After a devastating helicopter killed Kobe Bryant on Jan. 26 alongside 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other passengers, many will remember the NBA legend as an exceptional basketball player and father.
But not many will remember him as a rapper, except for LL Cool J.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, LL Cool J reflected on Bryant’s side-hustle in the rap game in the late ’90s.
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Following the 1996 NBA Draft that kick-started his basketball career, Bryant signed a record deal with Sony in 1999 to get his rap career off the ground.
Some fans might remember the 2000 NBA All-Star Game, when the Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard showed up on the court with Tyra Banks to perform his lead single “K.O.B.E.” from his debut rap album that was never released.
Flip the Page to hear LL Explain:
