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Source: Rick Madonik / Getty

The saying goes, rappers want to ball, athletes want to rap, but unfortunately the abilities from the hardwood didn’t carry over to the booth for many of those that tried.

Iman Shumpert, of the Clevland Cavaliers, started this whole debate by releasing the Cav’s playoff anthem rap song which just hit the internet.

Take a look at 15 current and former NBA superstars that tried to take their talents to the studio.

Lebron James – F*ckwithmeyouknowigotit

SPO-BKN-LAKERS-CAVALIERS

Source: FREDERIC J. BROWN / Getty

Lebron tries to get his Hov on in his only freestyle video released. This isn’t as bad as some of the others, but still probably should have kept this for his own ears. He probably won’t be crowned King of the microphone anytime soon.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJahfIc0oLA%5D

 

Kobe Bryant Ft. Tyra Banks – K.O.B.E

Kobe was really feeling himself with this record, appropriately titled K.O.B.E. But again who wouldn’t? He took Brandy to his senior prom, and a few weeks later was the future of the Lakers, so we get it, but again, this would of been better to keep on his and Tyra Banks iPod.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl_WkTiH6-Q%5D

 

Shaquille O’Neal – I Got Skillz

Believe it or not, this song was a big hit on the Billboard charts at the time, and the album ended up going platinum, yes a million copies were sold. You know how many artists never accomplish that? Shaq really took advantage of his bigger than life character and cashed in. But believe it or not Shaq definitely has some flow compared to a lot of the other athletes.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPKTLLb80Ns%5D

 

Kevin Durant – Worried About Tomorrow

 

Kevin Durant seems to just rap as a hobby, and isn’t terrible. But it seems that he hops on tracks with his artist that he signed, to help give the song some more shine being he’s KD. Can’t get mad at that.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-tzeUmvugw%5D

 

Ron Artest a.k.a Metta WorldPeace – Champions

 

Metta WorldPeace, aka Ron Artest, always had hip-hop in his blood since he grew up in NYC in its height of hip-hop dominance. And after winning his first championship with the Lakers, he let the world know through his song that he is the Champion!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfhme2RAUL0%5D

 

Stephen Jackson – America Da Beautiful ft. Scarface

 

Stephen Jackson retired from the hardwood and now lives in the booth. Unlike a lot of the one hitter rapper/ballers, he does it full time for a living now and goes by Stak5 and has collaborated with some big emcees from the south, including the track below with Scarface. His bars and concept behind this song are as real as it gets, but still needs to work on that voice complexion. He even called out his former owner Donald Sterling, for obvious reasons.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBltgfK-U3k%5D

 

Steve Francis – Finer Things

Steve Francis was once a NBA star, then just disappeared from the league. Last we heard from Stevie Franchise, he was Drunk In Love at the club, and getting his chain snatched on stage in Houston. He sure seems to know how to get caught up in the “hip-hop drama”, just not so much on actually making quality hip-hop music.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cavAQx-_G5Y%5D

 

Lou Williams ft. Meek Mill – I Want It All

6th man like Lou Will. After being name dropped heavy on Drake’s new song 6th Man, (and actually won 6th man of the year in the NBA in 2015). Lou has already been a “veteran” in this rap game. While playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, Lou Williams linked up with Philly’s own Meek Mill for a few collabs.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v94YvVMhxkk%5D

 

Tony Parker ft. Fabolous – Top Of The Game

I bet a lot of you had no idea about this, because we didn’t. Back in the mid 2000’s Tony Parker took a try in the hip-hop game. His biggest song we could find featured Fabolous, but since TP rapped in French, we can’t tell you if the lyrics were any good, but those clothes, bring back some throwback memories!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJYSigvJtno%5D

 

Allen Iverson – 40 Barz

 

A.I. was the king of the NBA at the time he released his rap debut. He kept it all the way streets unlike some other athletes, and to hip-hop fans, the content was nothing new, but to many media members it totally caught them off guard, and created quite the controversy in the media.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBrbMj0eyqM%5D

 

Iman Shumpert – The Offs

Iman Shumpert is the reason for this whole post. He does have a few other songs out, and the concept behind a playoff anthem for his team is there. Kind of has a 3-stacks type of feel, in a way.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhkoQcHmhlg%5D

 

Chris Webber ft. Kurupt – Gangsta, Gangsta

Chris Webber has been a major name in basketball since his freshman year at Michigan. His hip-hop career never really equated to that. Should of called a timeout before the beat dropped.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BY7Bjxonjw%5D

 

Joe Smith aka Joe Beast – The Beginning

Remember Joe Smith, the once first overall pick? Well he is now a full time rapper named Joe Beast. Enough said.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmudR6K2yns%5D

 

Cedric Ceballos Ft Warren G – Flow On

Cedric Ceballos, remember that name? Well back in the day he linked up with West Coast legend Warren G and made himself his own West Coast record.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQ36TNHqNAE%5D

 

Delonte West – KFC Freestyle

Delonte West and his cousin got their freestyle on for 5 minutes while waited for some chicken at KFC drive through. This by far, takes the cake with ballers thinking their rappers. “He got that KFC hookup.”

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVA00Fngvmg%5D

15 NBA Players Who Took Their Hardwood Talents To The Booth  was originally published on boomphilly.com