Most of the skilled athletes on this checklist boast a formidable set of accolades, from nationwide championships and gleaming trophies to MVP awards and their faces displayed within the Corridor of Fame. However these athletes needed to realize fame on an entire different stage—by means of music.
Typically it labored. Typically it did not. Many discovered the exhausting approach that simply since you’re on the high of the sport in a single profession discipline, would not essentially imply you’ll be on the high (and even near the center!) in one other. Listed below are athletes who tried to cross over to music, for higher or for worse. You will not imagine which Heavyweight World Champion tried to be a rapper!
Allen Iverson
In 2000, Allen Iverson launched his first rap single underneath the moniker “Jewelz.” The only, titled “40 Bars,” obtained loads of backlash for its violent, misogynistic and homophobic lyrics. NBA commissioner, David Stern, threatened to fireside Iverson for offensive conduct, so previous to the discharge his full album, Iverson agreed to vary most of the lyrics.
The 11-time NBA All-Star issued an apology to girls and the homosexual neighborhood, together with the assertion, “If a child thinks that I promote violence by the lyrics of my songs, I encourage them to not purchase it or hearken to it.” However earlier than it was launched, the album was utterly scrapped, and Iverson gave up on a profession in music solely.
Shaquille O’Neal
After only one yr within the NBA, Shaquille O’Neal determined to attempt his hand at music. In 1993 he signed a report take care of Jive and launched his debut rap album Shaq Diesel, full of quite a lot of celebration anthems. The album went platinum.
Methodology Man, RZA, and Redman produced and rapped on his second launch, Shaq Fu: Da Return, which went gold. He continued to make 4 extra albums, however all the remaining flopped, even with appearances by Jay-Z and Biggie Smalls. However in 2010, earlier than he left his rap profession behind, he launched a freestyle bashing his frenemy Kobe Bryant and really shocked lots of people together with his expertise. Not dangerous for an already-talented FIBA Corridor of Fame inductee.
Oscar De La Hoya
Oscar De La Hoya amazed everybody together with his skilled debut in boxing when he scored a first-round TKO victory. His debut into music in 2000 had comparable success, together with his self-titled Latin pop album reaching No. 2 on Billboard‘s Prime Latin Albums chart. It was even nominated for a Grammy within the class of Greatest Latin Pop Album however did not win.
Whereas his boxing profession went on to flourish, his music profession got here to an finish. Regardless of its preliminary success, the album, which featured a Bee Gee’s cowl, was criticized by followers and critics for being a lot too “tacky.”
Bronson Arroyo
After a shoulder harm, Bronson Arroyo left a 17-year profession as an expert pitcher for the MLB behind. Throughout that point, he additionally dabbled in music. In 2004, whereas enjoying for the Boston Crimson Sox, Arroyo, together with teammates Johnny Damon and Lenny DiNardo, have been recruited by Boston’s Dropkick Murphys to sing on their observe “Tessie.”
Arroyo was impressed to report his personal music, and the next yr launched his debut album Overlaying the Bases, which was merely a group of acoustic covers of ’90s grunge hits. Regardless of the album reaching No. 2 on Heatseekers Albums, he by no means launched new music. Arroyo would not be the final baseball pitcher to get pleasure from a profitable profession in music…
Barry Zito
World Sequence Champion, Barry Zito, comes from a household of gifted musicians. His father was a jazz conductor and arranger for Nat King Cole, his mom a backup singer for Cole, and his sister, Sally Zito, is a rustic singer. Taking part in the guitar since he was 21, Zito would usually write songs whereas he was on the highway in between video games, and his teammates would poke enjoyable at him for doing so.
He initially began enjoying in his sister’s band after his retirement, after which determined to go solo. He launched his first EP No Secrets and techniques, a mixture of people music and nation,in February 2017, and it debuted on the Billboard charts. He is carried out quite a lot of sold-out reveals since.
Macho Man Randy Savage
Macho Man Randy Savage was all the time an over-the-top character in skilled wrestling however stunned even his followers when he determined to launched a rap album on the age of fifty, nearly 4 years after he retired from the ring.
His one and solely album, Be A Man, was launched on 2003 by Large 3 Data. It was at a time when the music trade was booming, in order that they have been prepared to take main dangers, which this album clearly was. Savage was an enormous fan of hip-hop, and took this new craft very severely, anticipating to promote thousands and thousands. Regardless of his efforts, it flopped, and the album was bashed by his followers and critics alike.
