Michael Jordan is back and he’s got some mild takes. On the new NBA on NBC segment “MJ: Insights to Excellence,” His Airness is expected to offer his opinion on the modern game. But, so far, the most provocative thing he’s uttered has been about the passe subject of load management. (He’s not a fan, obviously.) Hopefully, MJ will soon embrace debate. We’d love to hear his takes on the NBA’s latest gambling scandal, the GOAT debate, and how to fix All-Star Weekend.
With over 40 years in the spotlight, Michael Jordan is undoubtedly the most lyrically referenced hooper of all time. Of course, not all MJ shoutouts are created equal, which is why we dug through the archives to isolate (and rank) what we consider to be the 40 Best Michael Jordan Rap References.
40.Drake, "Barry Bonds Freestyle" (2008)
Lyric: "Yeah, that’s the reason why he looking hard/Cause I’ve done snatched the Chips Ahoy out the cookie jar/He just mad ’cause his girl at the house/With her tongue sticking out like a Michael Jordan rookie card."
Complex Says: Even early on in his career Drake loved to drop sports references that straddle the thin line between clever and cringe.
39.Doja Cat feat. Nicki Minaj, "Say So (Remix)" (2020)
Lyric: "Tell Mike Jordan send me some retros"
Complex Says: On the remix to Doja Cat's pop smash, Nicki shouts out MJ for the hook up.
38.Lil B, "Pretty Boy" (2010)
Lyric: "I’m Michael Jordan, my bitches so excited."
Complex Says: With this shoutout from Lil B, MJ joins a hallowed group that includes Miley Cyrus, Paris Hilton, Ellen DeGeneres, Bill Clinton, and Mel Gibson. At least he avoided the Based God Curse!
37.A Boogie wit da Hoodie, "Fall in Love" (2016)
Lyric: “N**gas thinkin’ I’m buggin’, they think I’m losing it/ Michael Jordan, I’m ballin’, they think I’m hoopin’ it.”
Complex Says: Boogie scores from deep with this double entendre referencing Jordan's favorite type of earring.
36.R. Kelly & Jay-Z, "The Best of Both Worlds" (2002)
Lyric: "It's not even close, just leave it alone/I'm Michael Jordan, I play for the team I own."
Complex Says: A decade after this dropped, Hov owned a piece of the Nets and MJ was the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats (since renamed the Hornets). These dudes really are alike. Get used to Hov on this list.
35.Yo Gotti feat. Jeezy and YG, "Act Right" (2013)
Lyric: “But if you run up on me thinking I’m slippin’/ Michael Jordan with the chopper, bet I hit you like Pippen act right.”
Complex Says: Jeezy makes sure to remind everyone that the fame hasn't changed him. Act right.
34.Future feat. Drake and Juicy J, "Sh!t (Remix)" (2013)
Lyric: “Just looking at the numbers, n**ga, I feel amazing/ I’ll call Michael Jordan up and Mike will make it.”
Complex Says: Shortly after signing his deal with the Jordan Brand, Drake drops a reference to his Airness.
33.Meek Mill, "On My Way" (2012)
Lyric: “I had a basketball dream they deflated/ I wasn’t good as Michael Jordan, so they faded.”
Complex Says: Meek Mill must have had high standards for his hoop dreams to be deflated because he couldn't compare to the GOAT.
32.OJ da Juiceman, "6 Ringz" (2009)
Lyric: "Six rings like MJ / Stupid ass money like I'm in the NBA"
Complex Says: Over this Lex Luger produced smash, OJ reminds everyone how many chips Jordan won over his career.
31.Lil Durk, "Where They Go" (2020)
Lyric: "Chiraq, I'm Jordan, so I wonder who Pippen?"
Complex Says: Durk goes looking for a Robin to his Batman.
30.Kendrick Lamar feat. Dody6, "hey now" (2024)
Lyric: "If they talkin' 'bout playin' ball, they can take it up with Jordan / It's the bald heads in the Heckler for all endorsements"
Complex Says: Kendrick goes deep here referencing the bald heads from the Bible while also shouting out the man who made the baldy cool.
29.Mike WiLL Made-It feat. Miley Cyrus, Wiz Khalifa, Juice J, "23" (2013)
Lyric: "More kicks than the players, call me up, I'm scorin' / Hit it like a free throw, tongue out like I'm Jordan."
Complex Says: Wiz drops a double entendre that references Air Jordan's kicks and Air Jordan's facial expression when driving the lane.
28.Fabolous, "Throwback" (2003)
Lyric: "So pull out the Chicago and the script to wear on Soul Train/The Bulls, when Mike had hair and a gold chain."
