Basketball
Lil Bow Wow & Jermaine Dupri & Fabolous And Fundisha Lyrics
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They're playing basketball
We love that basketball
Yeah, now basketball is my favorite sport
I love the way they dribble up and down the court
I keep it so fresh on the microphone
I like no interruption when the game is on
My favorite play is the alley-oop
I like the pick-and-roll
I like the give-and-go
In this basketball, Bow Wow, let's go
[Chorus]
I got the rock in my hands
ain't no telling what I'm gonna do with it
When I come position I'ma act a fool with it
I might cross you up fake one way
Turn around and hit you with you with the MJ fadeaway
I'm throwing dime passes like J. Kidd
Taking cats to the rack
And I'm dunking on them like T. Mac
When I'm in the paint I play with that Alonzo style
I'm like Darius cause I can shoot two miles
Don't too many players get offers like me
Back and forth, I'll likely
Shake the checks off your Nikes
They almost had me in a suit at the draft
And it look like a free throw when I be shooting from half
The first step like Iverson - blow past you
Usually nothing but net, but I can go blast too
When I'm in the paint the defense so shook
They don't know if I'ma put up a slow hook, or dish off a no-look
See my game consist of a whole lotta
Moves you would think I learned from the Harlem Globetrotters
J.D. gon lead us to a ring
Fab and Bow Wow the only players that make cheerleaders want to sing
[Chorus]
Now tell me were you in the joint
The night MJ scored 63 points
When the Lakers won titles back to back
didn't give nobody, no kind of slack
When Vince Carter gave and stuck his arm in the rim
Everybody went crazy in the whole damn gym
Dikembe Mutombo standing tall
Playing D with desire, it's basketball
[Chorus]
The song "Basketball" by Lil Bow Wow featuring Jermaine Dupri, Fabolous, and Fundisha is an ode to the sport of basketball. The chorus repeats the line "They're playing basketball, we love that basketball" four times, setting the tone for the rest of the song. The first verse is performed by Lil Bow Wow, who describes how he loves watching basketball, especially the way the players dribble up and down the court. He also likes to listen to the game uninterrupted, and his favorite play is the alley-oop. He then invites his friend Bow Wow to join him in playing basketball. The chorus repeats again.
The second verse is performed by Jermaine Dupri, and he raps about his own basketball skills. He likes to act a fool with the ball, cross up his opponents, and throw dime passes like Jason Kidd. He also likes to dunk on his opponents and play with an "Alonzo style." He boasts about getting offers from teams and being able to blow by defenders like Iverson. Fabolous joins in next and continues the theme, talking about playing basketball and making cheerleaders want to sing.
Overall, the song celebrates the excitement and thrill of basketball, with each rapper describing their love for the sport and showcasing their own basketball skills.
Line by Line Meaning
They're playing basketball
A declaration that basketball is currently being played
We love that basketball
An expression of love for the game of basketball
Yeah, now basketball is my favorite sport
An affirmation that basketball is the artist's favorite sport
I love the way they dribble up and down the court
An appreciation for the skillful ball-handling of basketball players as they move up and down the court
I keep it so fresh on the microphone
A declaration that the artist is always fresh and innovative on the mic
I like no interruption when the game is on
A preference for uninterrupted enjoyment of basketball games
I like slam dunk, to take me to the hoop
A preference for the spectacular slam dunk move in basketball
My favorite play is the alley-oop
An appreciation for the exciting alley-oop play in basketball
I like the pick-and-roll
An appreciation for the pick-and-roll play in basketball
I like the give-and-go
An appreciation for the give-and-go play in basketball
In this basketball, Bow Wow, let's go
A call-to-action to Bow Wow to play basketball
I got the rock in my hands
A declaration of ball possession
ain't no telling what I'm gonna do with it
An expression of unpredictability in ball handling
When I come position I'ma act a fool with it
A declaration to play recklessly once ball possession is established
I might cross you up fake one way
A description of a possible dribbling move to deceive an opponent
Turn around and hit you with you with the MJ fadeaway
A description of a possible jump shot move similar to Michael Jordan's fadeaway jump shot
I'm throwing dime passes like J. Kidd
