Image via Complex Original
"Sports and music are so synonymous," but it goes deeper than ballers trying to become rappers and vice versa. Today, Yeezus officially dropped and if you didn't get a chance to hear it yet, you will notice Kanye West discuss everything from the struggle of being perceived as a king, the temptations of the nightlife, and society's perception of dating a white woman, among other topics. Ironically, those same issues can also be related to the stories that cropped up here and there over the last nine months of the NBA season, on and off the court, with current and former players.
To commemorate the release of Mr. West's sixth solo studio album, we take a look at the interweaving plots between the 36-year-old rapper's life and the on and off-court lives of your favorite ballers in Yeezus Lyrics That Reflect the 2012-13 NBA Season.
"For my theme song/My leather black jeans on"
Song: "Black Skinhead"
Blame hip-hop. Blame Yeezy. Whatever it is, the NBA has dudes making bolder and bolder fashion statements. This season, especially when it came to the Miami Heat, their performances on the court were being discussed as much as their off-the-court style. And honestly, we would prefer a guy like Dwyane Wade rocking some leather jeans over this ensemble. WoW. Get it?
"I can't handle no liquor/And these b**ches can't handle me/I can't control my n*ggas/And my n*ggas, they can't control me/You say you know me, my n*gga/But you really just know the old me" (Chief Keef)
Song: "Hold My Liquor"
Early in the 2012-13 NBA season, J.R. Smith was playing like the front-runner for the Sixth Man of the Year trophy. In an interview with Newsday, Smith confessed that the New York City nightlife got the best of him and that he was "going out less now." He maintained that mentality, helping the Knicks secure the No. 2 seed in the East, as well as being named the Sixth Man of the Year. Still, he made time to see if ladies were trying to get the pipe.
Then, the playoffs came around and Swish was back to partying hard. His game took a nosedive and things only got worse when Rihanna aired him out on Instagram, after she was seen partying with him.
"The only rapper compared to Michael/So here's a few hating-ass n*ggas who'll fight you/And here's a few snake-ass n*ggas to bite you"
Song: "I Am A God"
In April, Magic Johnson said that Kobe Bryant was the closest thing to Michael Jordan he's ever seen. People will always debate if Kobe is as good or even better than Jordan, even after a coach who guided both of their careers chimes in with his two cents. Many will probably add LeBron James into the conversation, but the usual defense is that Bron Bron can't be mentioned alongside those guys until he gets more titles under his belt. Therefore, even if those "snake-ass" people wanna bite you, it's clear that the Black Mamba is the only player comparable to Michael.
"Middle America packed in/Came to see me in my black skin/Number one question they asking/F**k every question you asking"
Song: "Black Skinhead"
Even though he could've signed with a bigger market team, outside of Middle America, Kevin Durant chose to sign a five-year, $86 million contract extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder prior to the 2010-11 season. While many people would say that Durant is an immensely talented player, he admitted to Sports Illustrated that he's tired of finishing second in everything because as the prophet Nelly once said, "two is not a winner and three, nobody remembers."
"I'm aware I'm a king/Back out the tomb b**ch"
Song: "Black Skinhead"
Since the moment he stood out in his freshman year of high school at St. Vincent-St. Mary, LeBron became known as King James. Maybe that's one of the many things you probably didn't know about him. Anyway, with a lofty nickname like that, Bron Bron needed to live up to the hype and expectations. With yet another MVP award this season—his fourth in five seasons—and one (maybe a second) NBA title under his belt, LeBron may be identifying more with his title as King. But he's still got a long way to go to truly be king of the NBA.
"Enter the kingdom/But watch who you bring home/They see a black man with a white woman at the top floor/They gone come to kill King Kong"
Song: "Black Skinhead"
Yes, we know that Yvette Prieto, who Jordan married in April, is Cuban. But sometimes, people will assume things solely based on a person's skin tone. It's a sad truth, but we digress. Anyway, these days, it's hard to mention basketball or the NBA without bringing up Michael Jordan in the conversation.
From his play on the court back in the days to the Jordan brand seen on many of your favorite athletes today, MJ is "at the top floor" per se. So, Kanye is simply cautioning people like Mike that when you reach that level of success, people are going to try and bring you down, like mentioning his gambling habits or the chaos that ensues when a new sneaker of his drops.
"I know I got a bad reputation/Walking around, always mad reputation...Start a Fight Club, Brad reputation"
Song: "Bound 2"
Why does Roy Hibbert always sport a mean mug on the court? It's a question even we had to ask. From his controversial post-game comments to getting involved in a fight with David Lee, Hibbert developed something of a bad reputation by the end of this season.
"One good girl is worth a thousand b**ches"
Song: "Bound 2"
Since high school, LeBron James has been held down by Savannah Brinson. Aside from being one of the hottest WAGs in the NBA, Savannah is a loyal woman who had two of James' children without making him put a ring on it. A guy of LeBron's stature could probably have any woman he wants, but he knows damn well that those girls don't compare to the special lady he has at home, which is why he proposed to her on New Year's Day 2012 and the couple finally sent out a 'Save the Date" invitation for their September wedding.
"On and on that alimony, uh/Yeah, yeah, she got you homie/'Til death but do your part, unholy matrimony"
Song: "Blood On The Leaves"
In March, Tim Duncan filed for divorce from his wife of 12 years. And before you jump to conclusions in terms of infidelity, it seems as though being married to Duncan may have been too boring and Amy supposedly started creeping on him.
According to the San Antonio Express-News, Timmy reportedly hired a private investigator to see what she was up to. As the breadwinner in the marriage, however, Duncan will probably be the one responsible for forking over some of his salary (he signed a 3-year, $30 million contract which went into effect for the 2012-13 season), even though he does have a prenup in place. Either way, Yeezy taught him well. Yeezy taught him well.
"You see there's leaders and there's followers/But I'd rather be a d**k than a swallower"
Song: "New Slaves"
With Chris Paul and Dwight Howard in free agency, we may see the formation of yet another "super team" in the NBA. Prior to the start of the 2012-13 season, Lakers fans were pumped over their new-look team with Steve Nash and Howard joining Metta World Peace, Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant while NBA fans like Pusha T and former players like Hakeem Olajuwon weren't on board with the new mentality of players from around the league. Eventually, we came to find out that a starting lineup like the Lake Show was only good on paper because injuries and lack of chemistry got them swept in the first round.
