I recently celebrated my 36th birthday.
I’d like to think that I’m still a young adult, but I’m starting to see those physical and visible signs where my body thinks otherwise. In the grand scheme of things, I have a lot of life yet to live, but I’ve seen a lot during my time as well, and as an avid fan of hip hop and basketball, I have a multi-generational historical perspective of both, to the point where sons of former players in the NBA are as common as sprained ankles, and I’ve seen emcees rise to fame and popularity and become the butt end of a joke more times than I can count. I have seen the evolution of both art forms grow immensely both monetarily, as well as in popularity, and both have been the cusp of trends and culture for years, and will be for years to come. With all of this taken into account, 2015 thus far has been a noteworthy year, one that I would consider a landmark year, because of 2 people, one from each field, who have set themselves apart from their competition, and their duality is blaring, yet no one seems to notice, or even appreciate it.
The fundamental discussion of Hip Hop and Basketball always pertains to it’s popular or subjective opinions. “Who are your top 5 emcees?” “Who’s better, MJ or Kobe? MJ or LeBron?” the forever relivant “Who will win tonight’s matchup?” etc, etc. Amidst the discussion, 2015 has seen Kendrick Lamar and Steph Curry be phenomenal, so much so that they have quieted much of the discussions of “Who’s the best?”. With Steph Curry winning the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award, and Kendrick Lamar releasing his highly anticipated and even more highly acclaimed album “To Pimp a Butterfly”, when discussing the best in the game, in both instances, there is little discussion, and in most opinions, the decision is unanimous.
When Kendrick Lamar Released To Pimp A Butterfly in March 2015, the Hip Hop world stopped. Nowadays, if a rapper can get their audience to listen to half of their song, its an accomplishment, but Kendrick’s album grabbed our attention like no other I’ve seen. To Pimp a Butterfly contained a depth that we are missing in todays music. There was everything from live instrumentation, to complexities of word play and cadence, to club jams, to spoken word interludes, which in a lot of ways, is what we come to expect from a Kendrick Lamar release. What makes Kendrick Lamar great is his range. He embodies everything that makes rap great, and he expresses and delivers his messages it in ways we have never heard. Kendrick’s latest release is a huge pillar in a career that we are seeing unfold right in front of us, and the best part about it all is that he is just getting started.
In terms of impact, both on their respective crafts, much of the same can be said for Steph Curry on the court. To those who have watched basketball over the last few decades, we have seen great shooters in our time. We have seen amazing ball handlers, excellent passers, those who possess court vision, athleticism, and overall charisma, but to have someone who is all of those attributes rolled into one player, combined with what a number of esteemed journalist and colleagues are calling the best shooter they’ve ever seen, is unprecedented. Every year, we watch a young player have a break-year, or we see an amazing rookie with untapped talent, but I think that we can agree that there is something about Steph that’s different. And like Kendrick, he’s one of a kind, and we are all witnessing greatness before our eyes. Not in retrospect, not as a romanticized era of yesteryear, not as an urban legend, its right there.
But wait a second…look at these guys. This is the best shooter of all time? That’s the best rapper in the game? Upon physical appearance and stature, these are two of the most unassuming faces that basketball and Hip Hop have ever seen. Both boyish with undefined features, undersized, and probably the last kid picked on the playground, these young men have been able to excel in an arena where testosterone and masculinity is encouraged, and in some ways, necessary. With the popularity of Hip Hop culture (which always manages to find its way onto the basketball court) appearance, image, and marketability is a large percentage of what makes you successful. For all intents and purposes, Steph and Kendrick lack these qualities, but what makes them yet so admirable is that they are not your typical personalities, thus they are key examples of being successful and talented while not fitting anyone’s expectations. They rely on standards that we should hold all artist and athletes to; skill, talent, expression, honesty, humility, the willingness to achieve and be the best at their craft. It’s being unassuming in stature with the heart of a lion. That’s why we appreciate them.
Could we really be witnessing the best rapper of all time and the best basketball player of all time at the same damn time? Short answer, yes. Both 27 years of age and at the prime of their professions, Kendrick Lamar and Steph Curry have already proven themselves to be everything that they are now in years previous, so they are not a new discovery, but the epiphany that has presented itself in 2015 is that these two performers, one in the NBA and another as an emcee, two ultra competetitive worlds that are completely different, yet similar, are simultaneously on a extraordinary ascension that is legendary, and it’s a beautiful thing to know that we will all sit back and marvel at their art and evolution for hopefully what will be years to come.
