Do you love music? Do you love sports? If you answered yes to both, then listen up! The world of athlete-musicians is burgeoning with talent ready for your ears. From basketball players to baseball outfielders, there is something for everyone.
Whether they were born with an immense amount of natural talent or worked hard to hone their skills over the years, these stars have managed to maintain a successful career in both sports and music while.
Shaquille O’Neal
Shaquille O’Neal, also known as Shaq, is one of the most famous athlete-musicians out there today. Apart from his achievements on the basketball court, Shaq has also made headlines in Sports betting circles. He played professional basketball for most of his life, starting with the Orlando Magic in 1992. He led the LA Lakers to three championships in 2000 and 2001 and retired from the NBA in 2011 after playing for six teams throughout his career.
Besides being an iconic player on the court, Shaq is an accomplished hip-hop artist with five albums to his name. His platinum debut album “Shaq Diesel” was released in 1993, and featured multiple popular singles like “What’s Up Doc? (Can We Rock)” featuring Fu-Schnickens and “I Know I Got Skillz” featuring Def Jef. In 1993 Shaq won Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist at the American Music Awards and went on to record several more albums, including a compilation album in 2006 titled “The Best of Shaquille O’Neal”.
In addition to his hip-hop albums, Shaq has been active as a music producer since 2000. As a record executive, he founded TWIsM (The Movement) label and TWIsM Productions. He also created a business through which musicians can compose their own music using digital technology via cloud production services provided by a company owned by him – Blue TunesTV. In 2014, he launched CRUNK Energy Drink with Boo Koo Energy Inc., served as brand ambassador for Discover Card’s Cashback Bonus Program, and endorsed products such as MVPuppets (coca-cola), Zocdoc, and Gold Bond Powder.
Shaq’s influence on sports entertainment combined with his talent makes him one of the most influential athlete-musicians out there today – definitely make sure you add him to your must-know list!
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant is a former professional basketball player who has become a popular athlete-musician. He retired from the NBA in 2016 and since then has been focusing on his music career.
In 2018, he released an album titled “KOBE The Album”, which features a selection of hip-hop, EDM, and indie rock songs. He is also an artist in residence at Harvard Business School, where he visits to engage with students and faculty and share his passion for art and creativity.
In addition to music, Kobe has used his platform to voice his support for various social justice issues such as gun reform and immigration rights. He is also a member of the Professional Athletes Action Network (PAAN), which mobilizes athletes to take action on important social issues that affect their communities.
Kobe’s music has earned him awards including Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 2020 Grammy Awards for the song “Lift Me Up.” He is also credited with writing several compelling songs that tackle topical issues such as inequality and gun violence in America. Kobe’s influence continues to be felt today both within the sports world and beyond.
Serena Williams
Serena Williams is a professional tennis player who is widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time. On top of her incredible achievements in tennis, Serena has also found success in music. In 2010, she collaborated with hip-hop artist Common on the single “Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves.” She was featured on Chris Brown’s song “Wimbledon” in 2011 and has written and sung four singles for her own album, which is scheduled for release later this year.
In addition to being a successful musician, Serena also released her autobiography “On The Line” in 2019 and launched her clothing brand ‘Serena’. Her philanthropic work includes partnering with UNICEF as part of the Global Goals campaign and raising funds for Breast Cancer Awareness Month with the Red Cross.
With all these accomplishments under her belt, there is no doubt that Serena Williams is an athlete-musician worth knowing more about.
Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow is an American professional baseball player for the New York Mets and a former footballer for teams such as the Denver Broncos and New York Jets. He is also a musician, having released two albums – Shaken: Discovering Your True Identity in the Midst of Life’s Storms in 2015 and You Have Come to Save Me in 2020 – and has been praised by several sources including PopMatters, Nashville Scene, Vents Magazine, and The Tennessean. Moreover, he has appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, America’s Got Talent: The Champions Edition, CMT Music Awards, Fox & Friends, and numerous other programs.
Tebow has received recognition for his musical endeavors with his song “Shaken” being awarded ‘Innovation Song of the Year’ at the 2019 Soul Train Awards. His soulful vocals have played an instrumental role in leading fans to praise him on social media outlets such as Twitter while being covered under publications such as Rolling Stone Magazine. His songs have gone publically mainstream due to his popular athlete-musician status resulting in collaboration efforts from artists including Brett Young during a virtual performance at ACM Honors in 2020.
Tebow is an iconic sports figure using athletics to further spread his passion for music making him one of the most compelling figures due to both athletic and musical successes in recent years.
Conclusion
We hope this list has given you an insight into the shared worlds of sports and music on offer around the world. From rap to rock, jazz to pop – there is a powerhouse of skill (both athletic and musical) from these incredible athletes-musicians that are well worth exploring.
The crossover between sports and music has become increasingly popular in recent years, and it’s likely that there will be a lot more musicians coming out of the athletic world in due course. Until then, though, check out some of these incredibly talented entertainers for an exciting taste of modern sports-music fusion.