Hip Hop fans might remember the period of time in the 90s when rapping and playing basketball went hand in hand. Shaq did it, Allen Iverson did it, and Metta World Peace still does it. One of the most anticipated NBA rappers was Kobe Bryant, given his dominance on the court. What people didn't know about Kobe's foray into rap was that he was actually being trained by Steve Stoute to be an emcee.
Bryant traveled to NJ in 1998 to study the art of rap, and even battled Lyricist Lounge veterans Punchline and Wordsworth. When rapping didn't work out, Kobe even started his own label called "Heads High Entertainment," but he wasn't exactly sure how to do that either. It's quite a long, epic story, and you can read the full version on Grantland's website.
Source: hiphopwired.com
