JACQUES: Early Sunday morning, LA Lakers shooting guard and future NBA Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant
tragically passed away in a helicopter crash along with 8 others including his 13 year
old daughter Gianna
JACQUES: He was 41.
DON: The helicopter they were traveling in crashed outside of Los Angeles.
No word yet on why it crashed but it went down and it caught fire on a hillside in Calabasas,
California.
About 30 miles outside of Los Angeles.
JACQUES: Kobe is survived by his wife Vanessa and his 3 other daughters, Natalia, Bianka
and Capri.
JACQUES: Across the country, mourners came together to honor the legacy of the basketball
player.
JACQUES: Kobe’s achievements on the court include his 5 NBA Championships, his two scoring
titles and his 2008 League MVP.
In retirement, he received an academy award for a documentary and worked closely with
his daughter Gianna and other youth at his Mamba Sports academy.
But he was not without his faults - notably a charge for felony sexual assault in 2003
that was later dismissed and off color remarks about the death of Trayvon Martin that he
later apologized for.
JACQUES: And when it came to hip-hop, Kobe was a king.
JACQUES: Genius took a look at our data to find out how hip-hop has used Bryant in their
lyrics.
JACQUES: One of his earliest namedrops came in 1997 from Tha Alkaholiks during his rookie
season with the LA Lakers.
JACQUES: We also crunched the numbers to find out which artists name dropped the Black Mamba
the most.
At number three with 9 mentions is Lil Wayne.
JACQUES: Weezy was one of Kobe’s biggest fans.
WEEZY - I was standing next to Kobe.
He told me some things.
He’s a real deep dude.
He’s real real serious about what he do.
It’s great to be here.
I couldn’t imagine being nobody else right now.
JACQUES: And the love was mutual.
KOBE: We got that dude coming up right now to the stage.
All my teammates know who I’m talking about that dude.
I want everybody to put their hands together and bring out my man, my main man.
Lil Weezy.
JACQUES: Wayne spoke on what he and Kobe saw in each other, saying quote.
JACQUES: The drive and will and determination.
And through our success, we still maintain that drive and will and determination.
JACQUES: At number two with 14 mentions is Compton rapper, The Game.
JACQUES: The Game, a regular fixture at the Staples Center games, took to Instagram to
write quote.
JACQUES: My heart is with Vanessa, those beautiful baby girls & the immediate family.
Kobe, man...thank you for everything over the years, especially the advice, short talks
with my boys & all that you’ve contributed.
I love you brother, you & GiGi rest well together #MambaMentalityForever
JACQUES: The Game even once claimed that his album “The Documentary” inspired Kobe’s
infamous 2006 81 point game against the Toronto Raptors.
JACQUES: Before Bryant’s final game in 2016, The Game penned an op-ed on Kobe for Billboard,
describing his playing style as quote.
JACQUES: It's sort of like a bowling ball effect.
If you can imagine how you roll it down the lane and it annihilates the pins, it's sort
of the same thing when Kobe is on the basketball court.
Sometimes, it just seems like he doesn't need anyone else.
JACQUES: At number one with 18 mentions is Chicago rapper, Chief Keef.
JACQUES: Keef quoted the aforementioned lyric while reacting to Bryant's death on Instagram.
JACQUES: Kobe was Keef’s favorite player.
JACQUES: It’s not just those rappers - there were hundreds if not thousands of other lyrics
mentioning Kobe.
From Jeezy using Kobe and LeBron James’ numbers as a metaphor for drug prices...
JACQUES: ...to Kanye’s channeling Black Mamba
Kanye: How many records can my records break?
Kobe: More records.
Kanye: But I’m the best..
Kobe: But are you a different animal and the same beast?
Kanye: What the fuck does that mean Kobe Bryant?
Kobe: You’re welcome.
Kanye: What the fuck is he talking about?
JACQUES: Atlanta’s 2Chainz who was visibly moved trying on Kobe’s championship ring.
2 Chainz: This is a dream.
I feel like I’m Kobe forreal now.
JACQUES: But it’s the love that California artists held for Kobe that shines brightest.
From the aforementioned The Game to Snoop Dogg...
SNOOP: What does Kobe Bryant mean to me and how he’s impacted my fandom?
I don’t know how to explain it, I just have to sit your hot ass down and we gon sit and
watch some games together and then after that, make you tell me what you just seen.
JACQUES: To Kendrick Lamar mentioning Bryant’s nickname on Lil Wayne’s 2018 cut “Mona Lisa."
Kendrick: Soon enough he became our identity.
If you weren't born or raised here, never lived here, you’ll probably never understand.
I’m a make sure you do.
JACQUES: It must also be said that Kobe was a rapper himself - see his 2000 Tyra Banks
assisted single, “K.O.B.E”
JACQUES: There are dozens if not thousands of other mentions that we surely missed.
Let us know your favorites in the comments.
JACQUES: I’m Jacques Morel with Genius News, bringing you the meaning and the knowledge
behind the music. Peace!