LiAngelo Ball signs music deal after hit song ‘Tweaker’

LOS ANGELES — LiAngelo Ball is expanding his life playbook, taking a pivot from his hoop dreams to a fresh focus on music with a new record deal.

Ball signed with Def Jam and Universal Music Group, a representative from the label confirmed Monday. He had a brief stint in the NBA and overseas, but he’s created positive waves with his rap debut “Tweaker,” which has gone viral garnering millions of views on social media.

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The track, which was released Jan. 3, oozes with nostalgic mid-2000s rap vibes gaining popularity with co-signs popular music figures such as Meek Mill, Lil Yachty and T-Pain. His surging momentum helped earn him an opportunity to perform at Rolling Loud California in March.

READ: NBA: Hornets part ways with LiAngelo Ball

Ball, 25, comes from a basketball lineage as the middle brother of Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball and Charlotte Hornets all-star LaMelo Ball. After LiAngelo went unselected in the 2018 NBA draft, he signed training camp deals with a couple of teams — including the Pistons and Hornets — but he never secured a spot on an active regular-season roster.

In 2021, LiAngelo joined the Greensboro Swarm, an NBA G League team, where he averaged 4.4. points and 1.1 rebounds in 31 games.

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LiAngelo started the 2017-18 college season with UCLA, but was involved in a shoplifting scandal during a team trip to China. UCLA suspended him, and he ended up leaving school. He and LaMelo signed with a Lithuanian club.

But now, LiAngelo was enough to make Def Jam’s roster — which includes other rap acts like 2 Chainz, Big Sean, Pusha T and Rapsody.

ESPN reported that LiAngelo’s new deal is worth around $13 million with $8 million guaranteed, including full ownership of his music and record label.