With hip-hop's influence in sports continuing to grow each year, I decided to sit down with one of rap's preeminent groups to examine the relationship between the two.
The trio of Big Pooh, 9th Wonder, and Phonte met while students at North Carolina Central University and fused to create one of hip-hop's most original and thought-provoking acts in Little Brother. Their first LP, The Listening, was hailed as a classic in the "underground" hip-hop world and moved 35,000+ units, pretty damn good without the backing of a major label.
Last year, they released their highly anticipated follow-up, The Minstrel Show, on Atlantic Records, which was one of the most critically acclaimed hip-hop albums of 2005. We were able to sit down with the members of LB, and found out they have a love for sports as much as they do for music.
What's the meaning behind the name Little Brother?
Big Pooh: The name Little Brother, it's just paying homage to all the groups that we grew up listening to. EPMD, A Tribe Called Quest, Geto Boys, NWA, all those groups that made the dope albums we grew up with. The name is just a way to pay homage to them, saying we're their little brothers following in their footsteps and making dope records.
What records influenced you the most growing up?
Big Pooh: Man, as far as influenced me towards wanting to rhyme? Probably Nas' Illmatic and a lot of EPMD.
9th Wonder: EPMD, and The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.
What were some of your favorite pieces of literature?
9th Wonder: I'm a children's book type of dude, so I like Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein. Keep it connected to childhood.
Phonte: American Tabloid by James Elroy, also Animal Farm by George Orwell.
Can you talk about the frustration with BET and other outlets playing mostly only certain kinds of rap videos? (Note: BET decided not to air Little Brother's first video for "Lovin' It" because it was "too intelligent.")
Big Pooh: S**t, I get frustrated they ain't playing my video! I mean it's frustrating, but it's part of the game, ain't nothing we can do about it really. Once you realize the music business has got a lot of politics to it, the faster you realize that, the easier it will be for you to move on from that situation instead of dwelling on it, because when you end up dwelling on it, it stops you from doin' other s**t.
When Jay-Z said, "all blacks got is sports and entertainment," do you think that statement holds true?
Big Pooh: I mean it's not all we got...
9th Wonder: It's the easiest way out, though.
Big Pooh: It is the easiest way out. When people be like, "I gotta get out of my bad situation," whether they in the hood, living in poverty, or whatever, they think of one or two things, either music or playing ball. That's not the only way out, but that's the first thing people think about.
What advice would you give to kids then? Would you pass on words of encouragement or maybe try to open their eyes that there's other options out there, as well?
Big Pooh: I'd do both, the one thing you gotta let 'em know, if you don't genuinely love something whether that's playing sports or doing music, you shouldn't get involved in either one of them. Cause the times like with BET not playing our video for instance, because I genuinely love the music, even though it frustrates me, I won't let it stop me. If you ain't got no love for it, something like that could end up stopping you and then you gotta go reroute your whole plan of focus. I tell them if you genuinely love it, then go for it, but if you don't genuinely love it, there's other options available for you. You could be a lawyer, you could be a doctor, a pharmaceutical technician, you can be a whole lot of other things, it ain't just sports and music.
Why do you think there is such a close relationship between rappers wanting to be athletes and athletes infatuation with trying to be rappers, as well?
9th Wonder: I think they understand the drive of each and now just the fact that hip-hop and rap has merged so much ... it used to be back in the '80s where if a player had to sit out on the sideline, you had to wear a suit, but now a player who sits out, he's got the chain, he's got the fitted on.
Phonte: They look like rappers.
Your thoughts on kids getting drafted out of high school?
9th Wonder: My whole thing about kids coming out of high school, I still lean over to the side of, if you can send a kid overseas to get shot up for his country, they shouldn't try to deny that man to make millions of dollars if he has his chance. He's ready to die for his country, but he's not ready to dribble a basketball up and down a court because he makes millions of dollars? I don't agree with that, ready or not ready.
Who are some of your favorite teams?
9th Wonder: The mighty Chicago Bulls.
Big Pooh: Bulls, Redskins, Orioles.
Could you describe the sports scene in North Carolina?
Big Pooh: That's crazy.
9th Wonder: Oh, there's nothing like it, I mean Duke and Carolina are nine miles apart. Other than Michigan/Ohio State, Boston Red Sox and New York, Duke and Carolina is probably one of the biggest rivalries in sports, period.
