Right here’s one thing that the world didn’t see coming a couple of weeks in the past: LiAngelo Ball is now a major-label rapper. In the event you pay even glancing consideration to the NBA, then you definately already know in regards to the Ball brothers, the three sons of charismatic huckster and Huge Baller Model co-founder Lavar Ball. Lonzo Ball, Lavar’s oldest son, was the second total decide within the 2017 NBA draft. After struggling some dangerous harm luck earlier in his profession, he’s now a productive participant for the Chicago Bulls. LaMelo Ball, Lavar’s youngest, was Rookie Of The 12 months in 2020 and an All-Star a yr later. LiAngelo Ball, the center youngster, was all the time the underachiever, the one who didn’t make the NBA and as an alternative had stings enjoying within the G League, Lithuania, and Mexico. However now, LiAngelo Ball is out right here making hits — or no less than one hit, anyway.
Every week in the past, LiAngelo Ball’s debut single “Tweaker” got here out, premiering on Worldstar. It’s a satisfyingly squelchy throwback banger that evokes Mannie Recent, Boosie Badazz, and the New Orleans rap of the ’00s. The Ball household is from Southern California, however he nailed that regional sound anyway. It’s actually good! Initially, “Tweaker” got here out beneath LiAngelo’s rap identify G3, and it’s now formally credited to the Ball Brothers on streaming companies. (Lonzo Ball is credited as co-writer, although he doesn’t seem on the observe.)
The tune rapidly unfold as an web novelty, after which it broke containment and have become a bona fide zero-irony hit. It at present has almost 8 million YouTube streams, and it’ll in all probability attain the Billboard Sizzling 100 subsequent week. Now Bleacher Report claims that LiAngelo Ball has signed to Def Jam and Common Music Group in a deal price between $8 and $13 million. That’s cool with me. I need extra songs like “Tweaker.”