The sports world suffered a great loss following the death of Hall-Of-Fame NFL Coach and broadcaster John Madden, who on Tuesday (Dec. 28) passed away unexpectedly at the age of 85. Former coach of the Oakland Raiders, Madden led the franchise to seven AFC Championship games and a Super Bowl victory during his decade-long stint in the Bay Area. Retiring in 1979 with the highest winning percentage among NFL coaches with more than 100 games, Madden took his talents to the broadcast booth that same year, where he quickly became one of the top color commentators in sports, racking up 16 Sports Emmy Awards during his career.
One aspect of Madden’s legacy that looms as large as his contributions as a coach and broadcaster is Madden NFL, the most successful sports video game franchise of all-time. Debuting as John Madden Football in 1988, before rebranding as Madden NFL in 1994, the franchise became an overnight sensation due to the realism of its gameplay and offering fans the opportunity to call actual plays for their team of choice. Having generated over $4 billion in sales all-time, in addition to topping the best-sellers list during its launch month for 21 consecutive years, the Madden NFL franchise has developed a loyal following with players spanning the farthest reaches of the globe. While the game has transcended various generations and walks of life, its standing within Hip-Hop is particularly profound, as the franchise has long been a staple in the lives of both rap artists and fans.
Both exploding as national phenomenons during the early ’90s, Madden NFL has grown with Hip-Hop over the past three decades; with numerous artists referencing their affinity for the game on wax and elsewhere, and the video game franchise embracing Hip-Hop music by featuring the genre’s best on various soundtracks throughout the years. Rap stars like The Game have even been considered among the best Madden NFL players in the world, a coveted bragging right amongst the Hip-Hop faithful. And with Snoop Dogg, Migos, Lil Yachty, DJ Khaled, and Joey Bada$$ appearing in Madden NFL 20 as playable characters, and the Madden NFL 22 soundtrack including the likes of Moneybagg Yo, Swae Lee, Jack Harlow, 42 Dugg, Morray, Tierra Whack, JID, and Belly, Madden NFL‘s longstanding relationship with Hip-Hop is primed to continue to endure, even in the wake of its namesake’s death.
In acknowledgment of John Madden and Madden NFL‘s impact on the Hip-Hop community, VIBE highlighted 15 of the most memorable Madden references and name-drops in rap history.
1. Onyx – “Throw Ya Gunz” (1992)
“Stick ups assassin,’ tracks a new reaction / These fuckin’ niggas shoulda made the All-Madden / Onyx is wreckin’ shit, slip slide step quick / Super on the tenant, the kids crash like a rented” – Fredro Starr
2. Spice-1 – “Strap on the Side” (1994)
“So nick-nack paddywhack, give a G a gat / And put some bullets in that ass crack / Yeah, break em down with the mac / And like John Madden ’93, “Boom, he’s on his back” – Spice-1
3. Big Pun – “You Ain’t A Killer” (1998)
I’ll slit your jug’ vein and snatch your Adam’s Apple / John Madden-tackle your corpse to hoist it on a cross at the tabernacle / That’ll have to hurt, I’ll work your body ’til it burst / Then curse tu vida like a Brujería verse” – Big Pun
4. Jay-Z – “People Talkin'”
“Pull hammers from my waist / We can clap at this amateur pace / If that’s what’s crackin’ / Or we can play this on “All Madden” – Jay-Z
5. The Game feat. 50 Cent – “Westside Story”
“Come to Compton, see Thriller like Mike Jackson / I might be Spike Lee of this gun clappin’ / Prior to rapping, I was drug trafficking / In the dope spot, playing John Madden” – The Game
6. Young Jeezy – “Let’s Get It/Sky’s the Limit” (2005)
“Soft to hard, white to green / All these free agents, ya better build ya team / I commentate the game like John Madden / Cause I played in the game like John Madden” – Young Jeezy
7. Chief Keef – “John Madden” (2011)
“So hide your lady, my niggas reckless they’ll fuck your lady / And let you have it, fuck nigga we all savage / 300 savage with Lamron, it’s closed caskets / O-Block we blitzing niggas like John Madden”
8. Mac Miller – “Uhh, Most Dope” (2011)
“Carry music that I Hussle like Nipsey / The type of bars puttin’ stones in your kidneys / I think I found my passion / Used to play sports, now all I play is Madden” – Mac Miller
9. Meek Mill feat, Louie V – Rich & Famous (2012)
“She was messing with me way before I had the money / You niggas playing games, I’m getting Madden money / Just to commentate, peep how I operate / I put your chick up in this ghost, Bet she cooperate” – Meek Mill
10. Capital STEEZ- “King Steelo” (2019)
“I told her make the neck romantic / Move like the Phantom when we shift through Manhattan / My slimes caught an airplane now we radioactive / We coming for New York like the Jets did to Madden”
11. Migos – “Look at My Dab” (2015)
“Dabbin’ is a way of fashion / Touchdown like I’m Takeoff McFadden / Call a play like I’m Takeoff John Madden / Should get a platinum plaque from all this dabbin'” – Takeoff
12. Kendrick Lamar – “Lust” (2017)
“Hang with the homies, stunt on your baby mama, sip some lean / Go get a pistol, shoot out the window, bet your favorite team / Play you some Madden, go to the club or your mama house / Whatever you doing, just make it count” – Kendrick Lamar
13. J. Cole & Bas – “Tribe” (2018)
“I’m done with all that tough acting / John Madden would’ve saw it happen, and so it happens / My niggas want life’s good things, they still dreaming / And you deserve ’em too, I’ma do it just so it happens” – Bas
14. Juice WRLD – “Codeine Casket” (2020)
“Make sure you put codeine in my casket / And some Perkies in my ratchet / Wreaking havoc, like a savage / I’m just tryna catch a play like Madden” – Juice WRLD
15. Pop Smoke feat. 21 Savage And 42 Dugg – “Bout A Million” (2021)
“Twenty-one, I’m a savage / I got twenty-one in the carats / Throwin’ bullets, throwin’ bullets like I’m Madden / Leave that nigga in a casket” – Pop Smoke