Rap music and sports have long shared a dynamic relationship, with football, basketball and even tennis often serving as a creative metaphor in lyrics. Let’s explore the best tennis references in rap music, featuring iconic artists like Lil Wayne, Kendrick Lamar, and Drake. This list evaluates each lyric based on the cleverness of the tennis reference, the song’s popularity, and the overall quality of the track. Whether it’s a witty line or a powerful verse, these rap lyrics highlight the seamless blend of tennis and hip-hop culture.
Read all the best basketball lyrics in rap here!
Best Tennis Lyrics – The List
10. Kendrick Lamar – DNA (2017)
“I just win again, then win again like Wimbledon, I serve”
On one of the best songs of one of the most critically acclaimed rap albums of this century, Kendrick Lamar drops a tennis bar. Look, it’s not the most exciting tennis bar. It’s a decent tennis bar, but it gets bonus marks for being featured on such a good track.
Will Kendrick be making an appearance in SW19 this year…? He’d certainly be popular, that’s with Naomi Osaka at least after she chimed into the Kendrick-Drake rivalry in a recent press conference.
Kendrick or Drake? @naomiosaka gives her pick 👀 #IBI24 pic.twitter.com/lO4GH5Ynch
— TENNIS (@Tennis) May 8, 2024
9. Ludacris and Nicki Minaj – My Chick Bad (2010)
“My chick bad, tell me if you seen her,
She always bring the racket like Venus and Serena.”
The first of several Serena Williams references on this list, Ludacris incorporates the Williams sisters into a clever bar. He uses tennis to describe how bad (in a good way) his chick is, which is essentially the entire song, hence the title.
Ludacris makes sure to include Venus in the bar as well, the only one to do so on this list. When your sister is Serena Williams, it’s easy to be overlooked. But the seven-time Grand Slam winner deserves her flowers too!
8. The Jet Age of Tomorrow ft. Mac Miller – Juney Jones (2013)
“Long hair like Agassi in 89′
Pastels in Wimbledon the summer is mine (French Open, Bonjour)”
This is a great song and a great reference. It probably loses a few points for being unreleased on popular streaming services, but that shouldn’t detract from the bar itself. Instead of dropping a surface-level tennis bar, Mac Miller goes back 25 years (at the time) to shout out tennis legend Andre Agassi and his infamous long hair.
He gets even more bonus points for referencing the summer tournaments of Wimbledon and the rarely-mentioned French Open. Nicely done, Mac.
7. Lil Wayne – Sportscenter (2006)
I’m servin’ this track like, Steffi Graf, yeah
Roger Federer; there’s no competitors”
Lil Wayne cleverly compares his dominance in rap to the legendary prowess of tennis greats Steffi Graf and Roger Federer. This track from 2006 showcases Weezy’s skill in drawing parallels between his music and the world of sports. By likening his rap delivery to Steffi Graf’s serves and asserting his unmatched status akin to Roger Federer, Wayne emphasizes his confidence and superior status in the rap game. The metaphor illustrates his finesse and serves as a testament to his lyrical prowess and competitive nature.
6. Pusha T – Pies (2012)
“Couple diamonds keep ya b*tch loyal
Roger Federer Rolex, my wrist royal”
Pusha T flaunts his wealth and loyalty with a slick reference to Roger Federer and his luxury Rolex watch. The line highlights Pusha T’s lavish lifestyle, equating it with the high status of Federer in the tennis world. By comparing his wrist adorned with a Rolex to Federer’s regal stature, Pusha T not only boasts about his riches but also subtly nods to the prestige associated with both the watch brand and the tennis legend, as well as the collaboration between the pair. This lyric underscores Pusha T’s affinity for opulence, high standards and knowledge of the fashion culture.
5. Frank Ocean – U-N-I-T-Y (2016)
“Nothing but nothing but net, is you Roger or Novak?”
Frank Ocean manages a double tennis reference, giving Novak a much-needed reference in this list. For someone as accomplished as the Serb is, he deserves to have his praises sung. That’s where Frank Ocean comes in.
Novak Djokovic won his 24th Grand Slam and paid tribute to the late Kobe Bryant who was affiliated with this number. A class act by Nole!#Djokovic #Djoko #Nole #Bryant #Kobe #MambaForever #USOpen #ATP #GrandSlam #365Scores pic.twitter.com/muUSz1verr
— 365Scores (@365Scores) September 11, 2023
4. Big Sean ft. J.Cole – 24K of Gold (2022)
“Splurging all crazy, switching lanes in the range swerving all crazy,
Style on Nadal, I’ve been serving ya’ll lately,
Cheddar on Federer,
Ball ’till I fall, et cetera, et cetera”
This is definitely the most stacked tennis reference in the list. Big Sean and J. Cole team up to deliver a verse packed with tennis references. From Nadal’s style to Federer’s wealth, this verse uses tennis to illustrate their dominance and success in the rap game. The references to Nadal’s flair and Federer’s financial success serve as metaphors for their own achievements and influence in the music industry. By intertwining their lifestyle with that of elite tennis players, they emphasize their high status and relentless drive to succeed, making the lyrics both relatable and aspirational for listeners. Top marks.
3. Royce da 5’9″ – To Me, To You (2014)
“You ain’t turnin’ up, you’re bein’ backhanded like Pete Sampras”
Royce gets great credit for intertwining his relationship issues with a tennis bar. He also gets bonus credit for great flow and delivery in a very listenable track. One more bonus credit for using a tennis player that rarely gets a mention, if ever gets a mention, in rap music.
2. Kanye West – Gold Digger (2004)
“But I’m looking for the one, have you seen her?
My psychic told me she have an ass like Serena.”
What an incredible song this is. Yes, it’s not the most impressive or intelligent tennis lyric of all time. It’s not even the most exciting lyric about Serena Williams on this list. BUT, it is most definitely the most popular and well-known. This is a club classic, a party classic, a bump-in-the-car classic. A staple.
People have been singing about Serena Williams for years, without even necessarily knowing it was her. Kanye gets credit for the most popular tennis lyric of all-time, and also quite possibly the best song on this list.
1. Drake – Worst Behaviour (2013)
“I’m with my whole set, tennis matches at the crib,
I swear I could beat Serena when she playin’ with her left.”
So we’ve made it to our number one. Worst Behaviour is Drake at his meanest and most gangster, four minutes of hard-hitting, braggadocio raps which make for a great listen. He manages to flex his house with a tennis court, his celebrity girlfriend and his sporting prowess all within two bars. Impressive. Yet, despite the song being a hit, it has drawn some debate.
At the time, Drake had been dating Serena Williams, so it’s possible he was speaking from lived experience. Yet, the ‘Broadcast Boys, were unsure and wanted to put this theory to the test. They recruited the advice of some professionals and asked them whether or not Drake could really beat Serena if she was playing with her left. The answer was pretty unanimous (watch below).
Despite that, it’s a fantastic song and a top reference.
@broadcastboys COULD DRAKE BEAT SERENA IF SHE WERE PLAYING WITH THE LEFT?! 🎾 💨 #tennis #drake #serena ♬ original sound – Broadcast Boys
By Nicky Helfgott / @NickyH3lfgott on Twitter (X)
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