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How Lil Wayne Became The Kobe Bryant of Rap

Carl Lamarre dissects the journeys of Lil Wayne and Kobe Bryant for his column Mic Drops and Elbow Drops

Bryant, who was a heralded high school phenom at Lower Merion in Philadelphia, was relegated to the bench his rookie season, backing up Eddie Jones. Juvie enjoyed a fruitful run in the late ’90s, courtesy of his RIAA-certified 4x platinum album 400 Degreez, and the success of “Ha” and “Back That Thang Up.” Like Bryant, who played alongside three all-star caliber talents in Jones, Nick Van Exel and Shaquille O’Neal, Wayne bided his time behind rap vets. From Bryant’s nine-game streak of 40 points in February 2003 to his sacred 81-point game in January 2006, to even his seven-game winners in the 09-10 season, he was considered the gold standard of the NBA’s first decade of the 21st century, while Wayne’s Carter series and fiery mixtape run with Da Drought and Dedication simultaneously had him in the Best Rapper Alive category.

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