Music

The Golden State Warriors' season came to a disappointing and abrupt end Friday, losing in overtime to the Memphis Grizzlies in the postseason play-in game for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference, but Warriors star Stephen Curry is embracing the offseason.

Curry was joined by rapper J. Cole on Instagram Live after the game, and Curry said, "I'm officially in the offseason."

Steph isn't used to having an early start to his offseason, as the Warriors reached five consecutive NBA Finals from 2015-19, winning three championships in the process.

Things fell apart for the Dubs last season, as Kevin Durant left for the Brooklyn Nets in free agency, Klay Thompson missed the entire season and Curry missed all but five games because of injury.

As a result, the Warriors finished with the worst record in the NBA, and they had plenty of time to prepare for the 2020-21 season.

With Curry back in the fold, the Warriors finished with the eighth-best record in the West and would have made the playoffs in a normal year, but the institution of the play-in tournament required them to win one more game.

Golden State blew a 13-point halftime lead in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers for the seventh seed and then fell in OT to the Grizzlies in their battle for the eighth seed after overcoming a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force overtime.

Curry put the Warriors on his back this season and put himself in position to potentially win his third MVP award after leading the league in scoring with 32.0 points per game.

After leaving it all out on the floor, Curry is seemingly ready for some rest and relaxation, although he will have the opportunity to play for Team USA in the Tokyo Olympics this summer if he so chooses.

Washington Wizards point guard Russell Westbrook said Friday it was "pretty cool" to get a shout-out from rapper J. Cole on his new album, "The Off-Season."

"J. Cole, I'm a huge fan of his music. I'm a huge fan of him as a person more than anything. He's one of the greats in the hip-hop space," Westbrook told reporters. "To be able to be mentioned on his songs and thought of, it's something as a kid you always think about, hoping you can get named in a song. So, to be able to have that, especially on this album, is pretty cool I must say."

The Grammy Award-winning rapper mentioned the NBA's all-time leader in triple-doubles on the track "a m a r i."

"How could you ever try to play me? Kill 'em on a song, walk up out the booth, do the Westbrook rock-a-baby," he sings (some lyrics NSFW):

J. Cole is currently in the East African country of Rwanda completing quarantine requirements in order to play in the new Basketball Africa League.

Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated reported the rapper, born Jermaine Lamarr Cole, is set to play for the Patriots BBC squad, which tips off its season Sunday against Nigeria's Rivers Hoopers.

J. Cole, 36, was a standout basketball player at Terry Sanford High School in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and briefly walked on at St. John's University in college before shifting his focus solely to music.

"I know J. Cole can play; that's what I do know. I just hope he does well, stays healthy and he can compete," Westbrook said Friday.

The Wizards, who've clinched a berth in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament, wrap up the regular season Sunday against the Charlotte Hornets.

Rapper J. Cole shouted out several NBA players, including the Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James and Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry, on his new album, "The Off-Season," released Friday.

Dijo Songco of ClutchPoints noted the other NBA stars mentioned on the 12-song album included the Memphis Grizzlies' Ja Morant, Portland Trail Blazers' Damian Lillard and Washington Wizards' Russell Westbrook.

While J. Cole's new album is drawing praise stateside, the 36-year-old rapper is currently in the East African country of Rwanda for quarantine requirements as he prepares to play in the Basketball Africa League.

Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (h/t ESPN) reported Monday that J. Cole is expected to suit up for the league's Patriots BBC squad. They're scheduled to tip off the 2021 season Sunday against Nigeria's Rivers Hoopers.

J. Cole, full name Jermaine Lamarr Cole, was a standout basketball player at Terry Sanford High School in North Carolina and briefly walked on with the St. John's University program before switching his focus to the music career that ultimately made him a household name.

The rapper turned some heads during the 2019 NBA Slam Dunk Contest during All-Star Weekend when he nearly threw down a one-handed slam:

"The Off-Season" is J. Cole's sixth studio album and first since "KOD" in 2018.

The sports world paid tribute to rapper and actor DMX, born Earl Simmons, who died on Friday at the age of 50. 

Per a statement from his family (via Jonathan Landrum Jr. and Jennifer Peltz of the Associated Press), DMX died at a hospital in White Plains, New York where he was being treated after suffering “catastrophic cardiac arrest" on April 2. 

