Even the casual basketball fan knows LeBron James carries considerable influence in NBA circles. But apparently the Cleveland Cavaliers star’s impact extends beyond the hardwood.
Just over a week ago, James sent out a tweet directed at rapper Kendrick Lamar and Anthony Tiffith, the CEO of the Top Dawg Entertainment record label for which Lamar works.
Apparently Tiffith and/or Lamar did talk to James, because on Thursday night, Lamar dropped an eight-track album under the name “untitled unmastered.”
If you’re thinking the timing might just be coincidence, we have some evidence to the contrary. Here’s a post from Tiffith’s Instagram on Thursday night in which he specifically mentions James: (Warning: Video contains some explicit language.)
https://www.instagram.com/p/BChEE_5RZer/
James was asked Friday about any connection between Kendrick’s album drop and his tweet, and while he didn’t directly take credit for it, the 12-time All-Star admitted he and Lamar are good friends.
“Is there any backstory? Um, it’s just family ties,” James said, via ESPN.com. “That’s all. It’s family ties.
“(We’re) really close. Admire each other’s work and each other’s craft. And even with him being all the way on the West Coast and me being here, we share a lot of qualities, being around the same age.”
The 31-year-old James and the 28-year-old Lamar apparently have a close mutual friend in Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul, so it seems the Grammy-winning artist has plenty of connections in the NBA world.
And whether James was the impetus for Kendrick’s release or not, it appears he’s certainly enjoying the rapper’s latest work.
Thumbnail photo via Mark D. Smith/USA TODAY Sports Images
