NER Playlist: Jason Kidd Drops Dimes...On The Mic!

In his 17th season in the NBA, it's easy to say that Jason Kidd isn't the player he once was. Which is why for the first edition of the New Era Radio Playlist, we're going back...way back.

All the way back to 1994 when J-Kidd was an emerging star out of Cal on his way to sharing Rookie of the Year honors with Grant Hill. That was also the year Epic Records released "B-Ball's Best Kept Secret" - a compilation album that paired NBA stars with top hip-hop artists. It was a landmark album that paved the way for artists like Delonte West to freestyle at a KFC drive-thru.

Because who wasn't eager to hear Dana Barros, Dennis Scott and Chris Mills drop a rhyme in the mid-90s? But the song that stuck with me was Kidd's gem featuring Digital Underground's Money B (another East Bay product). A smoothed out G-funk style anthem reminiscent of Snoop Dogg's classic "Ain't No Fun", Kidd tells us all about his ability to give assists "like a high school tutor". But that's just the beginning of this nearly four-minute lyrical layup drill. Several of the highlights:

• Kidd touts his ball-handling skills ("Good on the dribble like an infant...")
• He addresses untruths ("Surrounded by rumors like the Timex Social...")
• Contains very likely the only rap reference ever made to former Cal basketball coach Lou Campanelli.

Enjoy your Friday, y'all...