JAY-Z once curved a former NBA player who tried to play him some beats.
The baller in question, Maurice Ager, spoke about his unsuccessful music pitch to Hov in an interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson.
Ager, who played two seasons for the New Jersey Nets in the late 2000s during Jay’s tenure as a co-owner, began by recalling meeting the rap mogul during the team’s preseason trip to London.
“I make beats and everything, that’s my passion,” he said of his then-side hustle. “JAY-Z comes to our practice, and I remember having a really good practice! This was my second season with the Nets.
“I went over to Jay. He was chilling. He had on all black, the leather coat and baggie jeans. I introduced myself […] I was like ‘I make beats, fam. I would like for you to check out my beats.'”
Ager didn’t get the response he was looking for, though.
“He’s like, ‘Oh, word? I need you to concentrate on that court, though,'” he remembered. “I was like, ‘Alright. Appreciate it, bro.’ He said nothing else after that!”
The Michigan State alumnus decided not to heed Hov’s advice and “made 30 beats” in his hotel room that night.
Even after Auger put on an impressive first-half performance against the Miami Heat in the English capital, the Roc Nation boss still felt the need to drive home his point about prioritizing basketball over beat-making.
“After [the game], we had this big party at the O2 Arena. I just remember trying to go talk to Jay. I was like, ‘What’s good, man?'” he said.
“He was like, ‘I see you did your thing tonight. No more beats, though. Concentrate on that court.’ I was like, ‘He double-backed!’ I was like, ‘Alright!’ But in my mind, I was like, ‘More beats.'”
Check out his story at the 30:58 mark in the video above.
Maurice Ager pursued music full-time after retiring from basketball in 2010 and even signed to Akon‘s Konvict Muzik label as a producer..
He has since produced songs for E-40, Royce Da 5’9″, B-Real, Layzie Bone and Tobe Nwigwe, while creating the “Forever I’m a Spartan” rally anthem for the Michigan State University football team in 2010.
In a 2011 interview with ESPN, Ager explained his decision to ditch the NBA due to his status as an unrestricted free agent.
“With everything that’s going on in basketball, I felt that it was the right time to come out here and try to do this full time,” he said, referring to his move from Minnesota, where he was playing for the Timberwolves, to Los Angeles.
“Making music is something that’s always been in me. I feel like I have a talent for it and I’m going to try to make it work.”
Great story. Good for this dude. Music was his passion. And he took it personally. Then overcame. Respect.
Hov told him to Shut Up and Dribble…
Thats why you should take the $10,000 over dinner with Jay-Z. He dont give a fuck about the players as individuals. He only gave a fuck about thr team winning.
Hov was saying he had to do one thing or the other, not both. Your mother can’t work minimum wage and have an Only Fans account. She has to choose were her priorities lie. If Ager was going to play on the team, that should be his priority. Making beats was more important to him than basketball, so he left the NBA.
Good advice.
Man fu ^$^ Gay Z…He just another ninja …His word don’t mean sh %#…Stop praising these entertainers…
Good. We got enough rich, already well established beat makers. Shouldn’t let no non rich mofos in the game. Idc how good they beats is, block em out permanently. Plus dude was black, and JayZ hates black ppl, we all know this.