Image via Complex Original
With 2012 (and possibly, the world) coming to an end, what better way to look back at this year in sports than checking out the rappers who dropped bars referencing some of the best athletes, past and present? Whether they are dedicating a whole song to their favorite baller or simply expressing a similarity between themselves and a certain player, where would Hip-Hop music be without Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant?
Throughout 2012, we've heard Chief Keef spit an entire track about Kobe, to that line Kanye dropped about Kris Humphries in "Cold," to the infamous "you wasn't with me shooting in the gym" phrase. Check out all those and more in the 20 Best Sports Rap References of 2012.
20. Pac Div f/ Mac Miller & Raven Sorvino "Black Acura"
Lyric: "It's nothing/I'mma go for more/Just became a wizard/Bitch I'm Okafor" (Mac Miller)
Even Emeka Okafor has to be thinking to himself, "Damn, you couldn't think of a better player to name-drop on that line?" Still a slick line, though.
19. ASAP Ferg, "Work"
Lyric: "A couple model bitches thought I balled for the Lakers/All they know is suck and fuck/They speak in different language"
Staples Center during a Laker game is always full of actresses, models and wannabees hoping to snag a player after the game. ASAP Ferg gets it in like he was on the team.
18. Meek Mill f/ Kirko Bangz "Young and Gettin' It"
Lyric: "Her neck talk it say fuck me/My wrist talk it say suck me/These niggas claiming they balling/I take your bitch/Kris Humphries" (Meek Mill)
Since losing his wife to Mr. West, Kris Humphries has been the butt of every rappers' jokes, so Meek thought, "What the hell, why not" and jumped in on the fun. Kim's ex will forever live in her shadow.
17. Mr. MFN eXquire f/ Gucci Mane, "Telephuck"
Lyric: "The dude that get to turn that shit into Jello/No box of chocolates, no rose petals/Ghetto, nigga pull strings like Geppetto/Ghetto, nigga toss shots like Carmelo" (Mr. MFN eXquire)
You don't want beef with Mr. MFN eXquire. Given Melo's history, he's gonna be tossing hella shots. Run!
16. Childish Gambino f/ Steve G. Lover, "One Up"
Lyric: "Fifteen nines, five dimes, only two chains/Smoke like Jamaicans/Run it like I'm Usain" (Steve G. Lover)
This summer, Usain Bolt proved to everyone that no one runs shit like the Jamaican sprinter. And just like your favorite rapper, Usain also claimed to be the greatest to ever do it. Funny thing is, Bolt may be right. Who knew Childish Gambino's lil bro can rap too?
15. Roc Marciano, "Tek to the Mack"
Lyric: "I'm back for the crown, baby/ In the Avi' that's brown like gravy/Style's wavy/Lazy eye Tracy McGrady/Deliver like a 80-pound baby"
If you watched the NBA in the early 2000s, you saw McGrady in his prime with the lazy eye, rocking the "I'm ready to go to sleep look". Even the TNT announcers know the look. Roc delivers on this track like T-Mac used to do.
14. Lil B, "Warm Ups"
Lyric: Entire song
Lil B rapping to layup drills? Give us more. Plus, he called KD out at the end of the vid. We think the Durantula is afraid of the Based God. They still haven't played that one-on-one game.
13. Iman Shumpert, "Knicks Anthem"
Lyric: Entire song
For a guy who's been out the whole year, Shumpert's been keeping busy off the floor. He has a new 'do, has been rehabbing like a beast and is dropping a mixtape tomorrow. This is actually pretty good, but it still doesn't top this classic.
12. CyHi Da Prince, "James Harden"
Lyric: Entire song
CyHi might be the new king of punchlines. The entire song is full of basketball (and football) references. Not to mention the artwork and the ill James Harden highlight reel sample at the end.
11. Kanye West f/ Big Sean & Jay-Z, "Clique"
Lyric: "Your money too short, you can't be talking to me/Yeah, I'm talking LeBron/We ball in our family tree/G.O.O.D. Music drug-dealing cousin, ain't nothing fuckin' with we" (Jay-Z)
Hov lets the world know that he won't ever acknowledge you if you're not on the level of himself, Bron Bron, or Ye. Pretty much like saying "If you're openly considered the best in your arena don't talk to me." Just Disrespectful! (Stephen A. Voice)
10. French Montana f/ Drake, Lil Wayne & Rick Ross, "Pop That"
Lyric: "OVO that's major shit, Toronto with me that's mayor shit/Gettin' cheddar packs like KD/OKC that's player shit" (Drake)
And you know to do with those cheddar packs, right? Throw it in the bag!
9. The Alchemist f/ Action Bronson, "Decisions Over Veal Orloff"
Lyric: "It be that Queens kid with the face like Jim "The Anvil"/Neidhart, I play the part, smoke the white shark" (Action Bronson)
Action never told a lie. He looks just like the Heart Foundation co-founder. When will Bronson make a WWE cameo? This needed to happen yesterday.
8. Smoke DZA f/ Action Bronson, "Turnbuckle Music"
Lyric: Entire song
Smoke DZA and Bam Bam Bronson deliver with a track dedicated to wrestling. They talk about how they're going to tag team these wack rappers out here. Elbow drops from the top turnbuckle, dawg.
7. Roc Marciano, "The Man"
Lyric: "The .44 is chrome with the long nose/Call it Ginobili/You real nigga? Show me"
A .44 with the long nose, call it Ginobili? Eh, OK. But no mention of leaving your top missing? C'mon, Roc.
6. Kanye West, Pusha T, Big Sean & 2 Chainz, "Mercy"
Lyric: "Rain, pourin'/All my cars is foreign/All my broads is foreign/Money tall like Jordan" (2 Chainz)
Say what you want about Tity Boi, some of his lines are clever. Double entendres are hard to pull off and he does it on the regular.
5. Meek Mill f/ Big Sean, "Burn"
Lyric: "I alley oop your bitch off that backboard she throw it back/I slam dunk in that pussy, Blake Griffin'd yo ho, nigga" (Meek Mill)
This might be one of the more creative lines on this list, the MMG spitta managed to compare a Blake Griffin Alley Oop to getting some punani. Greatness in unique complicity. #respect
4. Kanye West f/ Pusha T & Ghostface Killah "New God Flow"
Lyric: "Went from most hated to the champion god flow/I guess that's a feeling only me and Lebron know" (Kanye West)
Remember when every gangsta rapper under the sun was getting at Kanye for his fashion sense? Now they're all wearing his sneakers and begging for beats. Just like the LeBron haters.
3. Kanye West, "Cold"
Lyric: "And I'll admit I fell in love with Kim/Around the same time she had fell in love with him./Well that's cool, baby girl, do your thing/Lucky I ain't have Jay drop him from the team"
Kanye didn't have to go there. But for all we know, Kris had it coming. We don't know how he can survive in New York on a day-to-day basis. He'll never hear the end of how he got played for a fool.
2. Chief Keef, "Kobe"
Lyric: Entire Song
Keef is the youngest in charge right now. Just like Kobe once was. The "I'm been ballin' so damn hard, I got the ugly faces" was special. 3hunna!
1. Rick Ross f/ Drake & French Montana, "Stay Schemin'"
Lyric: "Kobe 'bout to lose a hundred fifty M's/Kobe my nigga I hate it had to be him/Bitch you wasn't with me shooting in the gym (Drake)/Bitch you wasn't with me shooting in the gym" (Rick Ross)
After "Stay Schemin'" dropped, who wasn't shouting "Bitch you wasn't with me shooting in the gym?" Kobe Bryant, for one. Still, the Mamba couldn't help but laugh because, after all, it was a pretty dope line.