If you don’t know who recording artist Lil B is, maybe you’ve heard of the Based God. If neither ring a bell, I don’t blame you. His cult following is small yet fierce, built on more than 50 projects released during his career — a level of production unheard of in the music world. If you don’t believe me, believe Chance the Rapper on “Do My Dance (BASED FREESTYLE)”.
“Aye can I just introduce my mans real quick?/… Most mixtapes ever listened to in the world/… Most positive, most you know what I’m saying/ Most loving, most caring/… most eclectic, most intellectual artist,” Chano says of the Based God during the song’s interlude.
The Based God’s influence reaches beyond music, and he has been stirring up waves throughout the NBA again in recent weeks.
Lil B took it upon himself to warn some of the league’s rookies of the dangers of crossing the Based God when he tweeted repeatedly at Lonzo Ball — who was recorded calling rap legend Nas “outdated” — about the importance of respecting hip-hop.
Just days later Lil B tweeted that Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics were the recipients of his NBA blessings this year. The Celtics responded accordingly, tweeting out “#TYBG” as a message of gratitude.
In honor of the Based God’s recent activity (including his new mixtape, Black Ken), The Diamondback compiled a list of the seven most Based God things the Based God has ever said or done.
7. “Just soak it in man, cause everything real, everything authentic/You feel me?/None of that faking, turn it to that next track, let’s go in” — “Whats Next BASED FREESTYLE”
These lyrics from Free (BASED FREESTYLE MIXTAPE) — the Based God’s collaborative free mixtape with Chance the Rapper — do a good job of capturing the essence of Lil B’s music philosophy. He has always been a proponent of artists making experimental music on their own terms in an effort to create the tracks that are the most true to who they are.
6. “Hoes on my dick cause I’m white like Asher Roth/bitches on my dick cause my rims chop like applesauce” — “Suck My Dick Hoe”
One of Lil B’s favorite topics to rap about is women, which he often does in unfortunately typical rap fashion (offensively and with sexist language). The comments about applesauce also invoke images of Lil B’s famous dance move which he has cursed people for stealing in the past (see No. 2).
5. “Cyphers with Kendrick Lamar/And I ain’t spittin’ a bar/Unless you got 50,000 or more/To be a rapper, is an honor/Enlighten the people and you can let they mind prosper/Because ain’t nothin’ cool about wastin’ your time/It’s pressure, Charles Hamilton with compressors/A little Kanye in the message” — “Hip Hop”
Lil B has always held hip hop legends in the highest regard (Lonzo Ball tweets, remember those?), and these lines are no different. He shouts out both Kendrick and Kanye in this song of his latest mixtape, Black Ken. Which brings us to our next item.
4. Lil B’s actions over the past two weeks, interacting first with the Lakers and then the Celtics, have been vintage Based God. While no actual curses were doled out, any time Lil B has an impact on the NBA is notable.
3. “Interview my girlfriend/swag, swag, swag, swag/brang-dang-dang your girlfriend” — “Ellen Degeneres”
The absurdity and repetitiveness of these lines makes them 110 percent Based God. While Lil B may not fit cleanly into any one genre of music, he does have his own unique, recognizable style.
2. In 2015 the Based God placed his infamous curse on James Harden of the Houston Rockets for refusing to give Lil B credit for the aforementioned dance move. Over the summer, the Based God was nice enough to lift the curse, but the two-year hex on Houston will not soon be forgotten.
1. There is nothing more purely Based God than the combination of the song “Fuck KD” from his Hoop Life mixtape and his actual curse on now-Golden State Warriors small forward Kevin Durant when he was with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
