Last year at Media Day several players implied that they get the opportunity to select the music that played after they scored. Depending on how true this is, it remains my least favorite thing about Austin Rivers that one of his choices last season was Austin Powers saying “yeah baby”. More than the turnovers and the lack of a decent free throw percentage, it was Austin’s choice for a sound clip from a movie so faded, every copy in existence has slowly morphed into dust, that has kept him out of my Myspace Top 8.
Maybe players shouldn’t be trusted with something as vital to the live basketball experience as the Hype Tracks. Maybe your trusty columnist who obsesses over minute details should take more responsibility. You’re right, maybe said columnist should enlist the help of New Orleans Pelicans fan and Creative Director of hip-hop culture blog The Smoking Section, David Dennis, Jr. for this column. Dennis thinks these should be called Theme Songs. With our powers combined we give you Hype Themes – the song that plays after each player scores a bucket. Bonus: each artist is local. Big thanks to Dennis for contributing heavily to this column. Follow him on Twitter here.
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Anthony Morrow Song: Get It Ready, Ready by DJ Jubilee (start at :43 mark)
Anthony Morrow has been an absolute burst of energy for the Pelicans this offseason. He’s got the fire and intensity of one of the bounce anthems the city is known for. In the call-and-response track DJ Jubilee yells out directions for the crowd to follow. In many ways, that’s how Morrow is as he can help dictate the pace with his ability to spread the floor. He’s got a little edge, too, so he’s more than happy to “talk that stuff and roll with it.”
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Tyreke Evans Song: Y’all Get Back Now by Big Freedia (start at :24 mark)
Tyreke has been known to have his defender back pedaling. With the ball in his hands in a one-on-one situation he’s one of the most explosive and exciting players in the Western Conference. Big Freedia’s “Y’all Get Back Now” is a message to Tyreke’s defenders – if they get too close, they may end up on their back. Evans exploded onto the league his rookie season (Rookie of the Year) just like Freedia (Best of the Beat’s Best Emerging Artist). Big Freedia’s star continues to rise in her new position as Queen of New Orleans Bounce. Let’s hope Tyreke’s does the same in his new position as 6th man in New Orleans.
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Eric Gordon
Song: Still Fly by The Big Tymers (start at 2:34 mark)
The Big Tymers helped usher in rap’s “bling era” of flashy jewelry and platinum teeth. They also flipped the script with “Still Fly,” a song about how they want to maintain their flash but don’t really have any money to support their habits. “Ain’t got no job, but I stay flyyyyy…got everything in my momma naaaame.” And that’s really the Eric Gordon story. He’s all swag, stats and boosted up talk from experts but when it’s time to show and prove he’s come up short. It’s put up or shut up for Gordon to determine if he’s really fly enough to be the franchise guard or if he’s just a quarter tank of gas in his new E Class.
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Jrue Holiday Song: Holiday by Madonna
Just kidding.
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Jrue Holiday Song: Set if Off by Juvenile (start at :57 mark)
A starting point guard should be capable of creating his own shot if necessary, but most important he needs to set the offense in motion. With all the weapons at his disposal, Jrue should be stoked to be given the opportunity to Set the offense Off every time he brings the ball up. And just like Juvenile was able to take over a track featuring multiple rappers (75% of rap songs that came out of New Orleans in the 90’s), Jrue(venile) will be given the chance to take over the game at certain points. Set if Off is one of Juvenile’s best songs (his own words) and Juvenile is one of the best rappers in the Big Easy. If Holiday can come close to being the basketball version of Juvenile, the Pelicans will succeed.
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Ryan Anderson Song: Danger by Mystikal (start at :11 mark)
Mystikal is renowned for one of the most unorthodox rap deliveries of all time. His voice is gravelly. His lyrics sometimes don’t make sense and his bars can be grating. But somehow, it works.By the same token, Ryan Anderson shouldn’t be an effective basketball player. He’s a near-seven-foot power forward with a three-point form that doesn’t look like it should ever deliver points. But give Ryan Anderson any amount of space and he’s definitely “Danger.” If Anthony Davis is as dominant in the post as he’s been look in the preseason, there might not be a more dangerous threat on offense than a wide open Ryan Anderson dagger from the arc.
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Anthony Davis
Song: The Block is Hot by Lil Wayne (start at 1:13 mark)
The obvious connection here is the “Block” and yeah, this is a great pick for any time a block is recorded. As far as our team MVP, there are so many great songs to endow him with because AD is going to be great at so many things. You wanna highlight his leadership? His offensive game? Defense? Put back dunks? Take your pick.
Lil Wayne may be a stretch for a local rapper at this point given his likelihood of putting on the jersey of whoever is most popular at the time. But his loyalty to the N.O. appears to still be there and he’s without question the most successful rapper from New Orleans. Here’s to Anthony Davis being the most successful basketball player to ever put on a New Orleans jersey.
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Jason Smith
Song: Bout It, Bout It by TRU Feat. Mia X (start at :23 mark)
Jason Smith is the definition of “bout it, bout it.” When healthy, he’s a reliable utility guy who can grab rebounds, nail some put-backs, get a key block or set a screen. Before the bling took over NOLA, Master P and his No Limit Records dominated the city with gritty, street bars about the worst corners of the Big Easy. They were blue collar raps and true to the town. That’s Jason Smith. You won’t see him with a sweet reverse pivot in the post (though his post-up game gets better every year), but you will see him do every single thing his coach and teammates ask for. Now if we can only get him to ride to the court in a gold tank…
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Trew 2 the Game is a weekly column and podcast featuring local comedian Chris Trew. Listen to his podcast here, watch him perform comedy in New Orleans and follow him on Twitter. Follow David Dennis Jr. from The Smoking Section here.
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