapted and is adapting to the ever-changing paradigm of the NBA and maintained his spot among the league’s best for 17 years.
‘Got like 32 thousand in one of my pockets the other one that’s where the glock at’
- DaBaby, “Suge”
No, obviously I couldn’t write an article with rap lyrics and omit DaBaby from it. Steph Curry is the highest paid player in the league, and could quite possibly always have $32,000 in one of his pockets which is like $47,716.80 in Australian dollars. His shooting ability may never be seen again, always ready to fire from his hip pocket, constantly keeping defences honest and scared.
‘You know it’s real when you are who you think you are’
- Drake, “Pound Cake”
Luka Doncic was 19 when he won MVP of the EuroLeague, and knew his game could match up with the best in the NBA, but as with anyone who wasn’t born in the United States, the media wasn’t sold on him coming into the league.
We saw the same thing with Giannis vs. Harden in the MVP debate last season; although Harden had a tremendous season, it was clear that Giannis was the deserving MVP. We even saw it in the ROTY race a couple of years ago, between Ben Simmons and Donovan Mitchell; how was there a single person who thought Mitchell’s season was better than Ben’s? Maybe I sound like a conspiracy theorist, or maybe it’s the fact that I just got home from Cuba, but either way, I have my eye on you America.
ANYWAY.
Luka is now an NBA All-Star starter, and a deserving one at that. He plays his game a speed below everyone else in the league and as everyone is going zig, he goes zag. He takes an extra dribble in the key and allows the defence to make a mistake and capitalises on that, and it has resulted in a 29–10–9 at 20-years-old season, are you kidding me? He isn’t playing the game everyone else he’s playing, he’s playing the game he knows he will succeed with.
