LeBron James, the iconic face of the Los Angeles Lakers, has recently broken the NBA scoring record. His remarkable achievement came on March 4, in a home game against the New Orleans Pelicans. Orchestrating this historic moment truly caps off his remarkable career. He is the first and only player in the league’s history to ever score more than 50,000 points. While he chases his fifth NBA title, James’ dedication inspires a tidal wave of creativity on social media. The crown jewel of the unique creations on hand is undoubtedly the original tune “Reigning in LA (LeBron James Anthem)” by Vincent Jordan, better known as OkaySpade.
In a recent game versus the bypassed Pelicans James proved his immortal skill-level with a 16-point quarter that left defenders helpless. This scoring record adds to his already-historic resume. Along the way, with 21 NBA All-Star appearances, he cements his claim to being one of the best basketball players in history. His career highlights include an unforgettable 3-1 comeback in the 2016 NBA Finals with the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Golden State Warriors.
All this has fueled a fast-growing defensive trend around James. Now, multiple TikTok creators have been inspired to write songs to honor his impact. Vincent Jordan’s anthem stands out as a catchy homage to James’ illustrious career. Jordan himself expressed enthusiasm for this trend, stating, “Finna make a LeBron James tribute right now.”
The love song went viral on TikTok, inspiring users to make videos to profess their love for James. Cortez Miles helped join the trend, dropping his own LeBron-themed song. Beyond that, though, he helped us out with some real gems into how he approaches his creative process. “I did the template of the actual song of whatever the flow was and just redid it with LeBron’s accolades,” said Miles. And finally, he noted that he didn’t alter the original rhythm. By referencing James’ accomplishments, he made it abundantly clear how profoundly he reveres the basketball icon.
Even LeBron James has recognized this trend, lamenting in a recent interview that it’s gotten to the point where you can’t escape seeing these tributes on social media. “It’s almost impossible [to not see them]. My younger son, Bryce, actually showed me one … we got a good laugh out of it,” he remarked. The hoop legend’s appreciation of these new musical honors makes his relationship with his fans that much deeper.
As the trend continues to grow, it has garnered attention from fans and other professional athletes. Philadelphia 76ers rookie guard Jared McCain was one of the first with a reaction to Miles’ LeBron-themed track, saying, “This sh*t flames.” This high praise is indicative of how deep these tributes go, not only with fans, but throughout the professional basketball community.
Filmmaker Vincent Jordan’s no-frills method for producing the anthem made this piece feel crisp and original. “I didn’t do too much editing. But I still wanted it to feel raw because it’s a funny song,” he added. With those artistic accomplishments in mind, Ford’s ambition was to convey a raw tone. This reflects the purity and ingenuity of making music in an isolated bedroom. Looking back, I truly should’ve put more behind it, but I didn’t. He told us that he was glad that he didn’t go with that route. In the end, it doesn’t feel any different than if I had made it at home,” he continued.
Cortez Miles expressed the same about his creative endeavors. “If I had to perform these songs, I couldn’t probably even do it because I don’t even know my own lyrics after posting it,” he admitted with a laugh. His whimsical style of songwriting exemplifies the pleasurable and on-the-fly aspect that characterizes this new trend.
LeBron James’ impact on popular culture is undeniable, and as he continues to excel on the court, his influence resonates beyond basketball. With each new song inspired by his accolades, fans and creators alike celebrate not only his achievements but the joy he brings to the sport.
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