Even if it feels like the last time a music video had a cultural influence on society Carson Daly was rocking black nail polish on Total Request Live, some have stood the test of time. Hip-hop and sports often intersect, and the most iconic sports-theme music videos are perfect examples of the two creating magic.
“Mo Money Mo Problems” – Puff Daddy, Mase, & Notorious B.I.G.
When Tiger Woods dominated the 1997 Masters for his first of many major championships, there was a massive influx of new golf fans. The younger generation was grabbing a putter more than ever before, so Puff Daddy and Mase decided to capitalize on Woods’s supersonic ascend to superstardom by parodying Woods’s win in Augusta in “Mo Money Mo Problems” while paying tribute to Biggie Smalls.
“Make ‘Em Say Uhh” – Master P & His No Limit Soldiers
Although many artists may have dabbled with basketball in college or enjoyed a pick-up game now and then, Master P was not like everyone else who had a wicked jump shot. Percy Miller had the attributes of many great basketball players, causing him to drop the mic and grab a ball. He ended up signing deals with the Charlotte Hornets and Toronto Raptors but only appeared in one game.
In the video for “Make ‘Em Say Uhh,” we have a tank Master P arriving on the court on top of a tank, a cornucopia of No Limit Soldiers basketball jerseys, and the Phoenix Suns gorilla throwing down monster dunks. The video ends with Master P embracing Shaq at the end, putting a bow on a five-minute masterpiece.
“Fight Night” – Migos
Boxing has been the subject of some of cinema’s finest masterpieces, such as Rocky, Creed, and The Fighter, so it made sense for Migos’s “Fight Night” to adopt a boxing theme for their video. Like most Migos tracks, it flows like a butterfly and stings like a bee, and the avid crowd is hungry for blood.
The group opted for a couple of female fighters to be the video’s subjects rather than some overly yoked Russian and an underdog American, which is the most tried and true formula for anything boxing-related.
“Take It To Da House” – Trick Daddy
Trick Daddy is no stranger to having a sports anthem that excites the crowd, with “Let’s Go” still getting played in arenas all over the globe, but the video for “Take It To Da House” paid homage to HBCU schools with a marching band to kick off the video. And when you throw in Trina as a cheerleading captain and a glass-shattering, game-winning dunk as the chef’s kiss, you have one of the best sports-themed videos ever.
“Batter Up” – Nelly & St. Lunatics
St. Louis Cardinals fans are adamant about being the best baseball fans, which made a baseball game make total sense for Nelly and St. Lunatics. It’s safe to assume some folks would rather put their right hand to their heart and sing “The fish don’t fry in the kitchen, beans don’t burn on the grill” over the traditional national anthem, thanks to this epic music video. “Batter Up” has Sherman Hemsley shimmying, pit bulls making plate appearances, and a scorekeeper updating the score with barbeque sauce, making it a grand slam.
There have been several other examples of incorporating sports in a music video, but these are undoubtedly the most iconic sports-themed music videos. Nothing will likely dethrone them since music videos are now as relevant as DVD players.
