Image via Complex Original
As the effervescent Aubrey Graham once said "sports and music are so synonymous, because we want to be them, and they want to be us." To be quite frank, it's so true it's hard to even fathom a good argument against it. What's there to do in the offseason other than workout and make the tabloids, you ask? Streamline your inevitable rap career. For years athletes, and more specifically NBA players, have stepped into the rap game and come out to extremely mixed results. Most of us know Shaq and his handling of the mic right, Ron Artest/Metta World Peace and his Tru Warier records.
There's also Kobe's failed rap takeover and Chris Webber's venerable run. We've also recently seen guys like Iman Shumpert and Louis Williams come out with some respectable stuff with big time cosigns. We thought it'd only be right to give a run down of the history of NBA players stepping into the rap game by releasing official music. Meaning this history will only include ballers who either put out an album or pushed their single. This is the Complete History of NBA Rappers.
Shaquille O'Neal
Biggest Song: "(I Know I Got) Skillz"
Albums: Shaq Diesel, Shaq Fu: Da Return, You Can't Stop The Reign, Respect
Date: 1993-1998
Grade: 4.5
In what would have to be one of the greatest musical careers of a professional athlete, "The Big Aristotle" had a stretch where he dominated on the court and the mic simultaneously. With a few gold and platinum plaques, as well as collaborations with everyone from The Notorious B.I.G. to Method Man, the Shaq Daddy was dominant. You can't stop the reign!
B-Ball's Best Kept Secret
Biggest Song: "Flow On" Cedric Ceballos ft. Warren G
Albums: B-Ball's Best Kept Secret
Date: 11/15/1994
Grade: 3.5
Compilations usually never work out too well in any music arena. Add in the fact that this project meshes NBA players with rappers, and you have an interesting collection of songs. With bars from stars like Gary Payton, Dennis Scott, Malik Sealy, J.R. Rider, Shaq, Brian Shaw, Jason Kidd, Dana Barros, and Cedric Ceballos, this compilation definitely helped launched the idea that athletes can rap.
Chris Webber
Biggest Song: "Gangsta, Gangsta (How U Do It)"
Albums: 2 Much Drama (Unreleased)
Date: 3/16/1999
Grade: 4
Chris Webber has made more noise as a producer with production credits on two Nas records, among others. Webber's album dropped to little fanfare, but he did have a top ten rap single in "Gangsta, Gangsta (How U Do It)." C-Webb might want to re-think that album cover. Too late!
Allen Iverson
Biggest Song: "40 Bars"
Albums: Jewelz (Unreleased)
Date: 2000
Grade: 2
At the turn of the century, Allen Iverson was easily one of the most popular players in the NBA. Iverson planned to build on that popularity with a rap album under the moniker "Jewelz," but came under fire for homophobic lyrics, and the album was heavily criticized by commissioner David Stern. Iverson planned to edit the lyrics, but he never put the album out. Maybe he could release it now and help his recent financial troubles?
Kobe Bryant
Biggest Song: 'K.O.B.E." ft. Tyra Banks
Albums: Visions (Unreleased)
Date: 2000
Grade: 2
The idea of Kobe dropping an album seemed to be a bad idea from the start. After dropping two less than stellar singles (one named "Thug Poet") Kobe's career was a wrap. Don't be mad, the NBA is hiring.
Metta World Peace
Biggest Song: "Champions"
Albums: My World
Date: 10/31/2006
Grade: 3.5
When Ron Artest Metta World Peace was benched by the Indiana Pacers back in 2004 after requesting time off due to his rap career, everyone laughed, but he made his dream a reality when he dropped My World in 2006 to lukewarm fanfare. That hasn't stopped him, as he has continued to release music sporadically through the years. If you don't like "Champions" that he released after the Lakers won the 'ship back in 2010, you don't like music.
Tony Parker
Biggest Song: "Top of The Game"
Albums: TP
Date: 4/16/2007
Grade: 2
Anytime you can get a Fabolous feature, you must be doing something right. In Tony Parker's case, it's the exact opposite. TP's flow is so off, but at least he can pretend that this never happened because he won the 2007 NBA Championship, while being named the Finals MVP. TP is a great album name. That's a great double entendre. Did Jigga teach him that?
Troy Hudson
Biggest Song: "Gangsta" ft. Project Pat and Juicy J
Albums: Undrafted
Date: 7/17/2007
Grade: 1
It's great that Troy Hudson a.k.a T-Hud turned the negativity of being undrafted into a success story, but turning it into an album? That's not cool. What's even worse is that Hudson released the album to crickets. It was reported that he sold 78 copies of Undrafted in the first week. Wish we could've been able to enjoy the experience of him receiving his aluminum plaque.
Joe Smith
Biggest Song: "Heart of a Lion"
Albums: The Beginning
Date: 4/22/2009
Grade: 2
It's not that bad that Joe Smith wanted to figure out his life after basketball, but did he have to choose rap? He dropped a mixtape back in 2009 towards the tail-end of his career, but ever since that mixtape release, we haven't heard much from the former No. 1 draft pick. Maybe he should focus on the management side?
Louis Williams
Biggest Song: "Problem"
Albums: N/A
Date: 2011
Grade: 3.5
Louis Williams doesn't have an actual project, but he has a guest feature on Meek Mill's mixtape as well as a collaboration with 2 Chainz and Meek. Maybe Lou will complement the time spent rehabbing from his recent injury with time spent in the studio.
Delonte West
Biggest Song: Livin Life Fast
Albums: The Lockout (Unreleased)
Date: 7/22/2011
Grade: 1.5
During the NBA Lockout back in 2011, players had to find a way to remain productive. Delonte West's idea was to nurture and develop his burgeoning rap career. We're just glad none of his music videos have him riding a motorcycle with a gun in a violin case. Skip to 1:15 for the goods, if that's even what we want to call it.
Steve Francis
Biggest Song: "Finer Things"
Albums: N/A
Date: 4/25/2012
Grade: 0.5
Stevie Franchise flamed out of the NBA faster than any NBA star in recent memory, so you can believe his flame out of rap was even quicker. The Franchise dropped one video dedicated to showering his significant other with gifts and showing her the finer things in life. It was universally panned and he became the laughingstock of all has-beens. Good thing he didn't drop an album. He should focus on getting his life together.
Kevin Durant
Biggest Song: "Tha Formula"
Albums: N/A
Date: 11/24/2012
Grade: 3
We're still waiting on that KD album, but in reality he's got bigger fish to fry. Maybe he'll drop a project when he's accomplished all of his most important NBA goals. The Durantula doesn't have the most tricky or complicated flow, but he gets the job done. #respect
Iman Shumpert
Biggest Song: "Anarchy"
Albums: Th3 #Post90s
Date: 12/21/2012
Grade: 3.5
Iman Shumpert suffered a torn ACL on the first day of the 2011 NBA Playoffs, so it seems that while rehabbing from his injury, Shump spent the rest of his time working on a mixtape. There are some bright spots, where Shumpert shows that he has some talent as an MC, so we'll give him props for his "stuck in the '90s, fade-wearing" themes. And he called out Stephen Jackson in an interview he did with us. We'll pay to see them battle. All first verse.
Stephen Jackson
Biggest Song: "Lonely at The Top" ft. Kevin Durant
Albums: Jack of All Trades
Date: 2/28/2013
Grade: 3.5
Stephen Jackson a.k.a Stak5 is still keeping the NBA player/rapper career alive and with performances like his lively moments during this year's SXSW. KD rapping on a song called "Lonely at the Top" seems fitting. Captain Jack though? Not so much.