Russell Westbrook Responds To Reference In Kendrick Lamar’s Song
Sports and hip-hop will forever go hand in hand, but the reaction from athletes hearing their names referenced in their favorite rappers’ melodies feels like unwrapping that gift you wished for on Christmas day. For Russell Westbrook, that’s the case when Kendrick Lamar etched his name within his latest single, “The Heart Part 4.”
READ: More K.Dot: Kendrick Lamar Gave Fans A Cryptic Clue
“K-Dot’s my man,” the Oklahoma City Thunder point guard told reporters on Friday (March 24), per USA Today Sports. “I was surprised. I’m happy. You know, whenever you hear your name in a song you feel like I made it, I made it, especially from my man.”
Russell Westbrook on getting name checked in Kendrick Lamar’s new song: pic.twitter.com/9I5cDtuBre
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) March 25, 2017
Lamar alluded to Westbrook’s strained relationship with former Thunder teammate, Kevin Durant, who signed to the Golden State Warriors in 2016. Within the nearly 5-minute song, the Grammy Award-winning lyricist said, “Tables turned, lessons learned, my best look/ You jumped sides on me, now you ’bout to meet Westbrook/ Go celebrate with your team and let victory touch you/ Just know, the next game played I might slap the sh*t out you.”
In an interview with Mercury News, Durant shared his thoughts on his rift with Westbrook and said he still has respect for his former teammate.
READ: Kevin Durant Remains Candid While Discussing Russell Westbrook
“I love Russ. I don’t care what nobody say. I don’t care what he say or what the fans say,” Durant said. “Like, this is a tough time right now in our relationship. But I love Russ. I love his family. They all know that. I never did anything morally wrong. I never back-stabbed him in real life, never did anything behind his back, never told anyone anything about his character. Never did any of that. I just left teams. I just switched teams.”
