Two-time NBA All-Star Victor Oladipo says it’s on his “bucket list” to perform the National Anthem at a game. Indeed, for Oladipo, who has now released three records, including his latest, Tunde, on Friday (February 17), music is in his blood. He grew up singing, doing so both in school choirs and in church. In fact, he says, his family would often ask him to quiet down around the house, he was making so much “noise.”

In 2017, the All-NBA player released his debut album, Songs for You. A year later, he released the LP, V.O. And in 2019, he performed on the second season of the popular singing competition television show, The Masked Singer, as the character, Thingamajig, placing fifth. Starting in 2022, Oladipo began releasing new singles ahead of Tunde, starting with the romantic song, “Symphony,” last fall.

A lover of Afrobeat music, Oladipo, whose family is Nigerian, worked with the producer Harmony “H-Money” Samuels (Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson) on his latest release. His most recent single is the song, “Exercise,” which also features Oladipo’s amorous side. Here below, we caught up with the athlete-musician to talk with him about the relationship between the NBA and music, who in the league he’d like to collaborate with and what he loves most about the art form.

What is the relationship between basketball and music for you? Is one a stress reliever for the other? Are they related in your mind, are they separate?

Victor Oladipo: Yeah, I mean, the work ethic piece is definitely similar as far as being able to go in there and truly just hunker down and make something special. The same concept as going to the gym and working on your craft until you perfect it. It’s not something that happens overnight, it takes time to accomplish. I think that music is always something that is a stress reliever for me, whether it’s for basketball, whether it’s for life, whatever it is. If someone irritates me in the car, I can put on a song to make me feel better about it, you know? It’s just something that has always been my getaway, even when I was younger. I didn’t say much, didn’t talk to a lot of people, but music was something that, you know, I could listen to and relate to and feel better about myself listening to. So, it’s always been my getaway.

What do you see as the relationship between music and the NBA? There’s the cliché that musicians want to be athletes and vice versa, but how do you see it? Is the league connected to the world of music more than other leagues? Do players talk about it often?

VO: I think right now we’re at a point where it’s almost like you can’t have one without the other. I think, like, around 2016, 2017 was when we started bridging the gap to where athletes were kind of accepted for doing other things. Athletes started being accepted for doing music, showing their other talents. But I mean… Let’s be real, when we were all younger, whether you were an athlete, whether you were an artist, everybody could and wanted to and pretty much did everything. Artists would play sports. Artists played basketball, some artists played football growing, some artists did other things other than music growing up. And vice versa. There’s some athletes who sang in choir, like me. There’s some athletes who sang in the church, you know what I mean? We weren’t subjected to one talent.

And now we’re accepted in that space. Actually, I believe you can’t have one without the other. I think we make it more fun that way, you know what I’m saying? It’s more fun, it’s more entertaining when rappers, when singers, when artists come to games. You’re able to relate to them. A lot of artists used to play the game, too, so they understand it. To be able to bridge the gap – and we listen to their music to get hyped. We listen to their music to feel better, after games, before games. I think it works hand in hand, I truly believe that. So, to be able to see how far it’s come since when I first put out music and it’s only getting stronger and better is a beautiful thing.

Would you ever want to collaborate with other NBA artists? Perhaps even someone like Damian Lillard, who is a skilled rapper in his own right?

VO: No question! I would definitely love to collab with Dame. We actually, we’re overdue. We got to figure out the right song because we both have very special talents. I know I can sit here and say that – and I know he would agree – it would have to be something very, very dope and very special. It’s not something that could be rushed, you know? We’re going to figure it out, though. It’s going to be really dope when it happens. Because he’s down and I’m down for sure. We just have to figure out the right situation. The right track.

Something I’ve always wondered is how does the music in a locker room get decided? Is it the veterans, the captains who decide what’s played?

VO: Yeah, I mean, it’s a first come, first served, unless the O.G., the oldest in the room or the one with the most years wants to play. And as you said, the captains, they kind of have the choice. But I think it’s kind of like first come, first served. I don’t think anybody really be trippin’. But then there’s some locker rooms, like I said, whoever is the captain, the leader, they probably play the music, control the songs. It just depends.

