Rap & Hip-Hop music is heavily associated with basketball and American football culture, a connection that drives some players to pursue careers as rappers.

For some, the artistry comes natural. For others, it’s a metaphorical car crash.

Comparing some recent players in a battle between the two, who are the better rappers between NBA and NFL players?

Lonzo Ball – ZO2

“What you rockin’? ZO2s. I’m blowin’ past in ZO2s”.

Lonzo pays homage to his signature shoe, the $495 priced ZO2 which debuted in May 2017.

Unfortunately for Lonzo was right about one thing. His ZO2s really did blow.

He admitted in NBA star Josh Hart’s LightHarted Podcast, “Them ZO2s I was playing in, they was not ready. If you literally have those shoes from those games, they’re exploded”.

Some say he raps better than his free throws, and others think he’s OK. I’ll let you be the judge.

Iman Shumpert aka. Iman – HaNdel Bars

The nine-season NBA veteran is currently a free agent, being released by the Nets in December.

He’s got plenty of time now to perfect his craft and he also is a man of good taste.

“I like where Chicago is going. I like drill music. They really made their own lane and they’re pushing to keep it alive”, Iman said back in 2014.

Fast forward six years and drill music has exploded worldwide. He called it.

Iman puts out a legitimate claim for best rapper-athlete and his videos are memorably creative.

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Antonio Brown aka. AB – Whole Lotta Money

“Whole lotta money, whole lotta money. Gotta whole lotta money”

Antonio Brown is unemployed but somehow he still has a whole lotta money.

After this effort, he’s been absolutely roasted for it.

Repetitive and auto-tuned lyrics over a generic trap beat hasn’t got anyone fired up over this one.

It’s got over 1.8m views on YouTube and a massive 79k down votes. He really needs a job and not as a rapper, because he’s put the NFL to shame on this one.

Damian Lillard aka. DAME DOLLAR – Money Ball

“Boy, I got that water, Bobby Boucher.”

Dame references Bobby Boucher from the film Water Boy who was the team’s water boy and became their star player, drawing parallels with himself.

A lot more thought went into his lyrics than AB’s effort.

Lillard’s teammate C.J. McCollum even features in a cameo appearance at the end of the video.

He is the only player to ever appear in every event at all star weekend in the same weekend and to perform live at the event.

Dame’s got genuine bars.

Le’Veon Bell (Ft. Lil Durk) – G Code

“For real, I want to be number 1, I want to hit the number 1 song, the number 1 billboard, that’s what I want to do,” Bell said as per USA Today.

“I want to eventually get better and get to those music shows, making songs with the great ones and things like that.”

He’s not anywhere near a number 1 hit so far but lucky for Le’Veon, he’s on a $52.5 million contract with the Jets.

He’s on a ‘whole lotta money’ unlike some of us.

Ultimately, Le’Veon and AB comes nowhere near the talent of Iman and Dame’s bars (sorry Lonzo) and so the NBA wins this one over the NFL.