{"id":8902,"date":"2025-03-24T08:06:41","date_gmt":"2025-03-24T08:06:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/?p=8902"},"modified":"2025-03-24T08:08:05","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T08:08:05","slug":"best-basketball-references-in-rap-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/best-basketball-references-in-rap-music","title":{"rendered":"Best Basketball References in Rap Music Pt.2"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/basketball\">Basketball<\/a> and rap are like Shaq and Penny in \u201995\u2014destined to dominate together. Our original 365Scores rundown gave us the classics: Drake\u2019s LeBron flex, Jay-Z\u2019s Nets move, and Ice Cube\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/basketball\/team\/los-angeles-lakers-1317\">Lakers<\/a> love. But the hardwood-to-headphones pipeline keeps pumping out bangers, and we\u2019re not about to let the highlight reel stop there. Welcome to Part Two: ten more rap lyrics that dunk all over your playlist, from Kendrick Lamar\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/basketball\/player\/luka-doncic-53106\">Luka Doncic<\/a> jab to Drake\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/basketball\/player\/giannis-antetokounmpo-53487\">Giannis<\/a> nod and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-365-scores wp-block-embed-365-scores\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"vYT0HaEUx1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/the-best-basketball-references-in-rap-music\">The Best Basketball References in Rap Music!<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&#8220;The Best Basketball References in Rap Music!&#8221; &#8212; 365Scores\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/the-best-basketball-references-in-rap-music\/embed#?secret=4CGzwZaJlR#?secret=vYT0HaEUx1\" data-secret=\"vYT0HaEUx1\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>No order, no tiers\u2014just pure, unfiltered fire. We\u2019ve scoured the crates (and the courts) to bring you bars that weren\u2019t in the first piece, pulling from the streets and the studios. Whether it\u2019s vintage \u201890s grit or 2025\u2019s freshest drops, these lines prove the game\u2019s still got rappers in a chokehold. Let\u2019s tip off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Best Basketball Lyrics<\/h2><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#kendrick-lamar-good-credit-2025\">Kendrick Lamar \u2013 \u201cGood Credit\u201d (2025)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#drake-7-am-on-bridle-path-2021\">Drake \u2013 \u201c7AM on Bridle Path\u201d (2021)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#lil-wayne-kobe-bryant-2009\">Lil Wayne \u2013 \u201cKobe Bryant\u201d (2009)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#public-enemy-rebel-without-a-pause-1987\">Public Enemy \u2013 \u201cRebel Without a Pause\u201d (1987)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#big-k-r-i-t-sky-club-2012\">Big K.R.I.T. \u2013 \u201cSky Club\u201d (2012)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#beastie-boys-get-it-together-1994\">Beastie Boys \u2013 \u201cGet It Together\u201d (1994)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#too-hort-just-another-day-1993\">Too $hort \u2013 \u201cJust Another Day\u201d (1993)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#too-hort-just-another-day-1993-1\">Too $hort \u2013 \u201cJust Another Day\u201d (1993)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#action-bronson-set-it-off-2011\">Action Bronson \u2013 \u201cSet It Off\u201d (2011)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#lloyd-banks-it-blows-my-mind-2004\">Lloyd Banks \u2013 \u201cIt Blows My Mind\u201d (2004)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"kendrick-lamar-good-credit-2025\"><strong>Kendrick Lamar \u2013 \u201cGood Credit\u201d (2025)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe numbers is nothing, the money is nothing, I\u2019ve really been him I promise, see Kenny has been heavy out West and I carry the weight n***, I\u2019m Luka Doncic.\u201d*<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kendrick\u2019s latest assist comes off Playboi Carti\u2019s I Am Music, dropped this month, and it\u2019s a Luka Doncic name-check that hits like a step-back three. K.Dot\u2019s \u201ccarry the weight\u201d flex is a double-dribble: he\u2019s shouldering the West Coast rap crown while poking at Luka\u2019s, uh, generous frame\u2014especially timely with Doncic\u2019s midseason trade to the Lakers still making waves. It\u2019s classic Kendrick: sharp, layered, and hoops-savvy. Somewhere, Luka\u2019s eating a gyro and nodding along.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/GettyImages-2201733373-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 27: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots a free throw during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on February 27, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California.\" class=\"wp-image-8892\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler\/NBAE via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"drake-7-am-on-bridle-path-2021\">Drake \u2013 \u201c7AM on Bridle Path\u201d (2021)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey know I\u2019ll keep it a buck like Antetokounmpo\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Drake\u2019s Certified Lover Boy timestamp series always brings the heat, and this Giannis Antetokounmpo nod off \u201c7AM on Bridle Path\u201d is a sly gem. \u201cKeep it a buck\u201d is Drizzy\u2019s honesty pledge, doubled up with a wink to the Greek Freak\u2014by 2021 a full-on Bucks legend, fresh off an NBA title and Finals MVP. The deer pun (buck, Bucks, you know the drill) lands smoothly as a Giannis euro step, while Drake\u2019s jet-setting flex mirrors the champ\u2019s global glow. It\u2019s not just wordplay; it\u2019s a Toronto-to-Milwaukee victory lap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Drake bets a staggering $300k on Canada to upset Argentina in the Copa America semi-finals ?