Damian Lillard’s second album drops today, continuing a long tradition of basketball players making music. Which NBA players have had the most successful hip-hop albums?
Following up his impressive debut The Letter O, Damian Lillard has released his second album Confirmed. NBA players trying their hand at the rap game has been happening for years, but only a few players have actually done it well. (Here, the word “well” is relative to other NBA players.) NBA players and rappers have long existed on the same plane, but they haven’t always been successful at trying their hands at each other’s professions.
Lillard is one of those players who can pull it off. His debut album featured stories from his past, a decent flow, and a measured amount of cheesy basketball references (“The Jazz up the road/ I want to play for Jerry Sloan” being the most egregious.) Confirmed is anticipated, then, because it’s a concerted effort by one of the league’s best players to create a work of art.
There have been a few others who have pulled off the spitting trick. Hoop-hop is not a necessarily good genre of music but, because of the person behind the mic, it’s inherently interesting. If players use the opportunity, as Lillard does, to say something about themselves or their situation, it gives fans a unique opportunity to get to know their favorite players just a bit more. That’s why The Letter O and Confirmed are so interesting.
Here, we will take a look at the five best rap albums produced by NBA players. Keep in mind, this is entirely by my own tastes and preferences, and not at all scientific or necessarily tied to Billboard charts.