Drake Tunes In To J. Cole's Scarborough Shooting Stars Basketball Debut

BY Erika Marie 10.4K Views
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Drake, J. Cole
Drizzy shared a photo of Cole on the court and wrote, "My brother just checked in."

He's a leading force in the music industry, but it's time for J. Cole to get back in the paint. We recently reported on J. Cole once again pursuing his professional basketball career, but this time, he's signed a contract with the Scarborough Shooting Stars in Canada's league. Nicholas "OVO Niko" Corino, who owns the team with Sam Ibrahim, reportedly told Complex that it was Drake that helped put the deal in motion for his fellow Rap mogul.

"You know, Dreamville and OVO are family," Corino said. “Drake had a birthday party in L.A. last year. The conversation was, ‘I heard you have your team.’ It organically grew from there.”

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Complex also reported that Jamaal Magloire, the vice president of the Shooting Stars, praised Cole's humility and love for the game.

“He just wants to be treated the same, which I thought was very admirable because he is a very special individual,” Magloire reportedly said. “As far as the talent that he has, he’s played this game at a professional level in Africa, so, this is his second stint. We’re bringing him in here to play, contribute, and help us win games. That’s his goal as well. It’s gonna be fun and something that is great for the city of Scarborough and Toronto.”

Meanwhile, at the moment, Drake has his eyes set on Cole's Scarborough debut. The OVO icon uploaded a photo of his television screen as he watched Cole on the court. "It’s real @scarboroughshootingstars my brother just checked in [fingers crossed emoji]," Drizzy penned in the caption.

Check it out below.



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About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.