Who's side do you take?
9th Wonder: Duke!
I'm going to name some athletes and you say what you think about them or what they mean to you:
Tiger Woods
9th Wonder: I think he loses on purpose sometimes.
LeBron James
Big Pooh: He could be the greatest ... once he finds a consistent jump shot.
Allen Iverson
9th Wonder: I am so amazed that he's so small and can do so much.
Big Pooh: One of the toughest guys to ever play the game of basketball.
9th Wonder: He's got the biggest heart in the game of basketball...
Big Pooh: Besides Kevin Garnett.
Ron Artest
Big Pooh: Wild man, he's very talented, but he's wild as hell.
Phonte: Stop rappin'! (laughter)
9th Wonder: (joking) Get your priorities in order, play ball!
Big Pooh: (laughing) But you can't deny his basketball prowess.
Arthur Ashe
9th Wonder: A pioneer man, really paved the way for others. I think him playing tennis and breaking barriers in tennis allows us to sit up here in some way shape or form.
Jackie Robinson
Big Pooh: He's a pioneer, as well. He went through a lot to play the game of baseball, a whole lot of bulls**t just to play ball.
You saw last year how teams like Saints and Hornets rallied the city of New Orleans. Why is it that things like sports and rap inspire people in times of need?
Phonte: People like stories, they like stories of success, they like to see people overcome adversity and move on to higher heights.
Big Pooh: And it's a distraction from what's actually going on in their life at the time, it takes them to another place. Like watching a football game it takes you away for that 2-3 hours that the game is on, so you can actually enjoy life for that 2-3 hours and that's why people take to it, especially sports.
What are some of your favorite sports moments?
Phonte: I'm not a big sports dude, but Michael Jordan hitting the winning jump shot against Utah.
Big Pooh: Giving Byron Russell the good push (laughter).
Phonte: That's a storybook ending man to a career. You can't recreate that s**t!
Big Pooh: For me, it was probably Doug Williams. When Doug Williams put up 42 on the Denver Broncos in the 1987 Super Bowl.
9th Wonder: When Mike hit 69 on Craig Ehlo.
Big Pooh: What about when he hit 55 on Starks?
9th Wonder: Yeah, I take that back, when the Bulls came back and he dropped 55 on Starks.
Phonte: What about when Pete Chilcutt came up in that m*ther f**ker?
(laughter) ... What about Alaa Abdelnaby? (laughter) ... Y'all got your heroes, I got my heroes. I vote for the underdog!
With football season approaching, who are some of the players you like to watch?
9th Wonder: [Mike] Vick, man!
Big Pooh: I like Vick, I like watching Terrell Owens cause I know he's gonna give me a show every time he step on the field and when he comes off.
Phonte (to 9th Wonder): Does your boy still play fullback?
9th Wonder: Mike Alstott?
Phonte: Yeah! I have a soft spot for fullbacks and Alstott was pretty too (laughter). I'll f**k with Alstott.
One of the big issues over the past few years is there has been seemingly no black coaches at major Division I schools. Do you think there is another reason behind that or it is their credentials just aren't good enough?
Big Pooh: Man, coaching is like a fraternity. They'll recycle a bad white coach before they hire a new black coach. That's like Ty Willingham graduating all his players, he had that one bad season and 'cause Notre Dame has those tough recruiting requirements, they let my man go. He actually had a winning season, but they fired him. If that didn't show you how tight the fraternity is ... that should've showed you out of anything.
9th Wonder: You gotta look at it, man, all these schools, these division I-A schools were founded in the 1800s. That's a long line of money and tradition you're dealing with. And to end up to put in the hands of somebody black or any other minority other than white, you know the people controlling that old money ain't with that.
If you were able to change one thing in the sporting culture in America, what would it be?
9th Wonder: Let college people get paid, man, let them get their money.
Big Pooh: Colleges make millions and millions and millions of dollars and a n**ga can't get a dollar? The college athlete's out there makin' the money, they the reason why money is bein' made...
9th Wonder: And he'll get in trouble if the coach buys him a burger.
Big Pooh: That s**t is ridiculous man, they need to get something.
Leave a Comment