Perhaps you've heard that last year's NBA MVP, Kevin Durant, has been shut down for the season following an injury to his foot. What you may not have heard is the medical causation for the pain suffered by the Oklahoma City star: Lil B.
Yes, we have laughed at the emcee's classic "F*ck Kevin Durant" single, but little did we know, the performer had actually placed a curse on the Slim Reaper. He attributes this curse not only to Durant's injury problems, but also to the Thunder's inability to seal the deal against the Miami Heat during the 2012 NBA Finals. He promises to life the curse, granted the NBA star plays a game of one-on-one with him when he becomes able.
Unfortunately, none of the following rapper/athlete beefs has anything to do with witchcraft, but some get pretty absurd nonetheless:
Shaquille O'Neal versus Skillz (2004)
It was always a tad absurd when Shaquille O'Neal was rocking the microphone (or acting, for that matter) at the height of his NBA career. You would think, at that talent (or lack thereof) level, the center would know better than to challenge guys who do this for a living. But, just like in the rap game, if someone disses your boy, you respond accordingly. Therefore, when emcee Skillz took shots at Kobe Bryant during 2004—specifically referencing the rape allegations lodged against the Laker—O'Neal sent barbs of his own at the relatively unknown emcee. Skillz responded by releasing an entire mixtape consisting of O'Neal disses. It didn't pay off, career-wise. Shaq was wise enough to avoid big dogs however: Nas also took shots at Bryant in the wake of the case, and O'Neal didn't even try in that case. (NOTE: This song has nothing to do with Skillz, the emcee).
Sebastian Telfair versus Fabolous (2006)
You would think that modern emcees would have learned by now that others will try to steal your chain, and not just to prove dominance. Such was the case when Boston Celtic Sebastian Telfair was at a restaurant belonging to Sean "Diddy" Combs, as was hometown rapper Fabolous (if we were a Boston athlete, we wouldn't walk outside the hotel in New York City). Someone made off with Telfair's $50,000 diamond chain, and it was believed to be a member of the rapper's crew. Later that week Fabolous was shot in the leg outside of the club. Telfair has long denied any connection to the attack but rumors persist.
DeShawn Stevenson versus Jay Z (2008)
"But wait," you ask. "How is someone like career journeyman DeShawn Stevenson worth Jay Z's time?" A good question. Turns out that Jay accidentally got drawn into this fight but ended up participating fully. Stevenson made a typical idiot-competitor statement that LeBron James, probably a Top 5 all-time player, was "overrated." James responded cooly, noting that he didn't have a comment because that would be like Jay Z responding to a diss from Soulja Boy. The latter emcee decided to join "Team Stevenson" and Jay dropped the line "Ask my n*gga LeBron/ We so big we ain't gotta respond."
Kris Humphries versus Kanye West (2012)
Nothing feeds a beef—in the rap world, athletic world, or otherwise—like a woman in between (as we'll see in another example on down the line). Humphries has probably the greatest popularity-to-accomplishment ratio (in terms of having no accomplishments) in the NBA, mostly due to his less-than-three-month marriage to Kim Kardashian. At no point after the divorce did Humphries send any shade at Kardashian following her coupling with Kanye West, but of course West couldn't pass up the chance to speak downward to a "competitor" far-removed from the picture: "I'll admit, I fell in love with Kim/'Round the same time she had fell in love with him/Well, that's cool, baby girl, do ya thing/Lucky I ain't have Jay drop him from the team," referencing Jay Z's role in the ownership of the Brooklyn Nets at the time.
Chris Bosh versus Lil Wayne (2013)
Lil Wayne is now notorious in Miami for his disses against the squad, absolutely none of which were asked for by the team's then-trio of LeBron, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. Apparently Weezy had bought courtside tickets for a game between the Heat and his hometown Pelicans. Apparently he expected two of the NBA's best players (James and Wade) to go out of their ways to approach him (a fan of their opponent) during the game. He was shocked and appalled when they didn't. He had gotten kicked out of a different Heat game, supposedly for cheering for the Lakers. Taking the high road, the rapper claimed to have slept with Bosh's wife during the previous year's All-Star weekend.
Nick Young versus Snoop Dogg (2014)
One thing every guy in a relationship fears is that he'll be drawn into an argument between his lady and an opposing party. Nick "Swaggy P" Young of the Lakers fell into such a situation...except at no point had anyone on either side of the argument asked for his participation. His girlfriend, Iggy Azalea, draws as much fire as anyone in the game, and Young decided to weigh in when hometown hero Snoop Dogg. Note that Young doesn't have the stats to back up a fight with one of the biggest rappers in history. So naturally he fired shots: "Ain't nobody worried about no SnoopLion," he tweeted. "This dude just goin thru a midlife crisis you Go get convertible yet. OG's out here losin."
Floyd Mayweather and Everyone
No one has attracted more feuds than boxer Floyd "Money" Mayweather, and we're not just talking about his pseudo-rivalry with Manny Pacquiao. Among the rappers who have had beefs with the boxer: T.I., 50 Cent, Rick Ross and Nelly. Mayweather came out on top when Ross and T.I. came at him: Ross, he simply dismissed by noting the the performer has faked his entire hustler identity. He always had the lead against T.I. as their beef was the result of the latter's paranoia that Mayweather may have been hitting on his wife. 50 Cent and Nelly did what any rapper should do if they're confronted by the boxer: If they make their money by stringing together words, they should take advantage of the fact that Mayweather is not very good at doing so.
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