Golf

Famous Rappers Who are Avid Golfers, From Snoop Dogg to Jay-Z

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2d ago

Jul 22, 2024 / 3203 Views

Hip-hop and golf are two completely distinct forms of entertainment. While one is most likely to be described as a meditative sport, the other is a form of music that is wildly expressive. Yet, the worlds of rap and golf often collide, given that several rappers have formed a deep connection with the sport. From adding it to their music videos to enjoying it as a leisure sport, these rappers who are avid golfers are not afraid to show their love of it.

A commonly known characteristic of golf is that it requires patience and years of practice to ace. Compare it to rap, a musical form that uniquely combines poetry and rhythm, and few things in common will emerge. However, both golf and rap can be difficult to master, and rappers have risen spectacularly to the challenge. And while the advent of golf among rappers may seem fairly recent, the connection between the two goes a long way back.

How did the worlds of rap and golf collide?

Considering the reputation of golf, which has long been regarded as an elite sport enjoyed at leisure by the uber-rich, it comes as no surprise that it has gained aspirational value. Playing on this very sentiment, the hip-hop genre, which is known to glorify displays of wealth and opulence, has adopted golf as an additional point of bragging in songs.

Several rappers have included the sport in both the visual imagery and lyrics of their songs. From Tyler, the Creator’s Tamale that shows him jumping off golf carts and throwing golf clubs to Drake and French Montana’s No Stylist collaboration, where the two act as Dominican Republic sports commentators for El Coke Boys Clasico golf tournament, the list of rap songs with golf connections is endless.

The trio of Tiger Woods, rap, and golf

Tiger Woods golf — Several rappers are known fans of the legendary golf player Tiger Woods. (Image: Tiger Woods/Instagram)

Another key factor that pulled rap into the world of golf has been one of the sport’s most famous players, Tiger Woods. In a sport that was traditionally dominated by white players, Woods became a representative of racial progress for the sport and his significant achievements made him a celebratory hero in the world of rap, which initially echoed the harsh realities of racial politics and challenges faced by low-income neighbourhoods.

The American golfer, who has been deemed one of the greatest players of all time, has been namedropped in several hip-hop songs by the most successful rappers in the business. Jay-Z famously drops the line “I’m Tiger Woods” in Who You Wit II; in addition to that, Mos Def also sings, “Got the opposition shook like Tiger Woods about to tee off” in Body Rock. After Woods’ personal life took a tumultuous turn, his relationship scandal was also covered by Brooklyn rapper Maino in the song, Tiger Woods (Get ‘Em Tiger’).

From singing about golf to playing the sport and enjoying it on some of the most exclusive clubs, these famous rappers who are also avid golfers are living the high life. Let’s take a look at their time-honoured of the sport.

Check out famous rappers who are avid golfers

Scarface

Rappers who play golf — Scarface aka Brad Jordan has shown off his love for golf several times on his social media. (Image: Brad Jordan/Instagram)

Scarface of the Geto Boys may be a popular name in rap, but for his golf identity, the Houston rapper embraces his real name, Brad Jordan. Known for working on signature hip-hop tunes like Damn It Feels Good to Be a Gangsta and Mind Playing Tricks on Me, the rapper first found himself drawn to the sport after his 14-year-old daughter, Brene Jordan began taking lessons for it. On facing a poor loss to her during a game of golf, Jordan took it upon himself to learn to play and eventually ended up becoming a fan of it.

Speaking to Billboard about the game, he said, “The game of golf slows the whole world down and gives you time to think. Golf teaches you class and character.” His evolution from legendary rapper to passionate golfer has been such that Scarface became the star of a new campaign from Adidas and Malbon, who released a line of golf clothing inspired by Bing Crosby’s favourite golf clothes.

ScHoolboy Q

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Quincy Matthew Hanley, better known by his stage name ScHoolboy Q, is one of the most popular rappers who has seriously flaunted his passion for golf, even making a business out of it. While taking a break from the music scene, Q continued to enjoy golf. Interestingly, his hobby landed him with multiple endorsement deals that helped boost his net worth.

The rapper, who reportedly frequented the Calabasas country club, has been vocal about his love for golf and particularly about how it helped his personality. In an interview with GQ, he revealed why golf was a great sport to indulge in and said, “Golf taught me patience, and you need that in the music industry.” While his influence on the world of rap has been great, Q has quickly gained an amazing reputation in golf as well, and recently also collaborated with 2K Games for the rollout of the PGA Tour 2K21 game.

