LiAngelo Ball lands massive music deal with Def Jam after hit single 'Tweaker' goes viral

The former Charlotte Hornet has one of the most popular songs out right now.
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
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It didn't take long for former Charlotte Hornets forward LiAngelo Ball to become a big-time hit in the music industry.

On January 3rd, Ball released his debut single, "Tweaker," which has blossomed into one of the most popular songs in the world. The song has generated well over eight million views on YouTube and debuted at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100. The beat and flow of the song give a nostalgic feeling to those who listened to late 90s/early 2000s rap music, offering something completely different from what is being released within the genre today.

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Ball inked a $13 million deal ($8 million guaranteed) with Def Jam and Universal Music Group. He will, however, retain complete ownership of music and his own record label.

Ball signed with the Hornets as an undrafted free agent and appeared in some preseason games with the team, but spent much of his time down in the G League with the Greensboro Swarm. In two seasons (31 games) with the Swarm, Ball averaged 4.4 points and 1.1 rebounds per game while shooting 38% from the field and 33% from three-point range.

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Schuyler Callihan
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN

schuylercallihan(at)gmail.com  Twitter:@Callihan_ Schuyler Callihan is the lead publisher of Mountaineers Now, All Panthers, and All Hornets on FanNation/Sports Illustrated. He took over publishing duties of All Panthers in 2020 and wanted to expand his professional coverage in the Queen City by running the operations at All Hornets. Schuyler attended Bethany College in Bethany, West Virginia before finishing up his schooling at Alamance Community College in Graham, North Carolina. The Wheeling, West Virginia native made the move to North Carolina in 2015 and has been in Charlotte since 2021.