If you've watched NBA basketball this season, you've probably seen the popular ads. Lakers G, Kobe Bryant standing in front of a wide array of celebrities playing the role of teacher/motivator. The commercials are actually funny and a great way to promote Bryant's newest signature sneaker. Amongst the crowd of assorted stars sits Kanye West. An interesting mixture of musician and athlete; these two entertainers have more in common than many realize.
Each ad in the series features the phrase "Attack fast, attack strong", although Kobe forgot the most important part of his own system: "attack and hope for some luck". By all accounts, Kobe is an all-time talent. The second best shooting guard ever, and arguably the best Laker depending on how you feel about Magic and Kareem. Even with all of his skill and longevity, he was blessed with an opportunity that many stars don't get. From the time he was drafted, his team has never been far from contention. He has played a big part in that, although we can't forget the shrewd moves of the Lakers front office and the misfortune of their opponents.
The Sacramento Kings never fully recovered from the referee scandal of 2002, when it is rumored that referees helped ensure a seventh game where LA overcame a 3-2 Western Conference Finals (WCF) deficit. Portland suffered a similar fate in the 2000 WCF blowing a 15 point lead to the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers.
When times did get tough in LA, Pau Gasol seemingly fell in their lap in 2008, and they proceeded to participate in the next three NBA Finals. The underdog Houston Rockets seemed to have their number in the 2009 playoffs, although Yao Ming went down and the Lakers escaped in 7 games. The Orlando Magic seemed primed to compete for that 2009 title, but head coach Stan Van Gundy decided to shift his starting lineup in the last round losing in 5 games.
In 2010, the Lakers trailed 3-2 when Celtics C Kendrick Perkins blew out his knee. The Lakers won game 7 in dramatic fashion, despite Kobe shooting 6-24 and clearly being outplayed by Pau Gasol all series. Bryant took his second straight Finals MVP and his place among the greats with 5 NBA championships.
One could make the case that Kanye had a similar ascent to the top of his industry. He eased his way into the game with the established star, Jay-Z (Kobe had Shaq). Both also experienced a great deal of early success with Kobe earning his first title in his fourth season, and Kanye getting a Grammy for 3 of his first 4 albums.
But much like Kobe, we need to consider the circumstances under which he achieved such accolades. The mid 2000's was an era where commercial Rap had fully lived up to it's name: commercial. It was becoming increasingly difficult to find solid emcees on the airwaves at all. Nas addressed it when he released "Hip Hop is Dead". When Kanye's debut album, "College Dropout" did release in 2004, it was conveniently after Jay-Z had retired, Eminem cooled down, and OutKast went on an extended break. So who was his competition at that stage? Nobody. Amongst commercial Rap artists, he was one of about two (Jadakiss) that had any shot at winning anything. In other words, Grammy judges were starving for a Rap act with a humble background to bring good east coast beats and abstract rhymes. Kanye definitely fit the bill.
Now, 'Ye is viewed as the best two-way threat Rap has ever seen. Although, I wonder if his Rap career would be as respected had he come around during the Blackstar days. Or when the Roots and Common were carving their spot as viable Rap alternatives (Soulquarians as they called it).
When we're looking at the history books years from now, Kobe Bryant and Kanye West will be remembered as titans of their respective crafts. As observers, we must not forget the context that such titles were earned in when comparing separate eras. Not to take away from either one, but aside from attacking fast and strong, they attacked when it was most convenient.
When times did get tough in LA, Pau Gasol seemingly fell in their lap in 2008, and they proceeded to participate in the next three NBA Finals. The underdog Houston Rockets seemed to have their number in the 2009 playoffs, although Yao Ming went down and the Lakers escaped in 7 games. The Orlando Magic seemed primed to compete for that 2009 title, but head coach Stan Van Gundy decided to shift his starting lineup in the last round losing in 5 games.
In 2010, the Lakers trailed 3-2 when Celtics C Kendrick Perkins blew out his knee. The Lakers won game 7 in dramatic fashion, despite Kobe shooting 6-24 and clearly being outplayed by Pau Gasol all series. Bryant took his second straight Finals MVP and his place among the greats with 5 NBA championships.
One could make the case that Kanye had a similar ascent to the top of his industry. He eased his way into the game with the established star, Jay-Z (Kobe had Shaq). Both also experienced a great deal of early success with Kobe earning his first title in his fourth season, and Kanye getting a Grammy for 3 of his first 4 albums.
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| The Kobe System worked like a charm. |
Now, 'Ye is viewed as the best two-way threat Rap has ever seen. Although, I wonder if his Rap career would be as respected had he come around during the Blackstar days. Or when the Roots and Common were carving their spot as viable Rap alternatives (Soulquarians as they called it).
When we're looking at the history books years from now, Kobe Bryant and Kanye West will be remembered as titans of their respective crafts. As observers, we must not forget the context that such titles were earned in when comparing separate eras. Not to take away from either one, but aside from attacking fast and strong, they attacked when it was most convenient.
