Even though he’s beginning to collaborate more widely, he still prefers working with his own set of producers rather than those who are better-known. Now more than ever, regionally specific rap can make it to the top of the charts in relatively unvarnished form, and Bagg’s wins have largely been on his own terms. When he began having broader success, Bagg said he was surprised to learn that many established stars, like Future, were longtime fans: “A lot of people was really riding, listening to my music, that you wouldn’t expect.” Pharrell produced a track on “A Gangsta’s Pain.” Bagg formed a strong bond with the rapper Kevin Gates, who facilitated his conversion to Islam in 2018 he travels with an $8,000 prayer mat, a gift from Gates. “Wockesha,” a 2021 track that samples DeBarge’s “Stay With Me” (à la the Notorious B.I.G.’s “One More Chance”), showed that Bagg could record songs that leaned more melodic and tender, broadening his appeal. His flow is syrupy, often swallowing syllables but not the vérité imagery and frisky, conversational tone that make some of his best lyrics sound like direct, mettle-testing addresses. He’s a sneakily lyrical rapper - bursting with pugnacious talk but also wry. He placed five consecutive singles in the Top 20 of the Billboard rap chart, two of which, “Said Sum” and “Wockesha,” became pop hits, reaching the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. His last album, “A Gangsta’s Pain” from 2021, opened at the top of the Billboard album chart, his first No. has been steadily reaching audiences well beyond his home city.

Over the past few years, Bagg - born DeMario DeWayne White Jr. “I feel like Michael Jackson at home,” Bagg said of the performance at FedExForum, home of the Memphis Grizzlies. He had arrived for an appearance at the eighth annual Birthday Bash, a concert organized by the Memphis rap stalwart Yo Gotti. His chains and earrings: weighty and bright. His top, shorts and sneakers: Louis Vuitton. Morant is among the Top 15 scorers in the NBA this season.MEMPHIS - Moneybagg Yo - Bagg to his friends - doesn’t get back to his Memphis hometown as much as he’d like anymore, so when he returned one Friday in July, he was primed for the occasion. The 22-year-old Murray State University student-turned-#2 overall draft pick is currently averaging 24.7 points and 6.9 assists per game. Ja Morant followed his award-winning rookie year with two more exceptional seasons. Plus, Money Man’s “No Talking” made the cut. The photo displayed two other songs by Moneybagg Yo – “Least Ian Lie” and “Me Vs Me” as well. Lloyd Banks’s “Death by Design” was also an option presented in the Twitter post. Cole’s “My Life” with 21 Savage and Morray was one of the songs listed. The Memphis Grizzlies’ original tweet included a screenshot of a Spotify playlist showing several tracks that referenced Ja Morant.

Morant edged out fellow finalists Kendrick Nunn and Zion Williamson for that year’s ROTY trophy. “rookie of the year,” replied Ja Morant, naming Memphis-raised rhymer Moneybagg Yo’s tribute song to the 2020 NBA Rookie Of The Year winner. That tweet garnered nearly 50 quote-tweets and 70 replies, including a response from Morant. The verified Memphis Grizzlies Twitter account asked the team’s fan base to share their favorite references to Ja Morant in music.

As is the case with a lot of NBA standouts, Morant has become a regular muse for rap lyrics. Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is one of the bright, young stars of the National Basketball Association.

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