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu were among the athletes to offer their appreciation for DMX after word of his death became public:

After breaking into the music industry in 1991, DMX had his mainstream breakthrough seven years later. He released his debut studio album It's Dark and Hell Is Hot in May 1998. It has sold over 4 million copies since its initial release. 

Six months after the album release, DMX also made his film debut as Tommy "Buns" Bundy in the Hype Williams feature Belly. 

DMX released a total of eight studio albums between 1998 and 2015. He also has a total of 43 acting credits, per IMDB. 

Rapper Drake referenced Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and San Antonio Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan on "Lemon Pepper Freestyle," a song from his new EP, Scary Hours 2, that was released Friday.

"Patty Mahomes 'bout to fall short a couple hunnid," Drake raps in the second verse.

Later in the same verse, he adds: "For real, and my city love me like DeMar DeRozan."

Here's the full song (some language NSFW):

Mahomes, who appears in State Farm commercials alongside Drake, jokingly didn't appear to enjoy his shoutout based on a Twitter post Friday:

The Chiefs are coming off a loss to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV last month, falling one win short of their second straight championship.

Meanwhile, Drake's relationship with DeRozan dates back to the four-time All-Star guard's time with the rapper's hometown Toronto Raptors.

The day he was traded to the Spurs in July 2018 included a stop to visit the four-time Grammy Award winner.

"Yeah, day it came out, I went to Drake's house," DeRozan told Chris Haynes, then of ESPN, at the time. "Me and him sat and talked for a couple of hours. Not even on some hoops stuff. Just to hear the words that come from him being the person that he is in this world, especially in Toronto. What I meant to this city. It was what I needed."

Drake has served as a team ambassador for the Raptors since 2013.

Drake released a music video for his song Laugh Now Cry Later with Lil Durk that was part Nike commercial and part an opportunity to play sports with some superstars.  

The music video starts at Nike headquarters and features Drake playing a number of sports, including basketball against Kevin Durant.

As if that weren't enough, he ran football routes with Odell Beckham Jr. throwing him passes. Or, at least he did until Marshawn Lynch unleashed quite the impressive tackle, especially for a running back.

Durant had some fun with the experience:

Bleacher Report's Taylor Rooks spoke with Beckham about the video, and the Cleveland Browns wide receiver was impressed by Drake's form:

Drake's love of sports is well-established, whether it's him yelling at opponents during Toronto Raptors games or jumping in the warm-up line for the Kentucky Wildcats. Now he can put playing basketball with Durant and football with Beckham on his sports resume.

BR Video

Recording artist Lil TJay stopped by Bleacher Report to play "That's My Guy," a game where he guessed top high school basketball players based on fun facts about them.

Watch the video above to see how he did.

Connect to the stories, teams, athletes and highlights that make the game more than a game.

Speaking of the game, it's time to take your sports knowledge to the next level! Download the free Bleacher Report app to catch all the moments that matter in one place. Get the app to get the game.

BR Video

DaBaby stopped by Bleacher Report to talk about his personal style. From Gucci to Louis Vuitton and more, watch the video above to hear DaBaby explain his fashion choices in "What Are You Wearing?"

Connect to the stories, teams, athletes and highlights that make the game more than a game.

Speaking of the game, it's time to take your sports knowledge to the next level! Download the free Bleacher Report app to catch all the moments that matter in one place. Get the app to get the game.     

BR Video

Guapdad 4000 made a bet with Drake over the NBA Finals between the Warriors and Raptors. But how did this friendship and wager get started? What was Guapdad's punishment for losing?

Watch the video above as Guapdad 4000 dissects the bet.

Bleacher Report is the go-to destination for basketball fans everywhere. B/R's NBA coverage delivers must-see on-court analysis and highlights on a daily basis. Connect to the NBA stories, teams, athletes and highlights that make the game more than a game.

Download the free Bleacher Report app to catch all the moments that matter in one place. Get the app to get the game.

The March Madness Music Series in Minneapolis will conclude Sunday with the Capital One JamFest, a blockbuster show featuring Katy Perry and Zedd.

Perry is one of pop's biggest superstars—she has four music videos online that have had more than one billion views each. Throw in the millions of albums she's sold, and Perry has become a generational icon. 

Zedd, meanwhile, has emerged as one of the world's most prolific DJs and producers, going multiplatinum while earning five Grammy nominations in his career.

The pair will perform from 8 p.m. on Sunday.