Lakers News: Identifying the 'Kobe Bryant of Hip Hop'

Who's the rap equivalent of the 18-time All-Star Hall of Famer?

Feb 8, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; A statue for former Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant is unveiled during a ceremony at Star Plaza outside of Crypto.com ArenaMandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports / Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports

Who's the rap equivalent of18-time All-Star Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant?

Gold-certified rapper Styles P was a guest on NBA insider Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson's podcast "Scoop B Radio," and he submitted Jadakiss as the equivalent for the 2008 NBA MVP and five-time champion.

Jadakiss is the Kobe Bryant of hip hop says @stylesp.

“I’m gonna give him Kobe. I’m gonna give him Kobe because definitely anytime he steps into the arena, he puts his work ethic in and you know he’s gonna get his shit off! You KNOW you can’t stop him and you know you’re gonna… https://t.co/lgTGkddmMi pic.twitter.com/oYWn1MoZqK

— 👑 Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) June 3, 2024

“I’m gonna give him Kobe," Styles P said of the "U Make Me Wanna" artist. "I’m gonna give him Kobe because definitely anytime he steps into the arena, he puts his work ethic in and you know he’s gonna get his shit off! You KNOW you can’t stop him and you know you’re gonna love to see him do it.”

Jadakiss shares the longevity of Bryant, who remained with L.A. for 20 NBA seasons, including seven NBA Finals appearances (and five wins). Jadakiss' first record, "Kiss tha Game Goodbye," hit No. 5 on Billboard and notched a Gold certification. His latest record, "Ignatius," still charted in the Top 40 (at No. 31).

A 6-foot-6 swingman, Bryant was also a 15-time All-NBA and 12-time All-Defensive honoree, as well as the league's two-time scoring champion. Across 1,346 career regular season games, he boasted career averages of 25.0 points on a .447/.329/.837 slash line, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.5 blocks a night. The superstar wing was one of the most dominant figures of his era, and he accordingly was awarded a posthumous bronze statue outside of L.A.'s homecourt, Crypto.com Arena.

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