How and What Was Michael Jordan?s Effect on Hip Hop?

For as long as basketball and hip-hop have existed, they have remained a meeting point of street cultures. The broader music genre made NBA culture into a package of style, charisma, and character. Similarly, the growth of basketball and its stars into mainstream culture transformed hip-hop. Stalwarts in both spheres drew vibes from each other. It was when Michael Jordan stepped onto the court that hip-hop emcees had found a walking inspiration to drive the phenomenon for generations.

Hip-hop’s love for Jordan is unrequited. But even that adds a rebellious element to the Black Cat’s?impact on a culture that goes beyond music.

Michael Jordan, the original hip-hop influencer

Remember when Jay-Z said, “I stay sportin’ played Jordans before Jordan.” That was in 1999. Michael Jordan had come out of retirement and won a second three-peat by then. Even if Mr. Carter claimed so, Michael Jordan was being unapologetically Michael Jordan from the start.

Before the dawn of social media, becoming an influencer had weight. Only the best made that impact. When Michael was a?Chicago Bulls rookie, the NBA was not at par with leagues like the NFL and MLB.

Basketball games didn’t air live and players couldn’t live on NBA incomes alone. The likes of Magic Johnson were pulling basketball out of oblivion. It was complemented by hip-hop artists showcasing basketball themes in music videos and fashion.?Then, MJ became the phenom we remember him as. He made NBA media rights a hot commodity as he was must-watch television. And celebrities were not staying behind on the Michael Jordan hype-train.

Lil Wayne said on an?NBA on TNT?segment of hip-hop and NBA, “There’s only two words for the reason I love basketball – Michael Jordan.” The more you saw MJ play on national television, the more his stardom leeched out to the masses.

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Parallel to his stardom, Michael Jordan references started slipping into rap lyrics. Basketball jerseys, in particular the Bulls No. 23 one, adorned hip-hop artists.?

Allen Iverson, who once slighted Jordan with his signature ankle-breaker, would bring hip-hop culture to the NBA. Shaquille O’Neal would crown himself the original athlete-rapper. But before they could run, Michael Jordan walked and became hip-hop’s greatest muse.?

From Michael Jordan to muse en masse

Hip-hop is not a mere genre of songs. It encompasses street fashion, bling, the high-roller life and its embellishments. While you can’t say it started with?His Airness,?it certainly was mass consumed because of him.?

DJ Jazzy Jeff summarized it on TNT perfectly. “Jordan’s brand and the way he played went with the soundtrack to hip-hop.”?His attitude of taking it, “personally,”?skipping the trash talk to violently dunk on his opponents, the unapologetic winning celebrations – it all screams hip-hop.?

Interestingly, Jordan has maintained an indifferent stance towards the genre. It’s mistaken for hate and he denies that he looks down on rappers. But there’s a lot that the Jumpman doesn’t care for and it just adds to his silent assassin persona.?

As established, that very persona and not just six championship rings makes him a cultural icon. As Nas rapped, “I thought Jordans and a gold chain was living it up.” In 1984, he debuted his Air Jordans and they’re now a near staple on any rapper’s feet as much as what any teen wishes for on their birthday.

The Jumpman logo crops up in the most unusual places, like music videos. Even the gold chains he wore while playing became a statement of their own, the way Wiz Khalifa’s grills do.?

The Air Jordan revolution in Hip-Hop

When Quavo said, “He changed the game tremendously, especially his shoes,”?it was for good reason. Signing the third pick overall of the 1984 draft is what catapulted Nike to the premium leader in global athletics. Nike commercials starring Jordan alone could feel like a rap music video.

A reflection of that Air Jordan effect was dramatized in the Ben Affleck-directed critically-acclaimed movie, Air. MJ himself had creative input in this biopic. It was the Air Jordans and not the Jumpman that was the main character. Only athletes wore sneakers. But everyone wanted to wear Air Jordans.

Over time, the signature shoes would symbolize a level of success while remaining grounded in the streets. Like when Will Smith wore Air Jordans on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Look no further than Rick Ross who encapsulated what Air Jordans represent in the line, “Grinding in my Jordans kick ’em off they might be hot.”

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Gucci Mane capitalized on the Jordan-Pippen fallout after 2020’s?The Last Dance?in his track, “Where They Go” by declaring, “Chiraq, I’m Jordan, so I wonder who Pippen?”

That just proves, long after leaving the NBA, Michael Jordan’s influence on culture as a whole remains timeless.