Travis Scott

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Travis Scott has a dual connection to golf, as the rapper not only enjoys playing the sport but has also contributed to the fashion side of it. Scott famously launched the AJ1 Low Golf x Travis Scott shoes in October 2023, which quickly became the ideal choice for sneakerheads who love golf. As for his own connection to the game, the Grammy-nominated rapper is known to enjoy the sport with his close friends, which also include a few fellow rappers. The Sicko Mode singer has also participated in charity golf tournaments, seemingly forming friendships with pro golfers. He has been seen playing alongside Brooks Koepka on the golf greens.

50 Cent

rappers who are golfers — 50 Cent has been spotted enjoying golf with fellow rapper Travis Scott. (Image: 50 Cent/Instagram)

He may have once mocked Jay-Z’s 4:44 album as “golf course music”, but rapper Curtis James Jackson III, professionally known as 50 Cent, doesn’t actually have anything against the game. In fact, the In Da Club singer is among the most famous rappers who are also passionate golfers. He is known to spend leisure time on the golf course and has also teamed up with fellow rapper Travis Scott for the same.

Earlier this year, 50 Cent and Scott teamed up for an epic game alongside retired football coach Nick Saban. However, if you are wondering if the rapper’s swing is on point, consider this bout of banter started by professional golfer Taylor Gooch about his poor game. While speaking on an LIV Golf Series podcast, Gooch made fun of 50 Cent’s game and said, “He sucks at golf, by the way. Have you ever seen his swing?”

Jay-Z

Jay-Z is not just the highest-paid rapper in the world; he is also a massively successful businessman. The Roc Nation founder has a taste for expensive things, and besides his tremendously valuable art collection, the musician also shares a love for sports. From NBA games to soccer tournaments, Jay-Z has been spotted everywhere.

While he may not take to social media to share his golf course adventures, the rapper is a known fan of the sport. Such has been Jay-Z’s passion to excel at the game that he had even tapped British rapper Tinchy Stryder to give him golf lessons. On the business front, the rapper’s Roc Nation has also partnered with the Ryder Cup to produce a variety of content, in the hopes of appealing to diverse and younger fans.

Drake

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When not indulging in rap beef with fellow musician Kendrick Lamar, the God’s Plan singer doesn’t mind spending a breezy day on the Golf course. While he has admitted that he is not good at playing Golf, Drake has shared that he enjoys the Game on a social media post, “I’m trash at this sport but the drinks are hitting.” The rapper was seen spending a day on the greens at the Royal Turks and Caicos Golf Club. While his Golf swing is not what enthusiasts and players of the sport would deem great, the rapper continues to work on his Game, both on and off the pitch.

As part of his off-course achievements for the sport, Drake has heavily invested in the PGA Tour to help reinvigorate the world of golf. His other business associations with the game involve fashion; he famously launched a golf collection of sportswear with Nike in 2021. The collection also revealed how Drake came to love the sport of golf, as he dedicated it to his uncle, Steven Sher, with whom he created some of his best childhood memories on the golf course.

Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg received veteran rapper status a long time ago, and now he is out to earn similar titles in many other fields. Most recently, he shocked fans by comPeting in a 200-meter race at the 2024 Olympic Team Trials in Oregon. The 52-year-old rapper completed the race in 34.44 seconds, and is now set to take on the role of a guest commentator for NBC at the 2024 Summer Olympics. As the hip-hop icon continues to prove that there is nothing he cannot do, he also tops the list of rappers who are Golfers. The rapper passionately learnt the sport by investing in private lesson Golf lessons with PGA Pro Seema Sadekar. Besides enjoying the sport, Snoop Dogg has also brought new fans to the Game through Entertainment.

In 2022, Snoop Dogg, along with other artists, was invited to perform at a LIV Golf event. In fact, the musician has also taken his love for golf to the big screen by appearing in the role of Huggy Bear for the 2004 reboot of Starsky & Hutch. A famous scene from the film features him as a caddy for drug kingpin Reese Feldman (portrayed by Vince Vaughn).

(Main and featured images: Ovrnundr/X; Snoop Dogg/Instagram)