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Serge Ibaka makes history on Spotify with song 'Champion' as it amasses most streams among active NBA players

David Suggs

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Serge Ibaka makes history on Spotify with song 'Champion' as it amasses most streams among active NBA players image

If there's one thing Serge Ibaka has proven over the course of his NBA career, it's that he can do pretty much anything.

He hits 3s. He defends. He struts catwalks in the finest silks around. He throws down in the kitchen. And he makes music, too.

Ibaka released his debut album, "ART," last week. And like many of the things Ibaka has done since entering the league, his foray into music is proving quite successful.

Ibaka's tape is spotlighted by its main single, "Champion," which features vocals from French rapper Ninho. The song was released in February 2021 but has seen a bump on streaming platforms since Ibaka's project dropped.

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Well, more than a bump. In fact, "Champion" has been streamed over 35 million times on Spotify since its release. That's more than any other active NBA player, surpassing Damian Lillard.

"Champion" is a love letter to the African diaspora. Accompanied by a music video shot in Ibaka's native country of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ninho and Ibaka show love for their African roots.

Here are a few of the song's lyrics (as well as their English translation):

À l'ombre des lumières et du show business, j'ai fait que d'prier dans l'noir
Vivre et mourir comme un champion, les autres n'y croyaient même pas
Serge Ibaka aka Mafuzzy man, 100 pour cent pure from the Mother Land
Comme un aigle, j'ai volé au dessus des nuages pour nourrir la familia
 

In the shadow of lights and show business, I did that to pray in the dark
To live and die like a champion, others did not even believe in it
Serge Ibaka aka Mafuzzy man, pure for the Mother Land
Like an eagle, I flew above the clouds to feed the famiglia

Those are some serious bars.

Ibaka doesn't provide too many lyrics on the track, save for a couple ad-libs here and there. However, Ninho's lyricism shines through on the track, helping it receive platinum certification.

Here are a few other active players who have ventured into the music game in recent years. Perhaps with a little good fortune, they can get the sort of love on streaming platforms that Ibaka has.

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Who are the NBA's best musicians?

Here are five other active NBA players who have found success in the recording studio:

Damian Lillard

Dame Time doesn't just refer to the end of games. The Blazers star has carved out a decent little lane for himself as a rapper, accumulating tens of millions of streams on Spotify while also featuring on NBA 2K soundtracks in the past. Lillard's most popular song? "Money Ball," the lead track on Dame's third album, "Big D.O.L.L.A."

Lonzo Ball

Zo has put together a solid career as one of the best perimeter defenders in basketball. He also has bars and a penchant for flowing over dreary beats. He dropped an EP, "Coming Out Strong," while he was out with a meniscus injury, and he reeled in nearly 10 million streams with "Zo2," released back in 2017.

Marvin Bagley

Bagley has found a home in Detroit as a crucial part of the Pistons' young core alongside Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart. And as Bagley's basketball career has flourished, so, too, has his rapping.

Bagley is widely considered one of the league's best rappers. Performing under the MB3FIVE moniker, he has racked up a steady number of streams since entering the league in 2018. Bagley hasn't officially dropped any music since 2021, but he did release a song on Soundcloud last month.

Victor Oladipo

Unlike the other names on this list, Vic has a preference for the softer side. He famously crooned at the Slam Dunk Contest in 2018. And despite having some injury difficulties on the court the past few years, Oladipo has fared decently in the music world. He secured features from 2 Chainz, PnB Rock and Eric Bellinger, among others, in the process solidifying his status as the NBA's most valuable bluesman.

Lou Williams

Lou Will was famously immortalized in Drake's "6 Man" back in 2016. But Williams has also released music of his own over the years, including "Big Tuh" last year and "24 (Kobe Tribute)" in 2020. "Big Tuh" has been streamed more than 1 million times across different platforms and features verses from legendary Southern rappers 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne.

Talk about a co-sign.

David Suggs

David Suggs Photo

David Suggs is a content producer at The Sporting News. A long-suffering Everton, Wizards and Commanders fan, he has learned to get used to losing over the years. In his free time, he enjoys skateboarding (poorly), listening to the likes of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and D’Angelo, and penning short journal entries.