Houston Rockets superstar James Harden wore a shirt featuring the face of the late rap icon Eazy-E into Oakland’s Oracle Arena for Game 2 of the NBA Playoffs series with the Golden State Warriors. Harden was letting people know he was bringing a ruthless, serious, tough, all-business vibe to the ferocious physical battle that the Rockets-Warriors series became from the opening tip.
Eazy-E, who died in 1995 at the age of 30, is sometimes called the Godfather of Gangsta Rap. With Ice Cube and Dr. Dre as members of N.W.A. Eazy-E gave the world the seminal Straight Outta Compton. That 1988 release of the Straight Outta Compton record was a ground-breaking, culture-changing moment in rap, hip hop, and American history.
Harden was channeling Eazy-E for multiple reasons, no doubt. First, Harden too is from Compton — and he maintains his bona fide Straight Outta Compton roots as part of his personal narrative: Harden’s powerful work ethic and push to succeed and rise above have their roots in his upbringing.
[related: Eazy-E Died of AIDS But Son Stirs Murder Theory on ‘Growing Up Hip Hop’]
[N.W.A. tee at Amazon]
Easy-E, born Eric Lynn Wright, was a tough kid — and a tough man — like Harden. Their similarities are in their ruthlessness. Eazy-E founded a record company called Ruthless Records, which also sounds like Harden — who has been ruthless in pursuit of NBA records. (He’s got a lot of them, but how about this: Harden is the only NBA player ever to score at least 30 points against all other teams in the NBA within a single season.)
Eazy-E’s vibe wasn’t enough to help Harden’s Rockets overcome the Warriors on their homecourt in Game 2, though — the Rockets fell short 115-109. Harden will doubtless bring even more attitude to Game 3, where the Rockets will try to hold at home.
