Michael Jordan once openly showed his disdain for rap music to rappers Method Man and Redman at a Def Jam Christmas Party years ago.
Michael Jordan is an icon to people all over the world and has served as an inspiration to multiple generations of kids. Not only do basketball fans and aspiring players worship him, but MJ has also set a standard of success that makes everyone look at him in awe. When you are around Michael Jordan, no matter who you are, you are around a living legend.
Jordan's exploits on the basketball court made him an icon to a lot of up-and-coming rappers in the '90s. 2 of these rappers were Redman and Method Man, who once wanted to talk to the legend when they saw him at the Def Jam Christmas Party. However, rapper N.O.R.E. revealed to the world that the interaction didn't go well.
"Michael Jordan is a hater of hip-hop. He only likes Hov (Jay-Z), that's it. I have seen him shut Redman down at the Def Jam Christmas party. We were all sitting there ready to speak to Michael Jordan and someone said 'yo, Redman and Method Man are here'. He said, 'f**k rap'. I seen him say that. This isn't fake, I am on the side there. F**k it, quote me. I think it was Redman and Method Man, I was at the side, so I can directly hear his voice. He was like 'f**k rap'. It hurt my heart. At the Def Jam Christmas Party. He only spoke to Hov."
MJ has openly endorsed Jay-Z as one of his favorite rappers but as N.O.R.E. says, the bucks started and ended with MJ's appreciation of Hov. In recent years, MJ has been shown growing closer to Drake, though it could be linked to their partnership through Nike and Jordan Brand.
Michael Jordan's Relationship With Rap
Despite Jordan's apparent aversion to rap, he is constantly name-dropped by artists in new music. Drake recently used MJ's name in a rap song to diss Kanye West, a Chicago-born rapper that has often used the Bulls legend's name in his own songs as well. However, it seems Jordan and Kanye West weren't on good terms due to the battle between Kanye's Yeezy shoes and MJ's Jordans.
What he listens to in terms of music on his own time should be immaterial, but disrespecting Method Man and Redman definitely irked many purists of hip-hop. Outside of that, MJ is still serving as an inspiration to many rappers today, pushing them to create legendary music to emulate the success Jordan had in the world of basketball.
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