Jimmer Fredette Meets Hip-Hop

There's nothing like a heaping helping of Jimmer Fredette to help BYU fans get over the Honor Code blues. Less than a week after Brandon Davies was suspended from the then-third ranked basketball team, several members of Cougar nation (and one member of the Ute Crew) released this hip-hop ode to the Beehive State's current favorite son.

Taking shots at LeBron James (they refer to The Jimmer as "the real King J") and Deron Williams (ditching his jersey for a blue & white #32), the song actually makes you forget how weary you were of The Dougie back in the fall. It also has a few entertaining cameos from several Utah basketball broadcasters including Ron Boone, David Locke and Craig Bolerjacks.

After watching how the females react to "Jimmer" in this video, it makes you wonder how he's avoided any Honor Code violations.

NER Playlist: Tony Parker Seeks Balance

Since hip-hop music is such a large part of NBA culture, it shouldn't be surprising that even a guy like Tony Parker would try to make his mark in music.

Considering how unassuming the Spurs are as a whole, I always imagined Duncan, Parker and Ginobili listening to Kenny G or Sade. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it doesn't lend itself to living a hip-hop lifestyle.

TP is apparently out to prove me wrong. Seems the Belgian baller put out a French hip-hop album back in 2007 (it even featured Jamie Foxx!) and the first single made it all the way to number one on the French charts. Since I pretty much have just a high school understanding of the French language, I didn't catch a good chunk of it, (the poor mix on his mic didn't help either) although I do think I heard something about Snoop Dogg in there.

TP was always the good teammate, putting Tim Duncan, Robert Horry Brent Barry and Nazr Mohammed in one of his videos. But something tells me this video is more a re-enactment of the reason Parker and Eva Longoria broke up. 

NER Playlist: Ray Allen Got Game

Generally the Playlist is reserved for an athlete who has veered over to the music side of things - often times with hilarious results. But in honor of Ray Allen breaking the NBA's all-time record for career 3-pointers made (check the podcast for our argument over whether it makes him a Hall of Famer), it seemed only right that today's entry come from the movie that featured Allen's star turn.

Not to mention that there's never really a bad time for a little Public Enemy.

Congratulations, Jesus Shuttlesworth Ray Allen! No doubt, you got game.

NER Playlist: LT's Electric Glide

With the latest edition of the Playlist, it's a double dose of LT: first it was Lawrence Taylor, now it's LaDainian Tomlinson and his "Electric Glide". This gem was unleashed on the world last January, allegedly as a Nike promotion - although there's very little swooshing recognizable in the video.

Otherwise, where to begin with this? Maybe with LT's Philip Michael Thomas-esque outfit? The Electric Company style graphics? Or perhaps the "Cha-Cha Slide" lyrics?

PICK UP THE BLITZ!!!!!!

Tuesday's Birthday Shout-Out: Walter McCarty Gets Smooth

For all of the jokes made the past few years about Urban Meyer's almost creepy attachment to Tim Tebow, we've all forgotten about long-running partnership between Rick Pitino and his protege Walter McCarty.

From Kentucky to Boston to Louisville, McCarty was never too far away from the man who recruited him to help win a national championship in 1996. Unfortunately, the two of them could never duplicate that magic anywhere else.

Not that their time in Beantown was all bad. The pair made a cameo in Spike Lee's "He Got Game". Then Walter decided to step out on his own. In 2003, McCarty dropped an R&B album called "Moment for Love".

Actually, it's not bad. Sampling from 112's "Peaches and Cream", McCarty sounds a bit like he could be a backup singer for any one of a number of R&B groups. And considering it was recorded in the days before Auto-Tune ruined ruled the world, it's a quality effort.

McCarty showed off some of those vocal skills before an NBA event, singing the National Anthem prior to the start of All-Star Saturday, one night before the 2006 All-Star Game. Now that he's an assistant coach for the Pacers, maybe he can team up for a duet with Jim Nabors for the start of the Indianapolis 500 at the end of May. I can guarantee that he'll be available.

NER Playlist: Green and Yellow

Music videos touting one of the Super bowl participants are as much a late January tradition as stories about oddballs at Super Bowl Media Day. Going all the way back to the 1985 Chicago Bears and the Super Bowl Shuffle, we have heard nearly an endless stream of songs designed to rally the fanbase while professing love for the home team.

Most of them suck. For instance, Seattle's ode to Matt Hasselbeck.

Even having a big name star write/produce/perform your team's song doesn't guarantee quality...Prince, anyone?

But there is hope...and it's the newest addition to the New Era Radio Playlist!

Grab yourself a drank, lay back and enjoy Pizzle and Prophetic's "Green and Yellow". It's fitting that a Super Bowl that features Wiz Khalifa's beloved Black & Yellow should have a song revamped to honor their championship game opponents.

Finally, a team-centric rap song without the Dr. Seuss lyrics and a respectable level of production for the accompanying video. Aah, how refreshing. Put on your Vince Lombardi glasses and "throw it up like bulimics do..."

Tuesday's Birthday Shout-Out: How Chris Mills Got His Groove Back

Thanks to Chris Mills, you all get a special treat...namely an early addition to the New Era Radio playlist.

Last week, Jason Kidd helped us relive B-Ball's Best Kept Secret. Today, in honor 10-year NBA veteran Chris Mills' birthday, we proudly present another track from that same hip-hop classic album. Introducing "Sumptin to Groove To".

Sounding a touch like something from a Black Moon album, Chris lets us all know that he's a "fly girl layer". Not sure if that means he associates with attractive women in general or has carnal knowledge of one of Keenan Ivory Wayans former dancers.

Actually, the track ends up being a lot like his career. Starts with great potential, shows signs of going to the next level, but ends up being pretty mediocre. Either way, it's still better than the awful uniform he was forced to wear during his time in Cleveland.

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...