My brother gave me the idea to do this blog and I thought it would be a fun, light-hearted blog to do. We all know that most hip hop artists want to play basketball (think Master P who actually made the leap and countless others whom used to play during their school days) and most basketball players would love to rap (think Shaq, Ron Artest, Kobe, Iverson, etc.). So, which artists represent which players? And I'm not talking about status, but I'm talking about style and what each brings to their craft. I'm going to list just a few comparisons below and then I'll let you guys come up with some more. We may even do a part 2 in the future. Here we go:


1. Rakim/Jerry West: If hip hop had a logo, and it consisted of the outline of one person, why wouldn't it be Rakim (maybe from the Paid In Full album cover)? His lyrical ability and flow is the blueprint for the modern day artist (at least lyrical artist) and very few would be more deserving of such an honor than the R himself. Therefore, the comparison between him and Jerry West is obvious. As Jerry's silhouette has become the face of the NBA and his playing style has been incorporated into many of the great players games, his contribution to basketball is similar to that of Rakim's to hip hop.


2. Jadakiss/Chauncey Billups: My brother suggested this comparison which I think is excellent. As a very underrated MC (at least among mainstream listeners), Jadakiss is a monster lyricists with the ability to still make smash hits. He has proven himself time and time again and is well respected for the work he puts in. This sounds very similar to the story of Chancey Billups. Bounced around from team to team for years, Chauncey finally found a home and proved his capabilities on the court (although he is probably still underrated). Not only that, but both are the leaders of their respective "teams" (Jada with Lox and Billups with both Detroit and Denver).


3. DMX/Ron Artest: I'm sure this comparison is pretty obvious. DMX's presence on a track is undeniable and we all know about his unfortunate situations in his personal life. He is a person capable of snapping at any time and when that happens, everybody needs to clear out of the way. This is the same for Ron Artest. Although he hasn't had nearly as many incidents since he's joined the Lakers as he has in the past, you can tell that his presence of the basketball court is bothersome to every team. And if you do make him mad, look out! Both of their tempers can erupt at any time, but there is no denying what either of them can do in their respective fields.


4. Outkast/Stockton & Malone: It is hard to name too many other tandems that have been more successful in basketball than John Stockton and Karl Malone. While in stature and playing style they had nothing in common, there is no denying that when they were on the court together, they were going to give any team a problem. On the flip side, Outkast is one of the greatest groups to ever grace the mic. Andre 3000 and Big Boi are very different people and artists, but put them together and you get classic music almost every time.


5. Wu-Tang Clan/Bad Boys of the '80s (Detroit Pistons): Was there any team scarier than the Detroit Pistons of the 1980s? Everybody on the team was feisty and ready prove a point when they stepped on the court. No different when Wu-Tang came on the scene in hip hop. With their gritty sound and lyrics along with what seemed like a member count of 100, they're presence in hip hop was undeniable. The comparison between these two is pretty apparent.

What other comparisons can you think of? Let me hear them. Leave your comparisons in the comments section and as always, you can e-mail at straightouttahiphop@gmail.com.


Peace.