Name Droppin': A History Of Jay-Z's Obsession With Michael Jordan

Jay-Z has a thing for Michael Jordan. Part adoration, part emulation, Hov's obsession with the greatest basketball player of all time is well documented in his (imaginary) rhyme book. Sure there are similarities: Pseudo retirements at the top of their respective games, ballin' on and off the court, wearing 45s and Air Jordans. As MJ approaches his 50th bornday, take a look back at the most humbling name drops from seemingly his greatest rap admirer. --John Kennedy

Artist: Jay-Z Feat. Memphis Bleek
Album: Reasonable Doubt
Song: "Coming of Age"

"That's just the natural cycle, nobody wanna be like Michael/where I'm from, just them niggaz who bounce from a gun"

Artist: Jay-Z Feat. Amil
Album: Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter
Song: "S. Carter"

"I stay sportin' played Jordan's before Jordan"

Artist: Jay-Z Feat. Amil
Album: Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter
Song: "Hova Song (Intro)"

"Mike Jordan of rap, outside Jay workin'/Now watch how quickly I drop 50"

Artist: Michael Jackson Feat. Jay-Z
Song: "You Rock My World 12"

"Uh, the Mike Jordan of rap, the Mike Jackson of pop"

Artist: Jay-Z & R. Kelly
Album: The Best of Both Worlds
Song: "The Best of Both Worlds"

"It's not even close, just leave it alone/I'm Michael Jordan, I play for the team I own"

Artist: Cam'Ron Feat. Jay-Z and Juelz Santana
Album: Come Home With Me
Song: "Welcome to New York City"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Welcome to the Empire State. Home of the World Trade. Birthplace of Michael Jordan."

Artist: Jay-Z
Album: The S. Carter Collection
Song: "Pump It Up (Remix)"

"Don't worry, I'm not Mike Jordan/Of the mic recording/Hovi’ baby/you Kobe, maybe/ Tracy McGrady/Matter fact you Harold Miner/J.R. Rider/Washed up on marijuana"

Artist: Jay-Z Feat. Pharrell Williams & Young Chris
Album: The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse
Song: "Nigga Please"

"Nigga please, I been around the world/I damn near beat Jordan in around-the-world"

Artist: Jay-Z
Album: The Black Album
Song: "Encore"

"As fate would have it/Jay's status/appears to be at an all-time high/perfect time to say goodbye/When I come back like Jordan, wearin the 4-5"

Artist: Jay-Z & R. Kelly f/ Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick
Album: Unfinished Business
Song: "The Return (Remix)

"Losers lose, so when we does what we do, we win/And win again, like deja vu/Then we win again, like M.J. do/Three-peat, then we retreat to waters that's blue"

Artist: Jay-Z
Album: Kingdom Come
Song: "Show Me What You Got"

"Shots of Patron, now she's in the zone/I ain't talking about the two-three/Mami in the zone like the homie 2-3/Jordan or James, makes no difference boo I'm ballin' the same"

Artist: Jay-Z
Album: Kingdom Come
Song: "Show Me What You Got"

"I am the Mike Jordan of recording/You might want to fall back from recording"

Artist: Jay-Z & Kanye West (The Throne)
Album: Watch The Throne
Song: "Niggas In Paris"

"I'm liable to go Michael, take your pick/Jackson, Tyson, Jordan, Game 6"

Artist: Jay-Z & Kanye West (The Throne)
Album: Watch the Throne
Song: "Primetime"

"As far as them 16's, I'm 23 of it all"

Artist: Jay-Z & Kanye West (The Throne)
Album: Watch the Throne
Song: "Primetime"

"I carried the four-five, mastered forty-eight laws/Still wearing my twenty-three's they can't fuck with the boy"