Complex Says: Not only did Hov end throwbacks, but he also ended raps about throwbacks.
27.2Pac, "Tha Lunatic" (1991)
Lyric: "Jordan couldn't dunk it any harder/Pump it any farther/I'm funky that's word to the father."
Complex Says: From his debut album 2Pacalypse Now ’Pac delivers a relatively early MJ reference.
26.T.I. with Jay-Z feat. Kanye West & Lil Wayne, "Swagga Like Us" (2008)
Lyric: "Tryna get that Kobe number, one over Jordan."
Complex Says: Picture the smile on Kobe's face after listening to this song over and over and over and over again in 2008.
25.Beanie Sigel, "Raw & Uncut" (2000)
Lyric: "Me and Jay same track? You gotta be kiddin'/It's like that nigga Jordan, I'm Scottie Pippen"
Complex Says: If this is true does that make Bleek the Toni Kukoc of the Roc?
24.Big Daddy Kane feat. Scoob Lover, Sauce Money, Shyheim, ODB & Jay-Z "Show & Prove" (1994)
Lyrics: "Steppin to me, thinkin' I can be touched? Huh/Not even Michael Jordan’ll gamble that much."
Complex Says: Like Phife, BDK brings up MJ's predilection for BMF in AC. Jordan was trying to hit baseballs in ’94, so he was fair game.
23.Nicki Minaj, "The Pinkprint Freestyle" (2016)
Lyric: "Every time they count me out I'm like, 'You sane?'/Bitch, I come back like Jordan in his flu game."
Complex Says: Nicki returns for this pre-Pinkprint loosie like MJ in Game 5 of the 97 Finals dropping 38 points on the Jazz.
22.Jadakiss, "What If?" (2009)
Lyric: "What if hate ran through me?/And what if Portland would've drafted Jordan, instead of Sam Bowie?"
Complex Says: 2025 remix: "What if you can't find a pulse/And what if Philly would've drafted Tatum, instead of Fultz."
21.Migos, "Look at my Dab (B***h Dab)" (2015)
Lyric: “Step out with a light dab, I call it a jab/ Michael Jordan, I’m perfecting my craft.”
Complex Says: While referring to the mid-2010s dance, Takeoff mentions Jordan's jab step, which was one of many moves he had in his mid-range game arsenal.
20.Pete Rock, "Don't Be Mad" (2008)
Lyric: "Don’t be mad cause you can’t do what I can/Like when Jordan went up, took that shot and switched hands."
Complex Says: That's a SPECTACULAR Jordan reference by the Chocolate Boy Wonder.
19.Ice Cube, "When Will They Shoot?" (1992)
Lyric: "Like Jordan, I'm goin' coast to coast/Dribblin' the funk/Here comes the nigga with the motherfuckin' monster dunk/Get off me punk!"
Complex Says: In between the Showtime era and the Kobe era, L.A. rappers were forced to rap about Jordan, too.
18.Jay-Z, "The Return" (2004)
Lyric: "Losers lose/So when we does what we do/We win then win again like deja vu/Then we win again, like MJ/Three-Peat, then we retreat to waters that's blue/Young scrappy, that's what grown men do."
Complex Says: More often than not, the God MC referenced Jordan when he's throwing shots. This time around, it was an anti-anti-chancleta jab.
17.A Tribe Called Quest, "Baby Phife's Return" (1996)
Lyric: "Yeah, you know my flava/Rip this whole jam apart/Fuck around and have your heart/Like Jordan had Starks"
Complex Says: Knicks fans should looked away from this bar.
16.Group Home, "Livin' Proof" (1995)
Lyric: "I'm goin' off on the mic/Insane, out of sight/When I take flight/'Like who, kid?'/Like Mike."
Complex Says: Back in the 1990s, even Melachi the Nutcracker wanted to be like Mike.
15.Big L, "Let 'Em Have It L" (1995)
Lyric: "Facts on tracks, I recite well/Everybody wanna be like Mike, but Mike wanna be like L."
Complex Says: L mastered the art of talking trash on his first album. Listen and learn.
14.Pusha T, "Numbers on the Board" (2013)
Lyric: "No D league, I'm like this close / 88 Jordan leapin' from the free throw"
Complex Says: This Kanye produced banger is as close to perfection as Jordan's performance in the 1988 Slam Dunk Contest.
13.J. Cole, "I Got It" (2010)
Lyric: "Hoop Dreamin', hanging up pictures of my idols/Jordan was like Jesus, SLAM was like the Bible/I used to read it twice and cut the pictures out/Had the Jordan free-throw dunk, tongue stickin' out."