Clint Dempsey A.Okay.A .“Deuce”
Clint Dempsey performed an enormous half within the resurgence of the US Males’s Nationwide Soccer Crew, and after becoming a member of the EPL turned thought to be the very best American enjoying in England. In 2006 Dempsey, utilizing the identify “Deuce,” teamed up with some rappers from his house state of Texas and recorded a rap music, “Do not Tread” as a promotional marketing campaign for the 2006 World Cup.
The music was effectively obtained and praised for its constructive lyrics. Dempsey continued to additional his rap profession, dropping freestyles on demand. In 2014 he launched a single known as “It is Poppin” from his first full-length album The Redux, which was praised by followers and critics. Buty but, the proceeds went to Texas Meals Financial institution, a corporation that gives meals to underprivileged youngsters.
Bernie Williams
Bernie William boasts a formidable variety of achievements, which incorporates 4 MLB World Champion wins. Since retiring, Bernie’s put all his power into his different ardour: jazz guitar. Taking part in guitar for the reason that age of eight, music has all the time been a serious side of Bernie’s life. He studied at Puerto Rico’s Escuela Libre de Musica, however put music on maintain when he was recruited by the Yankees.
In 2003 he launched his first album, a mixture of jazz and rock, and it made #3 on the Up to date Jazz Charts. His subsequent album, launched in 2009, was an excellent larger hit, reaching #2. He went again to review music after retirement, receiving a Bachelor’s in Jazz Composition from MSM.
Deion Sanders
Deion Sanders was an authorized star, conquering each soccer and baseball, however his try at music was brief lived. In 1994 he launched a rap album known as Prime Time, which obtained tons of adverse critiques however nonetheless bought reasonably effectively.
The massive hit on the album was the corny-yet-catchy “Should be the Cash,” which was accompanied by a ridiculous video with Sanders rocking a scorching pink go well with, boasting about his wealth. In 2005, he launched an album that includes a remix of all of the songs on Prime Time, however this album did not do as effectively and wasn’t thought of to be any higher.
Alexi Lalas
Although he initially achieved fame for taking part in in Main League Soccer, music had all the time been part of Alexi Lalas’ life. He has performed in a rock band since faculty known as The Gypsies, which opened for Hootie and the Blowfish.
Lalas launched three albums by means of CMC Worldwide: Ginger (1998), Removed from Shut (2008) and Infinity Areas (2014). His most up-to-date launch obtained an excellent of deal reward, solidifying Lalas as a gifted songwriter. In 2015 he put his music profession on maintain and joined Fox Sports activities as an analyst.
Cedric Benson A.Okay.A. DJ World Peace
When NFL’s Cedric Benson injured his foot in 2011, he discovered a method to maintain busy by moonlighting as a DJ all through Austin. Utilizing the identify DJ World Peace, Benson spun at quite a lot of golf equipment across the metropolis…primarily strip golf equipment. Information of his nighttime escapades turned identified when a flyer for one such strip membership occasion began circulating across the web.
Benson by no means returned to soccer however continued to DJ at numerous occasions, increasing to rooftop events and underground festivals. His final promoted occasion was in 2014, so whether or not or not he continues to DJ on the down low is a thriller. Surprisingly, Benson will not be the one participant with the identify “World Peace” to take a stab at music.
Metta World Peace
In 2006 professional basketball participant Metta World Peace (who was born Ronald William Artest Jr. however legally modified his identify) launched a rap album by means of Lightyear entitled My World.The album featured well-known artists, comparable to P. Diddy, Juvenile and his cousin Capone.
It did not promote all that effectively, however that did not cease him from persevering with his music profession. He created his personal label known as Tru Warier, which launched each rap and R&B albums, together with three albums from the group Attract, in addition to a number of extra of his personal works. Although gross sales have solely been mediocre, he’s revered and regarded a reputable rap artist.
The 1985 Chicago Bears
In 1985 the Chicago Bears have been having a close to excellent season. Assured they’d win the upcoming Tremendous Bowl, they launched a rap music, full with full brass band and saxophone solo, known as “The Tremendous Bowl Shuffle.” It was launched three months earlier than their win in Tremendous Bowl XX and peaked at No. 41 on Billboard.
Virtually the entire workforce participated, in addition to a couple of who thought releasing a music a couple of victory not but achieved was too presumptuous. The music video for the “Shuffle” bought over one million copies and the proceeds have been donated to native Chicago households in want. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for “Greatest R&B Efficiency by a Duo or Group with Vocal,” however misplaced to Prince.
