LiAngelo Ball has a new hit single that has gone viral in NBA locker rooms and beyond, and the music industry has officially bought into the hype.
A representative from Ball’s label, Born2Ball Music Group, told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Monday that LiAngelo has signed a multi-million deal with Def Jam and Universal Music Group. The deal, which gives Ball full ownership of music and his own record label, will reportedly pay Ball $8 million guaranteed and up to $13 million in total.
Ball recently launched a rap career as “Gelo” and/or “G3.” His new single “Tweaker” had been played nearly 8 million times on YouTube as of Monday. With its catchy early-2000s-style production, the song has gone massively viral. One of the songs lyrics has been featured on some famous social media accounts in recent days.
Ball’s song has also been getting played in the locker room by many pro sports teams. That includes the NBA’s Chicago Bulls, who have Ball’s older brother Lonzo on their roster, and the NFL’s Detroit Lions, who played the song after clinching the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
The 26-year-old Ball tried to make it in the NBA like his brothers Lonzo and LaMelo, but his playing career did not pan out. He never made it beyond the G League and Summer League circuits and most recently spent time playing for some unconventional teams.
Ball may not need basketball anymore, as his rap career seems to have really taken off. He is also scheduled to perform at a popular music festival in Los Angeles later this year.