When you’re in a game, do you notice the music that’s playing on the loudspeakers overhead? Would you ever want your songs on that playlist in-game?

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VO: Yes. I would love my music everywhere. [Laughs] If it’s possible, I would definitely, definitely enjoy that for sure. Actually, what’s crazy in some – when I released “Morning Gift” and “Symphony” as singles, they played some during warmups. That was pretty cool to hear it in the arena, as well. I’m trying to hear the songs all over! Not just in Miami but everywhere. So, hopefully, that happens.

Over the years, basketball and music have intertwined, especially in places like the Space Jam soundtrack and in songs by certain people like Jay Z, who famously rapped about Nick Van Exel in the song, “Crazy In Love.” Do you have any favorite crossover hits?

VO: No, not in particular. I wouldn’t pinpoint one. There’s so many different kinds of songs that, like I said, kind of ventured over to athletics. One specifically [actually] is from [the soundtrack for the movie] Coach Carter. You know that song? “Hope.” That’s one song I’ll never not be able to listen to that song, you know what I’m saying? “I’m hopeful!” You know, that song? I’ll never not be able to listen to that song. It’s not only a song that can brighten up your day, but it can also get you to perform at a high level, as well. So, we listen to that song in the locker room a few times before games. It’s definitely dope.

Do you go to shows? Do you find yourself at concerts? Obviously, basketball stadiums can double as big venues for music. Do you go to any?

VO: Yeah, definitely. I mean, if I get a chance to, I’ve been to quite a few. Quite a few concerts, quite a few shows. If I get a chance to, if I’m not busy, I’m definitely going to be there. I love going to shows and seeing guys perform and stuff like that. It’s really cool, actually.

Do you have a favorite artist to see live? If I gave you two tickets to see any show, what would you choose?

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VO: Shoot, any and everybody, really. I mean, I’ve been to quite a few concerts already. I’ve seen Drake, I’ve seen Beyoncé. I’ve seen Wizkid. I haven’t seen Burna Boy yet. So maybe that would definitely be on the list, for sure. But if you could give me two tickets to see every single Afrobeat artist, I definitely would do that, for sure. I would love to see Future, just because he’s one of my favorites. Lil Baby. I’ve seen Lil Baby perform a few times. But my taste for music extends everywhere. So, if I listen to the artist, I’m definitely going to want to go see him. I’m down for a show, no matter where no matter what.

You’ve mentioned your Nigerian heritage and how that’s such an important to who you are and the music you make. And I realize these are two different countries, but did you hear about Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa’s music festival in Ghana? If so, what did you think about that?

VO: Yeah, I heard that was crazy. It was funny, there were a few people I know who actually went. And I heard that was a great experience. I wish I had the opportunity to go. But yeah, I heard about the festival that was going on over there.

It would be cool if you performed there, for sure.

VO: Hey, listen! Speak it into existence!

Are there songs that you listen to when you’re working out? Is there a playlist you have that you listen to when you’re preparing to play at a high level?

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VO: For me, when I’m getting ready to perform, I’m listening to Afrobeats, man. And to pinpoint one, I have different playlists. But I’m listening to Afrobeats. It’s just feel-good music for me, you know what I’m saying? It’s a different type of energy that comes to me whenever I listen to it, so that’s what I’m playing.

I saw a tweet recently from Larry Nance who said much of his time, musically speaking, is talking to younger players in the locker room and trying to educate them about music. Is that something you deal with often, as well, taking the teacher role?

VO: Yeah, I mean, sometimes you got to, man. Because they’re getting younger and younger, man, year in and year out. Some guys might not have even heard of Tupac and Biggie. You know what I mean? They don’t even know Tupac and Biggie. So, sometimes you’ve got to fill them in and put a little history, give them a little history class in the locker room.

Final question. What do you love most about music?

VO: I love the fact that there’s a song for everything, every emotion, every feeling. And that a song can get you out of any feeling or emotion. That a song can also brighten up and change your day, as well.

You can follow Jake Uitti on Twitter @jakeuitti. You can buy his Muggsy Bogues biography here.