Pharrell releases 4-minute mixtape with ex-NFL star Ray Lewis
by Tyler Munro
August 23, 2013
Ray Lewis in Madden 13
In the twilight of Ray Lewis’ NFL career he became known as much for his hard hits as his grandiose pre, mid and post game speeches. As the Baltimore Ravens approached their second Super Bowl title, Ray Lewis could often be seen on the sidelines, in the huddle, on the field—but always near the camera—spouting wise words that ranged from religious to fear inducing. Also, he would probably be crying.
And now, thanks to Pharrell Williams partnership orchestrated by Under Armor, we can hear Ray Lewis spout his wisdom to some big ol’ trap beats.
Natural Born Hitters is being billed as both an EP and a mixtape, and the reality is somewhere in between. A partnership borne by Under Armour, the release is three songs and four and a half minutes of Ray Lewis spittin’ that gospel.
Ravens Quarterback Joe Flacco recently said that many of Ray Lewis’ speeches didn’t make sense. Maybe that’s true, maybe he’s an idiot or maybe it’s both*, but you couldn’t deny their impact on the Ravens. Not just the leader of their defence, Lewis was the team’s mascot and hype man. His speeches didn’t have to come from any logical place because they hit their mark and inspired the team and its fans. With his recent retirement, these three tracks fill a necessary void. [via Pitchfork]
*it’s both
