The 10 Most Referenced Ballers In Rap

Since both were originated in the streets and subsequently dominated by black people, rap music and basketball tend to have a lot of overlap; like the Shaq-Fu album, or the time Master P hooped in the summer league. So it comes as no surprise that NBA players are often referenced in rap lyrics, some more than others. With that in mind, here are the ten basketball players that are most commonly referenced in hip-hop.

10. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Best Lyric: "I got a razor sharper than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's barber"- Saigon

Why he's mentioned in rap: Kareem is one of the all-time great centers, but between his short shorts and ridiculous Rec-Specs, nothing about him screams "hip-hop". Maybe it's because he has a funny name.

9. Ron Artest

Best Lyric: "Your boy got more techs than Ron Artest"- Termanology

Why he's mentioned in rap: He reps Queensbridge and has even made some (awful) rap music himself. Also his bad boy attitude resonates with gangsta rappers like, uh, Termanology.

8. Paul Pierce

Best Lyric: "They playin' the C's/But Paul Pierce throwin' up B's/That make the ref affiliated/Every time he hit a 3"- The Game

Why he's mentioned in rap: He's from Inglewood, famously got knifed outside of a night club, and apparently throws gang signs after making a basket.

7. Magic Johnson

Best Lyric: "One of the illest since Magic Johnson/No disrespect/But metaphors keep me out the projects"- Superb

Why he's mentioned in rap: Like his old sidekick Kareem, I assume this has to do with his status as one of the all-time greats, plus he was probably the childhood hero of many 90's era rappers.

6. Scottie Pippen

Best Lyric: "If we stay strong/We can get paper longer than Pippen's arms"- Jay-Z

Why he's mentioned in rap: There's nothing particularly hip-hop about Scottie Pippen either, who hails from Arkansas, the least hip-hop of all the continental United States. However, he was a great player on the most prominent team of the rap era, so I guess it makes sense in that regard.

5. Kobe Bryant

Best Lyric: "Kobe, tell me how my ass taste"- Shaq

Why he's mentioned in rap: Kobe is from a rich suburb of Philadelphia and made even worse rap music than his teammate, the aforementioned Artest. Still, he is admired by rappers for his superior skills on the court, and possibly for raping white bitches.

4. Shaquille O'Neal

Best Lyric: "She ordered the kobe beef like Shaquille O'Neal"- Kanye West

Why he's mentioned in rap: This one is more of a no-brainer. Shaq actually made some pretty legit rap music back in the day, including collabs with Wu-Tang and Erick Sermon, who were still relevant at the time. He reportedly could break dance too, that is before he outgrew every cardboard box ever manufactured.

3. Allen Iverson

Best Lyric: "Probably think I won't murder you, the way I smile/But I'ma take a lotta shots, AI style"- Jadakiss

Why he's mentioned in rap: Speaking of no-brainer, Allen Iverson is the embodiment of the fusion between rap and hoops. His shiny bling, doo rags, and tendency to roll with a posse are part of what brought hip-hop culture to the NBA, much to the disdain of white basketball fans everywhere.

2. LeBron James

Best Lyric: "Handlin' since a teen/Like LeBron or Sebastian/High school graduates"- Jay-Z

Why he's mentioned in rap: Hailed as "The Chosen One" as a fucking high schooler, Bron is one of the most talked about athletes of this generation, so it makes sense that he's #2 on this list. He's also known to "throw up the roc" in celebration of a great play and he may or may not acknowledge DJ Khaled when he sits front row at Heat games.

1. Michael Jordan

Best Lyric: "Freakin' n****s every way like MJ/I can't believe, today was a good day"- Ice Cube

Why he's mentioned in rap: Well this is no surprise, since Jordan is probably the best player ever and hit his prime right when hip-hop music was getting big. Not only does he top the list, but the number of times he's referenced in rap lyrics probably more than doubles anyone else. I'm sure this is Michael's proudest achievement.