The Love Story Between Hip-hop and Basketball
From Shaquille O'Neal to Damion Lillard, basketball players are intertwined with hip-hop & vice versa.

There's always been a love story between music and sports. The NFL half-time show, FIFA World Cup opening and closing ceremonies, and many other massive sporting events have featured performances by artists from all over the world. That said, there's a special bond between sports and hip-hop. The NFL had a hip-hop performance at the halftime show for the first time, and what a statement it was!

Hip-hop legends like 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and Dr. Dre combined to headline what's been hailed by some fans as the best-ever half-time show performance. So there's no denying the special bond between hip-hop and sports. When did it start? What makes this bond particularly special? Let's find out...

Where Did It All Begin?

In the 1970s, there were two major ways to stand out young African American kids, hip-hop or sports, especially basketball. Hip-hop started gaining popularity around the same time the NBA and ABA merged to form a new rebranded league. This ensured a connection at the hip for hip-hop and basketball, with quite several stars having to decide between the two. Hip-hop and basketball were then woven together as part of African American culture. This connection has permeated several others sports like the NFL, boxing, and several others.

Today, hip-hop and music haven't slowed down one bit. Although both have always been connected, hip-hop and sports have always been two separate businesses. That era seems to have faded into an era of cross-investment and partnerships. Jay-Z, for example, has taken his love for basketball to the next level by starting a sports agency and signing Kevin Durant as a headliner. Drake is now an ambassador for the Toronto Raptors, and Lil Wayne's Young Money label has also collaborated with several sports stars.

Hip-hop and sports are linked. To illustrate this fully, here are some big stars who've shown prowess on both sides.

Sportsmen Who've Dabbled in Music

Through examining the history and evolution of this connection, we can better understand the impact and influence that both hip-hop and basketball have had on society.

Let's start with sportsmen who've shown they can be prolific in the booth too…

Shaquille O'Neal

The 7'1" giant is more known for his exploits on the basketball court, winning a sensational four NBA championships in his illustrious career. What you may not know is that the former Laker's man has stepped into the booth more than a few times. In 1993, one year after getting into the NBA, Shaquille O'Neal was signed to Jive Records. He then released his first studio album that same year, peaking at number 25 on the Billboard 200 and number 10 on the RnB/Hip-hop albums chart. I know, it's mind-blowing. These are numbers every rapper would like to put up so you know he's no joke. Shaq went on to release three more studio albums and some diss tracks including one against his former teammate, Kobe Bryant.

Damian Lillard

Known for his basketball exploits, Damian Lillard is another baller whose rapping skills may have gone unnoticed. He's a six-time all-star NBA player and an Olympic gold medalist, but he's also more than a decent rapper. Damian Dillard, or Dame Dolla as he'd like to be called, has also released four studio albums and several singles. Unlike Shaquille O'Neal who's more of an old name, Dame Dolla's last album came as recently as 2021. The album, titled Different on Levels (the) Lord Allowed after his rap name Dolla, has twelve tracks and features established hip-hop names like Snoop Dogg.

Miles Bridges

Miles Bridges is another basketball star trying to make his mark in the hip-hop community. He's not as established as big names like Shaquille O'Neal, but he's a rising star who could have big things in him. RTB MB, as he likes to be called in the rap community, has released two albums and an EP, but only seems to be getting started. With over five hundred thousand monthly listeners on Spotify, I'd say he's on the right track.

Rappers Known for Their Basketball Prowess

Ultimately, the love story between hip-hop and basketball highlights the power of culture to shape our perceptions, attitudes, and identities.

Now let's switch sides and take a look at some rappers who know a thing or two about sports…

Drake

I've already mentioned him in this article. Canadian hip-hop superstar, Drake, is a massive basketball fan. While you might know him more for his incredible rapping skills, he's also quite good at basketball, albeit unprofessionally. He's an official ambassador for the Toronto Raptors and loves to play for fun, rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest names in the NBA including Steph Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant. So the next time you're playing Drake's music, think of what could've been if he'd chosen to play basketball instead.

J Cole

J Cole is not only a huge basketball fan, he could've been a professional player himself. We all enjoy his smooth flow and deep lyrics now, but it could've all been different had J Cole decided to focus on his basketball career. Two years of varsity high school basketball could've grown into many years of professional playing, but luckily for us, he decided to quit and focus on hip-hop. That said, basketball remains in his heart and he finally decided to play professionally with Scarborough Shooting Stars in the Canadian Elite Basketball League. Will we ever see one of our favorite hip-hop stars in the NBA? Who says we can't dream?

Quavo

Once an MVP at the NBA all-star celebrity game, Quavo is a serious baller. He's better known for his rapping with Migos, but Quavo is quite good at basketball too, and he knows it. He famously claimed to be the best hip-hop basketball player in the world. That's arguable, of course, with ballers like J Cole around, but there's no doubt Quavo is one of the best in the business. Some have even joked that he's better at basketball than at rapping…

Final Thoughts

Sports and music are so synonymous because we want to be them, and they want to be us.

That's a quote from hip-hop star, Drake, and I'd say he's got a point. On this list alone, we've seen six different stars who could've made it big doing something else: rappers who could've been basketballers and vice versa. Ultimately, it's all worked out quite well. I can't imagine talking about basketball without people like Shaquille O'Neal, and what would hip-hop look like if there was no J Cole?

Scary to imagine.