“If I wasn’t Steph Curry, I’d be Steph Curry, because everyone wanna be Steph Curry.” That gem from Rae Sremmurd’s Slim Jxmmi typifies what we can expect from the duo’s ESPN video shorts about the NBA. The brief trailer shows the two clowning around in the “Sremmurd Mansion’s” backyard, shooting at a poolside court and discussing the NBA. As their “T’d Up” single plays in the background, the pair wax on LeBron James’ Space Jamesque athleticism, wear mock James Harden beards, and admire Russell Westbrook’s dance moves and overall game. The clips are a continuation of their relationship with ESPN, as “T’d Up” was recently used as the theme for last week’s Cavalier-Celtics tilt.
The move is ESPN and the NBA’s latest effort to embrace hip-hop culture. For years, it was painfully obvious to everyone that basketball ran parallel with Black culture, but the biggest basketball league in the world –and its TV partners– seemed averse to acknowledging it. That’s no longer the case, as Sremmurd, who are soon set to release their Sr3mmlife triple album, are ESPN’s latest de facto NBA analysts. Their big prediction? That the Warriors are set to get their third ring this year because the Splash Brothers’ rise parallels with the Sremmurd brothers’ third album. We’ll soon see.