Complex Says: MJ's fellow Carolina boy Cole doesn't name-drop here, this was truly paying homage.
12.Drake and Future "Jumpman" (2015)
Lyric: "I, I just had to buy another safe / Bentley Spurs and Phantom, Jordan fadeaway"
Complex Says: Both Future and Drake ("Michael Jordan just had text me") had to get MJ references in on a song named after his logo.
11.Kendrick Lamar, "The Blacker the Berry" (2015)
Lyric: “Or jump high enough to get Michael Jordan endorsements/ Or watch BET ’cause urban support is important.”
Complex Says: One of the more profound MJ references on this list, Kendrick goes way beyond jumpers and jumpmen on this single off To Pimp a Butterfly.
10.Heavy D, Biggie, & Tru Kula "Jam Session" (1994)
Lyric: "Rebounding, outstanding, no one surrounding/I'm screwing and doing like I was Ewing/The only one soaring and scoring is Jordan/He must of had his Wheaties this morning."
Complex Says: A pre-Ready to Die B.I.G. is in full Walt Frazier mode ("rebounding, outstanding, soaring, scoring") on this song, on which he flips a ton of basketball names. The above is dope, but we also like "one in the chamber like Chambers." The former Supersonics star will have to wait for the Top 1 Tom Chambers Rap References post, we guess.
9.Jay-Z, "Hova Song (Intro)" (1999)
Lyric: "Mike Jordan of rap, outside J workin'/Now watch how quickly I drop 50/I don't like playin'/Can't stick me."
Complex Says: The first of Jay's not-so-subliminal shots at 50 Cent on Vol. 3.
8.Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist, "1985" (2020)
Lyric: “I can smell the ‘caine burnin’/ Michael Jordan, 1985, b**ch, I travel with a cocaine circus”
Complex Says: Now we know how Gangster Gibbs spent the early days of the COVID quarantine: watching The Last Dance like everyone else.
7.Joe Budden, "Pump It Up Freestyle" (2003)
Lyric: "Let me hear your man say that I'm the Jordan of rappin'/He's gettin' fatigued, girlie, and his scorin' is lackin'/Legacy is gettin' ruined, and you don't want that/So, pretty much learn from him/Don't come back."
Complex Says: The rapper-turned-podcaster held his own against Jigga, so much so that some fans even thought he won the battle. Hova won the war though after Def Jam dropped the Joey in 2007.
6.Jay-Z, "Encore" (2003)
Lyric: "Jay's status appears to be at an all-time high/Perfect time to say goodbye/When I come back like Jordan/Wearin' the 4-5/It ain't to play games witchu/It's to aim at you."
Complex Says: The Jiggaman and His Airness know all about gracefully bowing out before returning to win championships.
5.Ice Cube "It Was a Good Day" (1992)
Lyric: "Get me on the court and I'm trouble/Last week fucked around and got a triple double/Freakin' ni**as every way like MJ/I can't believe today was a good day."
Complex Says: SportsCenter probably owes Cube royalties for how many times they've borrowed this memorable line.
4.Lil Wayne, "Dough is What I Got" (2006)
Lyrics: "And, when it comes down to this recording/I must be LeBron James if he's Jordan/No! I won rings for my performance/I'm more Kobe Bryant of an artist/Same coach, same game been startin'/Same triangle offense."
Complex Says: 06 Wayne was different. Here, Weezy took Hov's rhyme and twisted it into a not-so-subliminal shot at his elder.
3.A Tribe Called Quest, "Lyrics to Go" (1993)
Lyric: "Don't worry about gettin' gassed, I push the pedal to the metal/Always wanted this 'cause it surely beats a scramble/I'm Jordan with the mic, huh, wanna gamble?"
Complex Says: Phife was one of the O.G. sports-lovin' rappers, and he proved it here by rhyming about Mike as a baller and a notorious gambler.
2.Biggie, "Victory" (1997)
Lyric: "Real sick, brawl nights/I perform like Mike, anyone/Tyson, Jordan/Jackson, action/Pack guns, ridiculous."
Complex Says: The number of A-list rappers who've recited their version of this couplet (Jay Z, Drake, Kanye, Nicki) validates its greatness.
1.Big Pun, "The Dream Shatterer" (1998)
Lyric: "Ayo, I shatter dreams like Jordan/Assault and batter your team/Your squadron will be barred from rap/Like Adam and Eve from the garden."
Complex Says: Let's count the NBA stars who've had their dreams shattered by Jordan: Clyde Drexler. Patrick Ewing. Charles Barkley. Gary Payton. Shawn Kemp. John Stockton. Karl Malone. Pun's rhyme scheme is impeccable during one of the most devastating opening verses of all time.