Kobe Bryant and Kanye West had a longstanding relationship that spanned across music, sports, and even fashion. The two were known to be good friends, with both men sharing a deep admiration and respect for each other’s craft.
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The two first met in 2007 when Kanye West invited Kobe Bryant to appear in his music video for “Can’t Tell Me Nothing.” From there, the two continued to collaborate and support each other throughout their careers.
In 2009, Kobe Bryant appeared in a Nike commercial directed by Kanye West, which helped solidify their relationship. In addition to their professional collaborations, the two also bonded over their love for fashion.
Bryant was known to attend ye’s concerts and even threw him a surprise birthday party in 2015. In turn, West was a frequent guest at Lakers games and was often seen sitting courtside with Kobe.
Kanye West, inspired by Kobe Bryant scoring 60 points in his final game, paid a lyrical tribute
Kobe Bryant’s final game on April 13, 2016, was an unforgettable moment in NBA history. The game was played at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, which was packed with fans and celebrities eager to witness the Black Mamba’s final performance.
Kobe scored 60 points, making 22 of 50 field goal attempts and hitting 10 of 12 free throws. He also had four rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block.
As the game progressed, Kobe’s teammates started feeding him the ball, and he responded with a string of scoring runs, bringing the Lakers back from a 10-point deficit to secure the win.
In the final minute of the game, with the Lakers leading by only two points, Kobe hit a jumper to extend the lead to four, followed by a pair of clutch free throws to seal the win.
Kanye West was among those celebrities present at Staples Center for this historic performance. And there can be no doubt that this game was the motivation for one of his bars.
ye collaborated with Schoolboy Q for a song called ‘That Part’, released in May 2016. The Chicago-born producer’s second verse contains the lyrics:
Walkin’ livin’ legend, man I feel like Kobe I just dropped 60, man I feel like Kobe
Kobe has name drops in other Kanye tracks as well
This wasn’t the first time that West had named the Lakers legend in his song lyrics. He had a verse in Swagga Like Us alongside T.I which goes thus:
Naaaaa-na-naaaaa How it feel to wake up and be the s**t and the urine
Naaaaa-na-naaaaa Tryin’ to get that Kobe number, one over Jordan
West also released a song called Ego with Beyonce in which he dropped Kobe’s name in a bar.
I had dreams of the league, one day I play Kobe I walk up to Puff and he already know me
Finally, he paid respect to Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Kobe all at once with this bar on See Me Now from his magnum opus My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.
They say G.O.O.D. Music like the new Miami Heat, shit
Comparin’ them to us, man they gotta add Kobe
