Since a child I’ve always been intrigued with basketball and Hip Hop. My love for boxing has increased but basketball and Hip Hop always went together in my world. I spent hours debating who’s better: Jay Z or Tupac Shakur; Magic or Jordan; Kobe or LeBron; Kanye West or 50 Cent?
So I took time to give the universe proper Hip Hop and basketball comparisons to live by.
Tupac Shakur Is The Michael Jordan Of Hip Hop
Michael Jordan in Hip Hop would have to be Tupac Shakur: The Greatest of ALL TIME. Shakur, like Jordan took a while to find his rings but we all witnessed his brilliance early on. Jordan won the dunk contest, gave ESPN endless high flying highlights and tons of high scoring games before winning a championship. 2Pac released “Brenda’s Got a Baby” to critical acclaim, as well as early hit records like “Keep Ya Head Up” and “I Get Around” also entertaining us with big screen skills in underground classic, Juice.
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When their numbers were finally called, Jordan and Shakur were present and ready, slaughtering competition. A couple of three-peats and a couple of diamond albums are very much comparable in my book. Tupac’s All Eyez On Me represents the Chicago Bulls 72-10 season as Jordan led the red to the finals and their third championship completing the first of two separate three-peats. No athlete/artist combo has thoroughly dominated their era the way MJ and Pac did.
Jay Z (my all-time favorite emcee) loves to compare himself to your Royal Airness but being honest, you can’t resist Pac as the all time greatest and most dominate emcee ever.
Biggie Is The Magic Johnson Of Hip Hop
My favorite basketball player of all time would be Magic Johnson and I believe he is basketball’s Notorious B.I.G. This comparison works because Magic and Biggie had shortened careers. But when they played, they were absolutely BRILLIANT. Both walked in the game making an impact with unbeatable rookie seasons.
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Magic Johnson won the NBA Finals MVP as a rookie. The best point guard in history played center in a pivotal Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers. He scored 42 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, racked up 7 assists and 3 steals propelling the Lakers to their seventh NBA championship. Biggie’s Ready To Die equaled that success. He was a street rapper who never compromised his Hip Hop integrity and some how managed to achieve amazing commercial success with the singles “Juicy” (Billboard Hot 100 #27), “Big Poppa” (Hot 100 #6) and “One More Chance Remix” (Hot 100 #2). If that isn’t a point guard playing center I don’t know what is.
That year under Hip Hop’s Pat Riley (Puff Daddy), Biggie Smalls established himself as the future of the culture until some idiot in Los Angeles robbed us of what could’ve been. HIV did the same exact thing to Magic Johnson. Even though we were able to get one championship series out of basketball’s Biggie and ‘Pac (with Shakur winning that meeting), I always wondered what a rematch would’ve have looked like.
Jay Z Is The Bill Russell Of Hip Hop
https://youtu.be/Iv_1LVS3BdE
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I’m sure I’ll draw heat for this comparison. Bill Russell is the NBA’s biggest winner: 11 Championships! That’s Jay Z: Ring after ring, endless platinum albums, hit records, a run of unparalleled success over the past 20 years. Jay Z is Hip Hop’s greatest winner and is still winning. One day Rap’s MVP will be named the Shawn Carter Award and Hovito will be there to present it to the stars of tomorrow just as Bill Russell does the NBA’s MVP trophy.
Jay Z’s success always had a cloud over it, though. In 1998, Vol 2… Hard Knock Life sold five million records. That same year, a rapper from New Orleans also sold five million with bigger and badder hit records. Juvenile released 400 Degrees out of no where and literally stole the spotlight. Cash Money Records (Hip Hop’s greatest label today) turned into a powerhouse that year. Eminem, Nelly and DMX did the exact same thing year-after-year for the next half decade. Hov didn’t really get his iconic status until The Black Album-slash-retirement campaign. Same for Bill Russell.
The undisputed best rebounder ever, arguably the best defender ever but ironically, Russell, the key ingredient in the NBA’s first dynasty, couldn’t get the respect due. Even though he was the driving force in stopping Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor and Jerry West (NBA’s first Big 3) from winning multiple titles, Wilt and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar still received the nod as better centers on multiple lists. Yet, the undersized big man still remains the NBA’s greatest winner.
