Hip-hop mixes quite well with the professional world of basketball. Over the years, a number of NBA stars have struck up friendships with rappers and some have even started their own music careers (Allen Iverson took on the moniker Jewels or Jewelz because he wore a lot of jewelry). In other words, it's safe to assume that the majority of basketball stars in the world are fans of rap - that is, unless you're talking about the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan. According to rapper N.O.R.E., aka Noreaga, the former Chicago Bulls legend and current owner of the Charlotte Hornets declared his hatred of hip-hop at a Def Jam Christmas party, of all places!
According to N.O.R.E,'s story, which was told on the Rap Radar Podcast this week, rappers Redman and Method Man approached "His Airness" at the party, but were brushed off by the NBA legend. Apparently, he was not too happy to be in a room full of rappers (so why did he go to a hip-hop label's party?), so he announced to a group of artists that he was not a fan.
"Jordan is a hater of hip-hop. He only likes Hov [Jay Z]. That's it. That's where it stops. It's Hov and that's it," the War Report rapper told the podcast, according to The Smoking Section. "I seen him shut Redman down at a Def Jam Christmas party. We were all sitting there waiting to speak to Michael Jordan. N****s said, 'Yo, Redman and Method Man is here.' [MJ] said, 'F*ck rap.' I seen the n**** say that. F*ck it, quote me. I believe it was Redman and Method Man, and I'm to the side, so I can directly hear his voice. He was like, 'F*ck rap.' I was like, that shit hurt me, yo. Def Jam Christmas party, Mariah Carey hosting and shit like that. He only spoke to Hov, but he spoke to Hov. That's without a doubt."
You can listen to N.O.R.E.'s story at the 64:45 mark of the podcast right here:
This story has me asking a lot of questions: Why was Michael Jordan at a Def Jam party if he isn't a fan of rap? Yes, Jay Z was there, so maybe he was interested in hanging out with him, but to go into a party full of rappers and say "f*ck rap" is so strange! We understand that Jordan has done some weird stuff in the past (Hitler mustache!), so maybe he kind of gets off on this kind of stuff?
