Lonzo Ball is a very good basketball teen who, over the weekend, insisted that nobody listens to Nas anymore, and that real hip-hop is Future and Migos. In the grand tradition of young people saying ignorant shit to provoke old people, it was somewhat notable for provoking annoyed replies from Lil B and Nas’ manager. Today, Ball has joined another grand tradition: basketball players rapping, as he’s released “Melo Ball 1,” his first single. Released under the name ZO, and featuring his friend Kenneth Paige, “Melo Ball 1” is an homage to his family’s Big Baller Brand line of sports apparel, most specifically the MB1 shoe, the signature sneaker of his younger brother LaMelo, who is still in high school. You can listen to it below.
So, how does Lonzo do on the song? Pretty okay, for the most part. His lyrics are more-or-less generic—they’re only about how great the Big Baller Brand empire will be—but he sounds good, rapping with some dexterity, coming off like a less nasal Drake. He might turn out to be an okay musician, for an athlete, assuming he starts rapping about topics other than how you should buy his expensive shoes. Before that, he should play an actual NBA game.
