Lance Stephenson is the name that became synonymous with the NBA, not only for his basketball skills but for his gimmicks on and off the court. Many were in for a shock when they found out that this star-studded basketball player had another, wholly unrelated talent under his sleeve—a rapper. Such transition from the basketball court to the recording studio was received with a grain of curiosity, skepticism, and admiration.
Stephenson’s flirtation with rap has been punctuated by feature verses with other athlete-rappers, like Lonzo Ball, which extends the democratization of music trends among athletes. Indeed, hip-hop culture, especially in Brooklyn, has seeped into the athlete, something that is evident in his style.
His lyrics usually border around basketball, his personal life, and perhaps introspective tendencies. Although the early tracks could have highlighted the glitter and glory of the NBA life, his songs have gradually enriched in lyrics that are more deep-rooted and representative of Stephenson himself.
Stephenson has a musical genre that is a perfect blend of each genre of rap, incorporating trap, drill, and melodic rap. His production, most often filled with catchy beats and infectious hooks, has seen him gain popularity at an exceptional pace among his growing fan base.
Reactions to Stephenson’s music have been all over the internet: some praising his obvious talent and unique perspective, others crying foul at his lyricism and unfavorably comparing him to other athlete/rappers who’ve exhibited linguistic promise but proved to be short of impact.
Former NBA player Lance Stephenson is rapping now 👀 please be honest how is it sounding ?? PIC.TWITTER.COM/9DS7RMI7TA
— 2Cool2Blog (@2Cool2Blog) AUGUST 28, 2024
Despite all the setbacks, the future of Stephenson as a rapper is still so bright. With affection for music and an increasing amount of followers, he therefore has quite a good chance of being recognized as a real artist. However, it would take some time for him to really develop as an artist with more lyrical skill and a little sound experimenting in order to stand out in that competitive world of hip-hop.
