The rapper-hooper comparison might be a cliche, but cliches are cliches for a reason. It remains as true as ever: Rappers all want to be ballers and ballers all want to rap. Now, more than ever, the crossover (heh) has gotten ridiculous, blurring the lines between the two as former high school hoop stars like NLE Choppa and Quavo pen Billboard hits, and rap’s upper echelon guys get pro hoops co-signs from LeBron James like Lil Durk, sign pro contracts like J. Cole, or host their own in-home rec leagues like Drake.
Intriguingly enough, as more NBA stars dip their toes into rap careers, following in the footsteps of Shaq, Kobe, and Allen Iverson, it’s a little rarer to see ball players get serious about their rhymes. Of course, there’s Damian Lillard, who’s three albums deep into his career as Dame D.O.L.L.A., but for the most part, the current generation of NBA talent has yet to commit. Maybe they just need a little encouragement, and that’s where Milwaukee native/LA transplant DC The Don steps in.
The 6’7 rising rap star is best known for viral tracks like “Worst Day” and “Walk Thru,” but he’s probably just as well-known for his first song “Everything 1K” appearing in Big Baller Brand’s first sneaker commercial. That’s because he was a former Chino Hills High teammate of Lonzo Ball — another aspiring rhyme purveyor currently playing in the NBA — and his brothers LiAngelo and LaMelo. Obviously, DC went the other way, and so he’s willing to lend some of his expertise to rating NBA stars’ rap bars. Check out the video above.
