Here's an inside look at the late, great Kobe Bryant’s rap career

It’s been five years since Kobe Bryant tragically passed away in an unfortunate helicopter crash. Kobe was a force to be reckoned with on and off the court and was one of the biggest icons in the world of sports. While his basketball achievements speak of his greatness, some may not know that Kobe was also a rapper and an ardent fan of hip-hop.

The late legend was part of a rap group called CHEIZAW when he was in high school. While being passionate about basketball and music, Kobe managed to break through in both disciplines. His group went on to land a record deal with Sony Entertainment. However, the main focus for Sony was to capitalize on Kobe’s popularity and work solely with him.

Plus, Kobe laid out several feature verses in the mid to late 90s, including on Bryan McKnight's "Hold Me." But it wasn’t until January 2000 that Kobe got his first opportunity to put his name on his own song. His first single “K.O.B.E.” was released on January 25, 2000 and it featured Tyra Banks. It was expected to be his grand launch into the world of hip-hop, but it didn't work out like that.

The single was not well received by the public. In fact, the reception was so contrary to expectation that it eclipsed the future of his debut album, Visions. The album was slated to be released in the spring of 2000, but it was shelved and could never see the light of day. After the year 2000, Kobe’s NBA career had a meteoric rise, and the Black Mamba became laser-focused on becoming the best basketball player in the world.

Although Kobe had to abandon his rap career, he's been name-dropped by several rappers over the years. In 2009, Lil Wayne even released a song titled “Kobe Bryant.” Kobe’s greatness was something to marvel at, and notable rappers have referred to his name as a sign of respect in their songs.