<br><br>Will Messi prove him wrong? <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/LKdWVTHV3u\">pic.twitter.com\/LKdWVTHV3u<\/a><\/p>&mdash; 365Scores (@365Scores) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/365Scores\/status\/1810750517968261546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 9, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"lil-wayne-kobe-bryant-2009\">Lil Wayne \u2013 \u201cKobe Bryant\u201d (2009)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The WHOLE Song<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Weezy\u2019s No Ceilings mixtape is a time capsule of 2009 bravado, and this Kobe tribute is the crown jewel. It screams Mamba mentality. I think Kobe dropped 60 in his final game, so no OT is needed. Wayne\u2019s not just name-dropping; he\u2019s embodying that do-or-die spirit, turning a rap verse into a fadeaway jumper over the haters. It\u2019s raw, relentless, and pure Lil Wayne chaos. RIP to the Black Mamba\u2014this one still stings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"678\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/GettyImages-73752864-1024x678.jpg\" alt=\"LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 30:  Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during a freethrow in the first half against the Houston Rockets at Staples Center on March 30, 2007 in Los Angeles, California.  NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.  \" class=\"wp-image-8905\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"public-enemy-rebel-without-a-pause-1987\">Public Enemy \u2013 \u201cRebel Without a Pause\u201d (1987)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSimple and plain \/ Give me the lane \/ I\u2019ll throw it down your throat like Barkley!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chuck D\u2019s been schooling us since \u201987, and this Charles Barkley shoutout off It Takes a Nation of Millions is vintage fire. Sir Charles was a bulldozer in the paint back then\u2014pre-\u201cRound Mound of Rebound\u201d days\u2014and Chuck D channels that ferocity, promising to slam rhymes down your gullet. It\u2019s a no-nonsense flex from rap\u2019s revolutionary OG, proving the NBA-hip-hop crossover\u2019s been cooking since the Reagan era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"big-k-r-i-t-sky-club-2012\">Big K.R.I.T. \u2013 \u201cSky Club\u201d (2012)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAnother shot just before it I don\u2019t need a chaser \/ Reggie Miller ain\u2019t allowed, we don\u2019t like the Pacers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Big K.R.I.T.\u2019s Southern drawl drips with disdain on this Live from the Underground cut, and Reggie Miller\u2019s the target. The Pacers legend broke hearts with those clutch daggers\u2014especially if you\u2019re a Bulls fan like K.R.I.T.\u2014so banning him from the party feels personal. It\u2019s a quick jab, but the venom\u2019s real, like Reggie\u2019s still taunting Spike Lee courtside. Mississippi meets Madison Square Garden in one slick bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"beastie-boys-get-it-together-1994\">Beastie Boys \u2013 \u201cGet It Together\u201d (1994)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSee I\u2019ve got heart like John Starks \/ Hitting mad sparks \/ Pass me the mic and I\u2019ll be rocking the whole park.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Beastie Boys\u2019 Ill Communication is a New York love letter, and Mike D\u2019s John Starks plug is pure Knicks fandom. Starks was the gritty sparkplug of the \u201890s Knicks\u2014heart on his sleeve, threes raining down\u2014and the Beasties capture that scrappy energy. \u201cHitting mad sparks\u201d could be Starks\u2019 hot streaks or the mic getting torched; either way, it\u2019s a Big Apple banger that still echoes in MSG\u2019s rafters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"too-hort-just-another-day-1993\">Too $hort \u2013 \u201cJust Another Day\u201d (1993)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s the same everyday, everyday it\u2019s the same \/ But that night we hit the hoop game \/ Who was playing? Seattle versus Golden State \/ Hollered at the homeboy Gary Payton.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Too $hort\u2019s Gettin\u2019 It vibe is all about Oakland swagger, and this Gary Payton cameo is a West Coast gem. The Glove was a trash-talking menace for the Sonics in \u201993, and $hort paints a perfect night: catching a game, chopping it up with GP, then probably playing NBA Jam \u2018til dawn. It\u2019s a laid-back hoops flex that feels like a courtside memory from the golden age of \u201890s ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"too-hort-just-another-day-1993-1\">Too $hort \u2013 \u201cJust Another Day\u201d (1993)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAyo, ayo, regardless of rain or snow, sleet or hail \/ I kick street tales, chokin\u2019 n***** like I\u2019m Sprewell \/ Golden State, holdin\u2019 your fate in the palm of my hand.