A declaration of skill in making accurate passes similar to Jason Kidd
Taking cats to the rack
An expression of the artist's ability to drive to the basket
And I'm dunking on them like T. Mac
A description of the artist's ability to dunk with the style of Tracy McGrady
When I'm in the paint I play with that Alonzo style
A description of the artist's style of play similar to Alonzo Mourning who primarily played close to the basket
I'm like Darius cause I can shoot two miles
A comparison to Darius Miles who was known for his ability to shoot from long range
Don't too many players get offers like me
An assertion of uniqueness and attractiveness as a basketball player
Back and forth, I'll likely
An expression of the artist's agility and ability to move quickly
Shake the checks off your Nikes
An expression of the artist's quick and agile movements that can cause opponents' shoes to shake
They almost had me in a suit at the draft
A reference to the NBA draft where the artist was almost drafted
And it look like a free throw when I be shooting from half
A description of the artist's ability to shoot from a great distance similar to the ease of making a free throw
The first step like Iverson - blow past you
A comparison to Allen Iverson who was known for his quick initial movements to get past opponents
Usually nothing but net, but I can go blast too
An expression of the artist's usually accurate shooting, but also unpredictability in making non-net shots
When I'm in the paint the defense so shook
An assertion of the artist's ability to make defenders miss or hesitate when playing close to the basket
They don't know if I'ma put up a slow hook, or dish off a no-look
An expression of the artist's unpredictability in the type of shot or pass he might make
See my game consist of a whole lotta
An assertion of the variety and depth of the artist's game
Moves you would think I learned from the Harlem Globetrotters
A comparison to the famed Harlem Globetrotters who were known for their skillful and entertaining basketball play
J.D. gon lead us to a ring
A declaration of confidence in Jermaine Dupri's leadership in basketball to win a championship ring
Fab and Bow Wow the only players that make cheerleaders want to sing
A claim that Fabolous and Bow Wow are the only basketball players who can make cheerleaders sing
Now tell me were you in the joint
A call-to-action to inquire if someone was present in a specific venue
The night MJ scored 63 points
A reference to Michael Jordan's record-breaking game where he scored 63 points
When the Lakers won titles back to back
A reference to the Los Angeles Lakers winning consecutive championships
didn't give nobody, no kind of slack
An assertion that the Lakers did not take it easy on opponents during their championship run
When Vince Carter gave and stuck his arm in the rim
A description of Vince Carter's iconic dunk where he put his entire arm inside the rim
Everybody went crazy in the whole damn gym
An expression of how spectators reacted to Vince Carter's dunk
Dikembe Mutombo standing tall
A description of Dikembe Mutombo who was known for his tall height and defensive prowess
Playing D with desire, it's basketball
An assertion that playing defense with passion is a crucial part of basketball
They're playing basketball
A reiteration that basketball is currently being played
We love that basketball
A reiteration of the love for the game of basketball
Lyrics © FANCY FOOTWORK MUSIC
Written by: FULL FORCE, J. BRALOWER, J. MOORE, K. BLOW, R. FORD, W. WARING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@NoahTheAdultGuy2K561
I heard on WQEW 1560 AM in New York City
@user-sn2lc6ne6t
Sports are gun ho! Athletes have shared memories! Does it perhaps build a good character?!
Are they an elite club?
@user-mi6wl9hl3o
This song came out when I was high school last year
@clintonmeyers7267
This song came out in 2002 and the movie came out in July 3, 2002. This came out a year and two months before Michael Jordan's third and final retirement in April 16, 2003. Michael Jordan played for the Washington Wizards at that time.
@noahtabor517
I heard from WHKT 1650 AM in Norfolk
@darnellmason4084
Faboulous verse was the rawest
@jadenmuniz8817
What was changed?
@onlycleanedits4204
In Jermaine Dupri's verse, "Everybody went crazy in the whole d*mn gym" has the word "d*mn" blanked.
@onlycleanedits4204
@@hurricanejeremy9917 This was an in-house edit they did so maybe they just left it alone versus making an awkward cut. I also know they kept “I’ll walk right up to you and put one finger in the air” in Demi Lovato’s “Really Don’t Care” (albeit many years later).