Sickapedia: The Immortals: Kobe Bryant

Monday, March 2, 2020

The Immortals: Kobe Bryant

August 23, 1978 - January 26, 2020

Kobe Bean Bryant was born on August 23, 1978 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The youngest of professional basketball player Joe "Jellybean" Bryant's three children, it wasn't long before Kobe followed in his father's footsteps.

While Kobe Bryant earned his celebrity as a professional basketball player (and 5-time NBA champion), he also took a stab at the music business.

While still in high school, Bryant was a member of the 8-person rap group CHEIZAW. Inspired by Wu-Tang Clan, the group named themselves after the Chi Sah gang from the kung-fu movie The Kid with the Golden Arm. In 1998, the group (minus two members) was signed to Sony Entertainment by executive Steve Stoute, head of the label's urban music division, who fully intended to exploit Bryant's growing celebrity and potential as a solo artist.

Bryant was soon featured at a Los Angeles concert hosted by radio personalities Sway and King Tech. He subsequently recorded a verse for teammate Shaquille O'Neal's song "3 X's Dope", produced by Rodolfo "Clark Kent" Franklin. "3 X's Dope" appears on his fourth album, Respect, released in 1998.

Later that year, Bryant moved into Stoute's New Jersey home to work on his craft. During this time, the hoops prodigy regularly recorded at New York's Hit Factory recording studio.

The following year, Bryant made a cameo in the video for the Destiny's Child song "Bug a Boo". He also provided a guest verse on a version of the group's 1999 single "Say My Name".

January of 2000 saw the release of Bryant's debut single, "K.O.B.E.", produced by Sean "S-dot" Francis and featuring supermodel Tyra Banks singing the chorus. "K.O.B.E." failed critically and commercially and as a result, Bryant's debut album, Visions, scheduled for release in early 2000, was shelved and his Sony contract was terminated later that year.

Undeterred, Bryant and former New England Patriots player Jerrod Washington subsequently co-founded Heads High Entertainment, which included New York rapper Uneek on its roster. However, the label was shuttered within months.

Bryant provided a guest verse on the remix of R&B star Bryant McKnight's song "Hold Me". The version in which Bryant appears was released on November 10, 1998. He's also featured in the accompanying music video alongside McKnight and rapper (and one half of producing team Trackmasters) Red Hot Lover Tone.