From the moment Kurtis Blow declared basketball as his favorite sport in the opening of his 1984 ode “Basketball,” hip hop and b-ball have been connected at the hip. They influence each other in a myriad of ways, from fashion to slang, and both depend on a competition of one-upmanship, whether on the court or on the mic. And just as many a rapper likes to claim he’s nice on the hardwood, and does whatever they can to prove it (yo Drake, I’m looking at you kid), a bench full of ballers have tried their hands as MCs only to drop the ball (**cough**cough**Lebron **cough**cough**).
Right now, as All-Star weekend commences, the connection couldn’t be anymore obvious. The two cultures collide to create an environment unlike any other sporting event in the world. To celebrate this glorious basketball weekend, we’ve compiled a list of NBA players rapping on songs that weren’t complete trash. And yes, it is a very short list. But let’s be honest, most players rap skills aren’t even worth the piece of paper they write those struggle bars on. So no need for the mute button on this one, because these songs have already been prescreened for your enjoyment.
Shaquille O’Neal featuring Lord Tariq & Jay-Z – No Love Lost
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FHYgsDEQCw
With platinum and gold plaques in his possession, Shaquille O’Neal is easily the most successful baller/rapper the world has ever known. Maybe that’s because as one of the biggest athletes in the world at the time he had every well-known artist and producer on speed dial. Never the less, Shaq Diesel on the low has some quality in his catalog, with this song being one of them. Originally released in 1996 on his third album, You Can’t Stop The Reign,”No Love Lost” features Jay Z circa the Reasonable Doubt era and Lord Tariq, who two years later would release the classic “Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)” with future ’Love & Hip-Hop’ star Peter Gunz.