Larry Bird’s Debut Rap Album Set to Drop June 25th
Larry Bird announced today that his debut rap album, titled “A Bird in Yo’ Hand is Worth a Cap in Yo’ Ass,” will hit stores June 25th. The Boston Celtics legend said his foray into hip hop music is due to his life-long identification with black culture.
“I don’t want a white guy guarding me on the basketball court any more than having a white guy sing to me on my stereo,” said Bird. “I need to have some soul up in my s—t, you feel me?”
Bird admitted to reporters that his controversial statements about race in a televised ESPN interview last week were intended to express his positive feelings about African-Americans in hopes they would welcome his album.
“I knew I had my record coming out so I was like: ‘Yo Larry, show some love to the brothers and sisters so they’ll buy your record,’ said Bird. “That’s why I said what I said. But not only are the best athletes in the world African-Americans, but the best musical artists are, too.”
Bird said he thinks he can be a white anomaly in the rap world just as he was in basketball.
“People say I played ball like a brother,” said Bird. “Now they’ll hear me rap like no other, you now what I’m sayin’? Wait until they hear the tracks I’ve laid down. I make Eminem look like Craig Ehlo.”
The titles of the 12 songs on Bird’s album – including the title single “A Bird in Yo’ Hand is Worth a Cap in Yo’ Ass” – show that both the Hall of Famer’s basketball background and hip hop lifestyle were at work in the studio.
The tracks include:
White Chocolate
Comin’ At Ya from Way Down Town
Beantown Biatches
Release, Rotation, Splizzash
Kevin McHale Yeah
Pass the Chronic (It’s the Offseason)
Lakers Be Fakers
Mo Money, Mo Cheeks
Tippin’ the Forty to the Boston Garden
Indiana Hoes Like to be French Licked
Haven’t Ya Heard? The Greatest Be Larry Bird
“Y’all will see I kept it real from start to finish,” said Bird. “I rap about what I know – basketball, money, hoes, my hometown of French Lick, Indiana. I ain’t frontin’ nowheres.”
The album is being released under the Death Row Records label. Infamous Death Row CEO Suge Knight said Bird’s debut rap effort is among the best he has ever heard. “When Larry contacted me about wanting to do a record I was skeptical,” said Knight. “I thought I’d give him a chance because of how black he was on the court. But then I heard him rhyme and I’ll tell you – that nigga can rap."
Bird’s longtime rival and friend Magic Johnson said he thinks the album will be received well in the black community. “Larry has amazing street cred among black America,” said Johnson. “If you mention his name in the barbershop, people will give him his props. They know Larry can bring it.”
“I just want people to give the album a chance,” said Bird. “I’m a black man trapped in a cracker’s body. This is who I am. This is how I roll. If white people ain’t cool with that, I suggest they be backing on up ‘cause I’m going to keep coming strong in the two-triple-zeros, kid.”