Callan Hooks, ESPN
Many professional basketball players have dabbled in music, but in 2025, one basketball player's rap career is starting to reach new heights.
LiAngelo Ball, the middle brother of Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball and Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, has yet to play a minute of NBA regular season action. However, 26-year-old LiAngelo has taken the music world by storm with his latest single "Tweaker," which brings early- to mid-2000s rap styles into modern hip-hop.
The single was released exclusively on the WorldstarHipHop YouTube page on January 3rd. As of January 9, the video has been viewed 5.6 million times.
The Ball family is no stranger to the rap game. Lonzo has several songs, including "Zo2," a record used to promote his Big Baller Brand signature shoe. LiAngelo's songs, released on the Born to Ball Music Group label, have caused a stir in the sports and rap worlds. Lonzo has declared 2025 the "Year of G(elo)".
Once LiAngelo started teasing his single, it was only a matter of time before the song hit the charts. The song entered the top 10 on Spotify's U.S. streaming chart on Wednesday, according to Chart Data. The song has 1,398,725 plays as of Thursday, according to Spotify, surpassing Tyler, the Creator's "Sticky" featuring GloRilla, Sexyy Red and Lil Wayne, and Kendrick Lamar's "tv off" featuring Lefty Gunplay , ranked fourth.
If you don't believe that 2025 might already belong to LiAngelo, or his rap name G3, here's a timeline of what's happened since his music career took off.
LiAngelo performs at Ford Field
During the first quarter of the NFC Divisional Round game between the Detroit Lions and the Washington Commanders, LiAngelo performed "Tweaker" to the delight of the Detroit crowd.
Gelo Ball performs at Ford Field 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/9st6mrL8HL
— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) January 19, 2025
Ball signs music deal worth $13M
The success of "Tweaker" brought huge rewards to LiAngelo. On Monday morning, Ball signed with Def Jam and Universal Music Group — a deal worth up to $13 million, with $8 million guaranteed, sources told ESPN insider Shams Charania.
Brother Lonzo proposed the deal to X as an explanation for the release date of LiAngelo's music being later than the date he originally teased.
Now you all understand why we can't give up... The higher ups say hang in there, haha, this is beyond my capabilities
— Lonzo Ball (@ZO2_) January 13, 2025
'Tweaker' is entering arenas, locker rooms
Picture this: It's 2005 and you've just won the championship. The first song on the playlist is "Back Then" by rapper Mike Jones, and the group is singing an impromptu singalong. LiAngelo’s “Tweaker” has a similar energy. On the day of its release, the song rang out in the Cleveland Cavaliers' locker room after their 134-122 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell yelled at LiAngelo during his postgame interview.
A few days later, coach Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks were rocking out to the song at practice.
The song was also played after the Detroit Lions beat the Minnesota Vikings 31-9 to capture the NFC's top seed.
I might turn, bend that corner, WOOOAAAHHH https://t.co/gDHzgNEzy1
- Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) January 9, 2025
The musical plan was in place after Cleveland beat Oklahoma City, snapping the Thunder's 15-game winning streak and extending the Cavaliers' winning streak to 11 games. In a postgame interview with ESPN's Michael Eaves, Cavaliers guard Darius Garland confirmed that he will play the auxiliary chords in the locker room and that the team will hear LiAngelo's song.
"I got the assist. You know we've hit Jero."
Darius Garland hits Gelo's 'tweaker' after Cavaliers win Wednesday night 😅 pic.twitter.com/JGVVI1wdnI
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 9, 2025
LiAngelo may have gotten the ultimate compliment from Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard. Lillard, who also goes by the name Dame DOLLA, told Eaves after the Bucks' 121-105 win over the San Antonio Spurs that he was "shocked by it and respects" LiAngelo's song and rap career .
Rapper approves and pleads to be featured on 'Tweaker' remix
After LiAngelo was announced as a performer on "Rolling Loud California" on Tuesday, rappers began calling for a feature on the new hit single. Artists MoneyBagg Yo, T-Pain, Lil Yachty, Meek Mill and Lil Boosie expressed their appreciation for the record and said they were excited to be involved in the remix.
I might bend that corner wow pic.twitter.com/zXXyC2aU1b
— T-Pain (@TPAIN) January 6, 2025
@LiAngeloBall Send me an open verse and I’ll tweak it 🔥🗣️
- Talk (@MoneyBaggYo) January 7, 2025
Rolling Loud Announces Gelo as Part of California Lineup
The festival is known to showcase the hottest rappers in the industry, but some of them have been around for much longer than LiAngelo. It’s safe to say he did the right thing. On Tuesday, Rolling Loud California announced its lineup for the mid-March music festival. LiAngelo was included in an opening day list headlined by A$AP Rocky, which included YG, Larry June, BossMan Dlow and Ski Mask the Slump God.
The noisy California
March 15-16, 2025Get your tickets for the first time this Friday at 11am PT
Special offer this Friday at 12pm PT
Weekend passes start at $179🔥
Register for first visit
- Rolling Loud (@RollingLoud) January 7, 2025
👉 pic.twitter.com/8jb3Wm39MK
.@LIANGELOBALLFirst time scrolling loud 🔥
- Rolling Loud (@RollingLoud) January 7, 2025