LL Cool J Is The Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Of Hip Hop
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LL Cool J make up this article’s oddest comparison. Lew Alcindor came into the NBA as a hot prospect straight outta UCLA just after Bill Russell retired from professional basketball. LL Cool J walked into Def Jam on the heels of the legendary RUN DMC era. In 1971, Alcindor was paired with the Original Magic—Oscar Robertson—and they brought the Bucks a world championship. Talk about a perfect fit.
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In 1985, LL Cool J entered the commercial ranks with his debut album Radio. Hip Hop classics “I Can’t Live Without My Radio” and “Rock The Bells” were the singles that helped push this album past platinum. Everyone knew LL was special. One of the most overlooked situations in LL Cool J’s career was when his sound moved out West just as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did. DJ Pooh and DJ Bobcat began producing Cool J’s music. His second LP Bigger & Deffer became his best selling album ever. “I’m Bad” produced by Los Angeles’ own DJ Pooh became the first time LL reached Billboard’s Hot 100 chart (#86).
On Bigger & Deffer, LL also created Hip Hop’s first major love ballad. I consider this as LL Cool J’s hook shot. For you non ballers, A hook shot is an offensive play in which a player turned perpendicular to the basket, gently throws the ball with a sweeping motion of his arm in an upward arc with a follow through which ends up over the head. “I Need Love” becomes Cool J’s first top 40 hit on the Billboard charts (#14). It also became his “go to move” for the rest of his career. “Around The Way Girl,” “Hey Lover,” “Doin It,” and “Luv U Better” won metaphorical game-after-game for LL Cool J.
Jabbar was brought to Los Angeles and benefited the same way. The Lakers paired him with Magic Johnson and the Showtime era began. Five rings followed giving Kareem a total of six for his career.
Lil Wayne Is The Kobe Bryant Of Hip Hop
Kobe Bryant without a doubt is the NBA’s Lil Wayne. Weezy came into the prominence under the rap game’s Los Angeles Lakers—Cash Money Records—complete with Juvenile, 1998’s version of Shaquille O’Neal. Tunechi’s talent was always showcased amongst the elite. Whether he delivered a classic bridge on the classic hit song “Back That Ass Up” or classic hook on BG’s classic, “Bling Bling,” the talent and possibilities were in plain sight.
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Same for Kobe Bryant. Endless trips to the all star game, winning the slam dunk contest in his second year, and a host of highlights were some of the Black Mamba’s early accolades. The Kobe/Weezy combo came into their prime with utter domination of every and anything within range. Kobe showed that without Shaq, he could still dominate the NBA, just as Wayne showed that minus Mannie Fresh or Juvenile, he could release the second biggest album in the Cash Money history, Tha Carter 3. Kobe patented his game after Michael Jordan just as Wayne patented his game after Jay Z and Tupac Shakur—complete with stomach tattoos and Compton MOB PIRU ties, which is the smartest move ever. The rest is history most were blessed to witness.
The Jordan comparisons came in consistently. Kobe won five titles with the Lakers. Wayne ran off the first three Carter albums, endless mixtapes and collab albums. Weezy also recorded and released material just as fast if not faster than 2Pac. The Kobe and Shaq Lakers looked exactly like Cash Money Records roster (Phil Jackson equals Birdman, for example). Interestingly, just as that dynasty fell apart over various reasons, so did the Lakers. Now we watch as both of last generation’s heroes struggle to figure out what’s next.
Before I end this article, I’d like to add, If Kobe would’ve have put his ego to the side and did whatever it took to keep Shaq in town, he would’ve won eight to 10 rings instead of five. Shaq is the most dominant center of all times. Paired with Kobe that tandem was close to unbeatable. That version of Kobe would have lured more players to LA to play with him even post Shaq. More time with Shaq also means he picks up more post moves. Thus proving Kobe as the Greatest Player Of All Time.
As for Lil Wayne, I wish his situation with his mentor Birdman wasn’t so public. Birdman stuck by him when most of these labels would not have considering the limited success of his early releases (post-”Hot Boy,” pre-Carter). Money comes, money goes, let the courts deal with that but the truth is family is always family.
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Glasses Malone is an emcee from Los Angeles. Previously, Malone’s released Beach Cruiser, Mack & Malone among others. His next album, GlassHouse2 will be available this Summer. Follow him on Twitter @GMalone.
