“I Think of the Father”: Rapper Taboo Only Remembered Kobe Bryant’s Dedication to Family After Tragedy

Kobe Bryant’s legacy far exceeds the four corners of the basketball court. His relentless pursuit of his goals is a mentality that many have embraced in various avenues outside of sports. Although Bryant was a cold-blooded killer on the court, at home he was the father of four beautiful daughters. Black Eyed Peas rapper, Taboo, witnessed Bryant in his element on a personal level. When it comes to Kobe he can no longer think of the basketball player first, instead, Kobe as the father comes to mind.

Taboo made a guest appearance on Byron Scott’s Fast Break Podcast. During his conversation with the Laker great, they discussed the rapper’s relationship with Bryant. Taboo witnessed a side of Bryant that he never knew existed, which changed his perception of him forever. He said,

“I get emotional because I think of the father. The husband and the father before I think about the Black Mamba because I got to know the husband and the father.”

The Grammy Award-winning artist held back his emotions when speaking about Bryant. He had the privilege of personally knowing the five-time NBA champion as a friend. He got to witness the way Bryant interacts with his daughters, which struck a chord with him.

“Kobe was enamored by his girls, his daughters, loved his girls,” Taboo said. “I had never seen such an iconic figure so vulnerable and just not the strong Kobe that I saw on the court.” Although he may have been unaware of it, Kobe inspired Taboo. Once the rapper welcomed his daughter into the world, he strived to be as great of a father as Bryant.

However, Taboo’s relationship with the NBA legend didn’t stem from the two meeting each other. It began through Kobe’s wife, Vannessa Bryant, who introduced the two.

The origin of Taboo and Kobe’s friendship

Taboo went on to reveal the details of the genesis of his friendship with Bryant. During the early 2000s, the Black Eyed Peas were one of the biggest music groups in the world. However, Taboo and Kobe never crossed paths. Vannesa was the one responsible for the two’s eventual strong connection.

“Salute to Vanessa for making that happen,” Taboo said. “It was Vanessa Bryant I built a relationship with first then she met my wife and then it became a family thing.” Both families spent plenty of time together on numerous occasions. Taboo brought up an instance where the two families went to Disneyland together.

As a result, his family was there to support Vanessa and her three daughters during Kobe and Gianna Brynat’s memorial at Crypto.com Arena. At that moment, the realization of how big of an impact Bryant had on people hit him. He strives to carry Bryant’s legacy in many ways ensuring the iconic ‘girl dad’ will live on forever.