If there was ever an NFL team that was fully embraced by Hip Hop, it was last season’s Carolina Panthers.
Offensive lineman Trai Turner says that, like any team, the Panthers used a lot of Hip Hop music to pump them up for their season, where they made it to Super Bowl 50. But for him, one of his strongest memories was seeing Future and Jeezy on the sidelines for the NFC Championship.
“I was like that’s a little weird that they’re at our game behind the bench, but it was cool,” Turner told HipHopDX in an exclusive interview. “It was kind of a surreal moment that we could really be on to something here having a few celebrities at our game behind the bench.”
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Quarterback Cam Newton became a national phenomenon with his vocal personality and for utilizing the dab in his celebrations. Migos even gave Newton the title of “Dab Daddy.” Turner explains the impact the MVP had on the 52 other guys around him.
“He’s just a strong leader with a strong voice and strong presence for our team,” he says. “He’s a guy we rally around and we all had to come together with one mindset and one agenda just to accomplish what we want. So we all get it together and get on the same page and get it done.”
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Turner details how he was personally influenced by Hip Hop growing up in New Orleans. In his college days, he played football for the LSU Tigers.
“Being from New Orleans, you have to say Lil Wayne, The Big Tymers, all that stuff but I would say Curren$y — that’s my favorite rapper of course,” he says. “Growing up, yeah that was really the scene for me, the Young Money scene, Lil Wayne and Curren$y. You know you could go further back with like Master P and all that stuff but yeah I feel like we got a lot of good music out of New Orleans.”
He explains he likes Curren$y because he was always relatable — a lesson he’s tried to implement as he’s gained more notoriety as a professional football player.
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“I guess when you first understand what a celebrity is, you kind of become like ‘Oh, that’s an important person,” Turner says. “He was always a person that was right there, like accessible. ‘Yo what’s up, bro, how you doin?’ And he was cool he’ll chop it up with you, talk to you, a person you still see at the venue like, ‘What up, bro?’ That’s what drew me to him and I ended up having the chance to meet him and talk to him.”
Turner is entering his third year in the league and, besides playing in his first Super Bowl, also made his first appearance at the ESPYs earlier this month.
“Time flies,” the 23-year-old says. “It doesn’t wait on anyone. I’ve been through a lot in just those two years and like I said going into my third it’s just been a great experience. It’s been a fun ride and I’m just ready to keep it going.”
