Die Hard

I was 9 years old when Steve Young cemented my love for the San Francisco 49ers. I was 11 years old when Busta Rhymes’ ‘Woo-Hah…’ ushered me into the world of rap. Both interests had an enormous impact on how I spent my time throughout my early adulthood. But only one remains strong to this day.

I’m a cardboard cut out of my previous NFL fandom.

I routed my first tour around the 49ers’ schedule. I hadn’t missed a snap in over a decade. My love for the NFL can most likely be traced back to circling helmets in the newspaper with my dad - predicting who would win each game. Yet I could hardly muster much enthusiasm leading up to this season. Maybe it’s all the commercials. And after missing Week 3’s Rams / 49ers game I was sure the NFL no longer had my heart - no matter how much Jeffrey tried to lure me back in.

It’s not all pro sports I’m down on. My allegiance to baseball remains strong. In fact I just won my first fantasy baseball championship! And on October 15th I head out on a 3 week tour of the EU & UK, performing in countries and cities that take sports fandom to the next level. I’m open to the recruitment of soccer supporters for their respective club. Not only do I find less commercials and stoppage in play attractive but I’ve thought a lot about spending extended time in Europe. Any recommendations on which club to root for?

EU | UK tour starts Oct. 15th in Dublin.

Back in Morrisville, PA for the summer I was able to make the best of a quiet environment. I set up my recording equipment in the basement and worked on some rogue beats Logic sent me awhile back. The recordings morphed into a whirlwind EP that blazes through what I’m feeling at this time - personally and politically. It’s been a joy reconnecting with the innocence of my craft.

Logic and I going through beats backstage at The Met in Philly.

I say innocence because sports and music business are one and the same. Yes, a lot of ‘rappers want to be athletes and athletes want to be rappers.’ We share mutual admiration for each other’s craft while also understanding the cruel nature of the business. Big money continues to pour into our fields and have heavy influence on the decision making. So, Bobby (Logic) and I thought it might be fun to share our work in an unconventional manner. These raps will not appear on streaming platforms. In fact, they really aren’t meant to be heard at all. However, through Unreleased.art we will be giving fans the opportunity to hear the raps, see the videos and directly support the artists involved. Here’s a sneak peek at ‘Bobo Came Over’ which is now available via Unreleased.

While my love for Football Sunday begins to wane - my adoration for the craft of rapping has been rediscovered in the very basement it was first cultivated. Rap’s ability to capture raw emotion and be a space for imagination makes it a quality alternative to watching Kyle Shanahan call plays. And sports’ unique ability to bring us together is not sacrificed — as rap, too, provides the opportunity to connect with people all over the world. Not just on tour but through digital collaboration. In fact, our Discord’s most recent collaborative album is titled ‘Tripping’ and features 25 different artists and producers from multiple countries!

Maybe my travels abroad will re-spark my love for American football — returning happily to holding penalties and sports betting ads. Or maybe not. Maybe the importance of sports in our lives naturally loses priority as we grow older. So for now, one fandom grows deeper while the other dies hard.

<3

apr