Boredom is transforming NBA pundits into rappers; Chris Broussard's remix is the hottest

Some of the NBA's most popular commentators are switching to musical expression during lockdown #2020QuarantineBars

I’ve been fascinated by how the shutdown of sports has been a catalyst for musical creativity for national pundits. These men make their living with their dexterous pen games and sharp wit; it’s feasible that they could transition their larger-than-life media personas into facetiously dabbling in the art of rap.

Yahoo Sports senior insider Chris Haynes broke out of the Corona-induced boredom with a fun song entitled “I Got No Games To Cover”. He spit a confident flow over 50 Cent’s “Straight To the Bank” beat, with extra bonus points for his swaggering ad-libs and his punchy hook.

But that boredom fueled crossover seems to have paved the way for others to hop on the mic, for better and for worse.

Bryan Oringher, a former NBA scout who now shares his basketball knowledge via social media, gamely threw himself on the altar of hip hop and sacrificed his dignity with a meandering acapella. Kudos to him for trying, but the mentions under that two minute tour-de-wtf are hilariously brutal, and a reminder of just how vulnerable anyone is who steps up to the stage.

There are few things more despised than a terrible rapper (unless he or she has autotune and some banging 808’s). That disgust is multiplied exponentially when there is no instrumental to distract from shaky vocal delivery and feeble word combinations.

As a music nerd, I’m intrigued by their bravery. It’s not easy sharing art to the world, even if it’s for kicks and giggles…and even more so when you’re already famous in another lane.

So that’s why I took a special interest in the earnest freestyle from Fox Sports analyst Chris Broussard. His acapella bars were well thought out and seemed to come from a place of playful sincerity.

Broussard kinda reminded me of the buzzed uncle at the family reunion who excitedly sets down his glass of Hennessy and ginger ale to shout the punchlines to “Rappers Delight”. He may not nail the timing but his joy is, for lack of a better term, infectious.

In that spirit, I felt it was only right that I used my skills as musician to assist Broussard’s rhymes and create something fun during the era of social distancing. We are united by the bars.

(Video is in the thumbnail link at the top of the page).