Chris Webber
Former NBA participant Chris Webber had a short-lived rap profession underneath the identify of C. Webber. He launched his solely album in 1999 known as 2 A lot Drama. This single “Gangsta, Gangsta,” that includes Kurupt, landed on the Scorching Rap Singles Chart’s #10 spot.
The album as an entire didn’t obtain any actual success. Webber then had one other brief stint in music as a producer. After he performed hip-hop artist Nas a beat that he made, Nas requested him to supply a observe for his 2007 Biggest Hits album, titled “Surviving The Occasions.” Nonetheless, that was the primary and final launched music that he produced.
John Cena
WWE Heavyweight World Champion John Cena turned identified for his catchphrase “You’ll be able to’t see me.” So when he launched his debut rap album in 2005 by means of WWE Music Group and Colombia Data, he determined to make use of that phrase as its title.
The album debuted at quantity 15 on the Billboard 200 charts and bought 40,000 copies within the first week of its launch. The album peaked at 103 on the UK Album Charts and has since gone platinum. Regardless of its wonderful gross sales, it was not appreciated by critics, and Cena was being in comparison with the failed rap artist, Vanilla Ice.
Iman Shumpert A.Okay.A. 2wo 1ne
Followers initially had a glimpse of Iman Shumpert’s music when he performed for the Knicks and launched the ‘Knicks Clique’ music. Then in 2015, Shumpert launched a music video known as “Promised” that includes his spouse Teyana Taylor. “Promised” shortly bought over 200k views and largely constructive rankings. Critics, nevertheless, weren’t impressed.
That did not cease Shumpert, who used the moniker 2wo 1ne, from releasing quite a lot of singles, in addition to a mixtape. His final launch from 2016, “His Story,” obtained loads of consideration for a line by which Shumpert states that he’ll observe in Colin Kaepernick’s footwear and “take a knee for the anthem.”
Wayman Tisdale
In 1995, whereas enjoying for the Phoenix Suns, Wayman Tisdale launched his first album, Energy Ahead, by means of the Motown Label. Although he had an array of musical skills, he primarily was a bass participant with an affinity for jazz. In 1997 he retired from basketball to deal with music and launched a complete of eight albums.
He reached #1 on Billboard’s Up to date Jazz chart for his 2010 album Face to Face. In 2002 he obtained the Legacy Tribute Award by the Oklahoma Jazz Corridor of Fame. in 2007 he was identified with bone most cancers and misplaced half of his proper leg, after which he launched an album. He died from radiation problems per week previous to his planning to return to the studio.
Carlos Arroyo
NBA star Carlos Arroyo started pursuing a aspect profession in music in 2009 together with his first reggaeton launch “Oculto Secreto” by means of his personal impartial report label known as Arroyo Hit Music. The music went underneath the radar, and it wasn’t till he launched his second single “Se Va Conmigo,” that includes fellow Puerto Rican artist and established reggaeton singer Yomo, that folks took discover.
The music is overloaded with auto-tune, however catchy and radio-friendly. It peaked at #45 on the Billboard Latin Digital Songs chart. He quickly launched a remixed model, that includes the “Queen of Reggaeton”—Ivy Queen—which hit #13 on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Digital Songs chart. Except for a collaboration with In all probability Pablo on the music “Imaginarme,” Arroyo hasn’t launched every other materials.
Mike Reid
Former NFL lineman Mike Reid achieved success in each soccer and music and was inducted into the School Soccer Corridor of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Corridor of Fame. He obtained a BA in music from Penn State and carried out as a pianist for a number of skilled orchestras.
He left soccer behind in 1974 following an harm and targeted solely on his music. He wrote greater than 30 chart-topping nation and pop hits, together with Ronnie Milsap’s “Stranger in My Home,” which earned him a Grammy. In 1990 he had a #1 single which he sang on as effectively, “Stroll on Religion.” He wrote the music for the musical The Ballad of Little Jo which opened in 2017.
Darren McCarty
Throughout his NHL profession, Darren McCarty had a aspect gig because the lead singer of the rock band Grinder. The band was named after the Detroit Crimson Wings’ “Grind Line,” on which right-wing McCarty performed.
Grinder was fairly widespread within the Midwest, enjoying in entrance of 12,000 on the Arts, Beats and Eats competition in Pontiac, Michigan. In 2003 they launched their first album Gotta Hold Transferring, which was recorded at McCarty’s good buddy Child Rock’s studio, and produced by Al Sutton of Rustbelt Studio. McCarty had lengthy been battling alcoholism, and when he determined to get sober, he left his music profession behind. As of late he solely sings at karaoke.