Many professional basketball players have dabbled in music, but in 2025, one baller's rap career is beginning to reach new heights.
LiAngelo Ball, the middle brother of Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball and Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, hasn't seen a minute of an NBA regular-season game. However, LiAngelo, 26, is taking the music world by storm with his latest single, "Tweaker," which is bringing the feel of mid-early 2000s rap to modern hip-hop.
The single was released on last Friday on the WorldstarHipHop YouTube page as an exclusive that has earned 5.6 million views -- and counting -- as of Thursday.
The Ball family isn't new to the rap game. Lonzo has a few songs under his belt, including "Zo2," a record used to promote his Big Baller Brand signature shoe. LiAngelo's track, which was released under the Born to Ball Music Group label, is making noise in the sports world and the rap game. Lonzo has already proclaimed 2025 the "year of G[elo]."
Once LiAngelo began to tease his single, it was only a matter of time before the song sprung onto the charts. According to Chart Data, the song entered the top-10 streaming chart for the U.S. on Spotify on Wednesday. As of Thursday, the song sat at No. 4 -- bypassing Tyler, the Creator's "Sticky" featuring GloRilla, Sexyy Red and Lil Wayne, and Kendrick Lamar's "tv off" featuring Lefty Gunplay -- with 1,398,725 plays, according to Spotify.
If you're not convinced that 2025 might already belong to LiAngelo, or his rap name "G3," here is a timeline of what's happened since his music career took off.
"Tweaker" is making its way into arenas, locker rooms
Picture this: It's 2005 and you just won the championship. The first song on the playlist is rapper Mike Jones' "Back Then" and the team is jamming out to the chorus. LiAngelo's "Tweaker" has comparable energy. On the day of its release, the song was heard in the Cleveland Cavaliers' locker room after their 134-122 win over the Dallas Mavericks. During his postgame interview, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell gave LiAngelo a shout-out.
Days later, coach Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks rocked out to the song at their practice.
The Detroit Lions also played the song after their 31-9 win over the Minnesota Vikings, when they clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
I might swerve, bend that corner, WOOOAAAHHH https://t.co/gDHzgNEzy1
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) January 9, 2025
Following Cleveland's triumph over the Oklahoma City to end the Thunder's winning streak at 15 and advance the Cavs' own streak to 11, the music plans were in place. In a postgame interview with ESPN's Michael Eaves, Cavaliers guard Darius Garland confirmed that he'd have the auxiliary chord in the locker room and that the team would be tuned into LiAngelo's song.
"I got the aux. You know we gone bump Gelo."
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 9, 2025
Darius Garland bumpin' Gelo's "Tweaker" after the Cavs win on Wednesday night 😅 pic.twitter.com/JGVVI1wdnI
LiAngelo might have received the ultimate praise from Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard. Lillard, who is also a rapper and goes by the name Dame D.O.L.L.A., told Eves following the Bucks' 121-105 win over San Antonio Spurs that he "rocks with it and respects" LiAngelo's song and rap career.
Rappers approve, plead to be featured on "Tweaker" remix
After LiAngelo was announced as a performer for Rolling Loud California on Tuesday, rappers started clamoring for a feature with the new hot single. Artists MoneyBagg Yo, T-Pain, Lil Yachty, Meek Mill and Lil Boosie expressed their appreciation for the record and said they'd enjoy being on the remix.
I might swerve bend that corner woah pic.twitter.com/zXXyC2aU1b
— T-Pain (@TPAIN) January 6, 2025
@LiAngeloBall send me da open verse ima tweak 🔥🗣️
— SPEAK (@MoneyBaggYo) January 7, 2025
Rolling Loud announces Gelo as part of California lineup
Music festivals are known to showcase the industry's hottest rappers, but some have been in the game much longer than LiAngelo. It's safe to say he did it right. On Tuesday, Rolling Loud California released its lineup for the music festival in mid-March. LiAngelo was listed to perform on the opening day in a slate headlined by A$AP Rocky that includes YG, Larry June, BossMan Dlow and Ski Mask the Slump God.
ROLLING LOUD CALIFORNIA
— Rolling Loud (@RollingLoud) January 7, 2025
MARCH 15-16, 2025
FIRST ACCESS TO TICKETS THIS FRIDAY @ 11AM PT
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WEEKEND PASSES START AT $179 ALL IN 🔥
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👉 https://t.co/PsLzA2nUuz pic.twitter.com/8jb3Wm39MK
.@LIANGELOBALL'S FIRST ROLLING LOUD 🔥
— Rolling Loud (@RollingLoud) January 7, 2025
