Athletes want to be rappers, rappers want to be athletes. The phrase was popularized by Lil Wayne back in 2014. Eight years later, it’s found new relevance in the NFL.
Antonio Brown, mere hours after his tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reached an unsightly end, has decided he will find out what it’s like to live both lives, releasing a new rap single.
The song, titled “Pit Not The Palace”, was distributed by Brown across his social media channels and became a lightning-rod moment on Twitter, with many fans noting his apparent quick transition from an NFL player to a SoundCloud Rapper.
Though his social media posts sharing the song do not explicitly say the release is a response to the Buccaneers saying they would be parting ways with him after his on-field outburst, some of the track’s content can be interpreted as having a connection to the situation.
Clocking in at just under two minutes of run time, the single’s lyrics largely detail Brown’s perception of his own opulence and excellence. A spoken word interlude in the track however, appearing at its beginning and end, addresses Brown’s move to Tampa Bay and unspecified hardships he’s dealt with during it, as well as the importance of family.
“Hey AB man, you have them three little boys,” the lyrics say. “You been out the game for over a year. You put up big numbers. But you know the greatest number, the love of them young boys who look up to you more than anybody else. Keep on living. Keep working. But keep being loved, and love the ones that love you.”
Before posting the song, Brown shared another image on Instagram and Twitter of himself with the caption “Super Gremlin,” the title of a popular Kodak Black song which laments broken bonds and betrayals from a past friendship.
Brown’s song release adds another unexpected turn in what was already a bizarre day for Brown, the Buccaneers and the NFL.
During Sunday’s game against the New York Jets, with the Buccaneers trailing 24-10 late in the third quarter, Brown decided to take off his jersey and shoulder pads and leave the field, gesturing to fans on his way out.
A video taken by fans from the sidelines shows Mike Evans trying to keep Brown from taking his jersey off, but he was not able to convince his teammate to stay in the game.
“I’m not talking about him,” Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians told reporters after the game. “He’s no longer part of the Bucs. That’s the end of the story.”
The team has still not issued an official comment on Brown at this time.
“That’s obviously a difficult situation,” Tom Brady said when asked about Brown. “We all love him and care about him deeply. …I think everyone should be compassionate and empathetic toward some very difficult things.”
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