For Portland Trail Blazers star guard Damian Lillard, being an NBA player helps him ‘stay creative as an artist.'
Speaking with Eric Diep of Billboard, Lillard spoke about his career as a hip hop artist under the pseudonym Dame D.O.L.L.A. For the four-time All-Star, music is not just an outlet but a serious craft.
“I just think the experience of being a NBA player just contributes to how I am able to stay creative as an artist,” Lillard shared. “The constant travel, the constant media attention. The environments that I am always in — whether it's awards or parties. I’m always somewhere where it's worth noting, like it’s a situation that’s worth holding on to, where the everyday person doesn’t have access to.”
Apart from the present, Lillard also takes inspiration from the past. He views himself as an outsider — someone who isn't on the radar and one who goes against the grain. And he takes these reflections and turns them into rap verses.
“I can share it in a way where I come from the different side. I come from the neighborhood. I wasn’t a child star. I wasn’t a big-time recruit. People didn’t even know me in college until literally I got drafted, that’s when people learned about me. I can tell it from a different point of view,” the Blazers All-Star furthered.
Indeed, Lillard is not just a great basketball player but has the capacity to be a terrific artist as well. His latest album Big D.O.L.L.A — which got rave reviews from hip-hop and basketball fans alike — is proof of that.
Follow Us
Subscribe