Lil Baby has firmly staked his claim as one of the hottest rappers in the world with a two-year streak of hit singles, features and his My Turn album. Thanks to a new commercial with Beats By Dre, the Atlanta native is teaming up with another star making noise in another league, Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant.
During Game 3 of the Grizzlies Western Conference semifinal series against the Golden State Warriors Saturday (May 7), Beats By Dre premiered “Dark Mode,” a brand new single from Baby shot in black and white, interspersed with clips of Morant dribbling a basketball and posing for the camera.
“I got my ROY they should be givin’ me MVP,” Baby raps on the single, alluding to Morant taking home the NBA Rookie of the Year honor in the 2019-20 season followed by a mammoth campaign this year where he won Most Improved Player and guided the Grizzlies to the second-best record in the NBA. Baby himself could feel he deserves more than top rookie honors, after delivering No. 1 singles such as “Every Chance I Get” alongside Lil Durk and two No. 1 albums in the last year and change.
The video’s style and delivery evoked memories of Jadakiss and Allen Iverson’s legendary Reebok commercials to promote Iverson’s signature The Answer sneaker line. Those commercials ran for two years and became part of sneaker and Hip Hop lore.
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Morant’s play has endeared him to the heart of Memphis basketball fans and Memphis’ rap community at large. In 2021, Moneybagg Yo starred alongside Morant for a Nike commercial dubbed “Says Who” as the community’s pride and defiance were on full display.
Memphis Hip Hop’s love for Morant has led to artists like Yo Gotti signalling new CMG label signee Big Boogie as “the Ja Morant” of the camp and more.