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nature steals the show on this posse cut, dropping a Latrell Sprewell reference that\u2019s as wild as the incident itself. Spree-choking coach P.J. Carlesimo in \u201897 was peak NBA chaos, and Nature flipped it into a grimy threat\u2014complete with a Golden State nod. It\u2019s East Coast grit meeting West Coast headlines, delivered with that late-\u201890s Wu-Tang-adjacent snarl. Still slaps like a fast-break dunk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"action-bronson-set-it-off-2011\">Action Bronson \u2013 \u201cSet It Off\u201d (2011)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAged cheese, 8 months, stinky aroma \/ Behind the back pass, Arvydas Sabonis \/ Whole smart crew, kid. We smoking weed in diplomas.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Action Bronson\u2019s a rap gourmand, and this Arvydas Sabonis shoutout off Dr. Lecter is a chef\u2019s kiss. The Lithuanian big man was a passing wizard for the Blazers\u2014think behind-the-back dimes in traffic\u2014and Bam Bam ties it to his own eclectic flair. It\u2019s a rare nod to an international hoops icon, wrapped in weed smoke and culinary flexes. Only Action could make Sabonis sound this tasty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"630\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/GettyImages-1194598066-1024x630.jpg\" alt=\"INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 17:   Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Indiana Pacers shoots the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 17, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana.     NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. \" class=\"wp-image-8906\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Power Forward Domantis Sabonis is the son of Arvydas (Photo by Andy Lyons\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"lloyd-banks-it-blows-my-mind-2004\">Lloyd Banks \u2013 \u201cIt Blows My Mind\u201d (2004)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf there\u2019s more than one h**, sit back and blow me \/ And argue over my balls like Shaq and Kobe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lloyd Banks\u2019 G-Unit peak was all about punchlines, and this Hunger for More gem lands a haymaker. The Shaq-Kobe feud was tabloid gold in \u201904\u2014two alphas clashing over the Lakers\u2019 throne\u2014and Banks spins it into a hilariously lewd brag. It\u2019s crass, it\u2019s clever, and it captures that early-2000s rap swagger where NBA drama was fair game. Shaq\u2019s probably still chuckling at this one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"693\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/GettyImages-51549493-1024x693.jpg\" alt=\"LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES:  Kobe Bryant (L) of the Los Angeles Lakers holds the Larry O'Brian trophy as teammate Shaquille O'Neal (L) hold the MVP trophy after winning the NBA Championship against Indiana Pacers 19 June, 2000, after game six of the NBA Finals at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. The Lakers won the game 116-111 to take the NBA title 4-2 in the best-of-seven series.\" class=\"wp-image-8907\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> (AFP\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>From Kendrick\u2019s Luka jab to Banks\u2019 Shaq-Kobe zinger, these bars are more than references\u2014they\u2019re a courtside seat to rap\u2019s hoops obsession. Drake\u2019s Giannis line toasted a champ, Public Enemy\u2019s Barkley nod set the tone, and Nature\u2019s Sprewell flex keeps the \u201890s alive. The game\u2019s evolution\u2014from Starks\u2019 heart to Sabonis\u2019 vision\u2014mirrors hip-hop\u2019s own journey, and these MCs are the play-by-play announcers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So crank the volume, lace up your kicks, and tell us: what\u2019s your favorite basketball bar? The comments are open, and the mixtape\u2019s still spinning. Rap and hoops forever\u2014let\u2019s keep the crossover alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>By Nicky Helfgott \/ @NickyH3lfgott on Twitter (X)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep up with all the latest NBA news and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/basketball\">live scores<\/a>&nbsp;on the&nbsp;365Scores website and app!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Basketball and rap are like Shaq and Penny in \u201995\u2014destined to dominate together. Our original 365Scores rundown gave us the classics: Drake\u2019s LeBron flex, Jay-Z\u2019s Nets move, and Ice Cube\u2019s Lakers love. But the hardwood-to-headphones pipeline keeps pumping out bangers, and we\u2019re not about to let the highlight reel stop there. Welcome to Part Two: &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":8904,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[3286,3283,173,3285,1220,1195,3282,43,3278,3281,3119,1048,1166,3279,758,44,3284,1203,3280,93],"class_list":["post-8902","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","tag-365scores-think-harder-explore-nba-history-hip-hop-culture","tag-arvydas-sabonis","tag-basketball","tag-beastie-boys","tag-charles-barkley","tag-drake","tag-gary-payton","tag-giannis-antetokounmpo","tag-hip-hop","tag-john-starks","tag-kendrick-lamar","tag-kobe-bryant","tag-latrell-sprewell","tag-lil-wayne","tag-luka-doncic","tag-nba","tag-public-enemy","tag-rap","tag-reggie-miller","tag-shaq"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8902","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8902"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8902\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8904"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8902"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8902"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8902"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}