Comparing Stephen Curry and LeBron to Rap’s Power Struggle

Stephen Curry and LeBron James stand above the elite of the NBA. The relationship and competition between two of rap’s best, Kendrick Lamar and Drake, mirrors James and Curry.

Hip-hop and basketball go hand-in-hand.

Rappers name drop the top athletes and the stars reflect and influence the culture. For years now, the two worlds have collided. Months ago, I wrote a piece comparing Golden State Warriors players to hip-hop artists that you can read here. When looking at the bigger picture, the two sides go together.

Rapper Kendrick Lamar dropped a surprise album, untitled umastered, with eight untitled tracks. Soon after it’s release, it was made known that it was LeBron James’ pleas that convinced KDot to put out the new music.

Control of the NBA world is being wrestled away from James by none other than Stephen Curry. Arguably the most physically gifted athlete in league history going head-to-head with the most efficient, fear-inducing force in the Association. More likely than not, the two superstars will face off in the NBA Finals once again, pitting their vastly different skillsets against each other.

Their basketball rivalry parallels a music power struggle between two heavyweights with contrasting styles. Kendrick Lamar and Drake are the game’s two biggest voices. The Compton-native Kendrick is a throwback rapper. He’s the culmination of years of West Coast artists expressing their daily struggles, combining his perfected quick-hitting flow with mind-blowing lyrics. On the other hand, Drake is a transcendent artist, weaving between rap, R&B, and pop. He’s the most popular figure in the genre right now.

Both guys are gunning for that top spot. Just like Curry and James.

If LeBron is close enough to Kendrick and his team to get him to put out a new project then it’s fair to say Drake is in the MVP’s corner. Of course, his iconic “I’ve been Steph Curry with the shot” line is well known. And their relationship has clearly grown from a mutual respect to a friendship. The Six God revealed that he gave his Kobe Bryant jacket from All-Star weekend to Curry as a gift.

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The competition between basketball’s top talents goes beyond the court. They’re battling in shoe and merchandise sales. The two are trying to outdo each other and cement themselves as the best–not just in the present-day, but in the grand scheme of things.

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There isn’t any animosity between the two pairs of greats. Kendrick and Drake have collaborated in the past. James and Curry clearly have a mutual admiration for each other. But the similarities between both high-profile competitions for the top spot are fun to look at.

Kendrick and LeBron have improved on what came before them. James is a new Magic Johnson and Cornrow Kenny is a little bit of every West Coast rapper. They’ve taken the bar set years ago and raised it even higher, adding their own flair to the art form. It’s impossible for them to be anything less than great.

While those two are perfecting on what their predecessors built, Drake and Steph are changing the game. They know how to market themselves, creating appealing brands and embedding themselves into popular culture. They calculate every move, thinking ahead of everyone. Whether it’s attacking a hopeless defender or picking apart a foolish rapper, they don’t know how to lose. They’re doing things that no one has seen before.

Now, of course, LeBron has been known to hang out with Drake and Kendrick Lamar was in attendance to watch Curry and the Warriors very recently. But, as mentioned earlier, there’s a mutual respect.

While the gap in the NBA battle is starting to widen in Curry’s favor, the rap one is as tight as ever. And regardless of which side you’re on, just appreciate the greatness we’re witnessing because these guys are competitors that will try to outdo each other.

And we get an awesome product.