SUMMARY
- Damian Lillard has been professionally rapping since he was a teenager.
- Lillard has released five studio albums under the Dame D.O.L.L.A moniker since 2016, including an EP in 2023.
Damian Lillard has had an exceptional career in the NBA and he still has a couple of years left before hanging up his jersey. For 11 seasons, the star contributed his skills to the Portland Trail Blazers franchise. However, the summer of 2023 was filled with a lot of uncertainty and Lillard decided to leave. But for a good portion of his stint with the Blazers, he also released a lot of music that fans loved listening to.
Unlike most part-time musicians in the league, the 8x NBA All-Star wants to win a Grammy Award someday. As per TMZ, he said, “I don’t care about it, maybe to the level I care about being the MVP or winning a championship. But I care about it in the sense of how many NBA All-Stars or max contract players can say, ‘I legitimately won a Grammy? I was really taken serious as an artist.’”
“I not thirsty for it or searching for it. But, I think like 10-15 years from now, I can look back and be like, ‘I really won a Grammy,’” he added. Damian Lillard also expressed his desire to perform at major music awards ceremonies as well. Lillard definitely shows that he cares about the music he puts out and wants to be recognized for it.
Damian Lillard has released five studio albums since 2016
Damian Lillard started rapping with one of his cousins when they used to hang out in their car. Another cousin named Brookfield Duece also influenced Lillard during the 90s. Both of his cousins were popular in the Oakland music/rap scene. Eventually, Lillard began pursuing basketball and music had to be pushed aside for a bit while he set himself up for success in the sports world.
While he was slowly becoming prominent in the NBA, Damian decided to get back to music and rapping. He worked on his first full-length album during the mid-2010s. The Letter O was released in 2016 featuring 12 tracks. Lillard went under the moniker of Dame D.O.L.L.A. and received a lot of attention after releasing his debut album.
In 2017, Lillard released Confirmed, which peaked at No.72 on the Top Album Charts. This album also ranked 18th on the Indie Charts as well. His third studio release was a lot more successful. It ranked 68th on the Top Album Charts and 12th in Indie Releases in 2019. Different On Levels The Lord Allowed (D.O.L.L.A.) came out in 2021, which was followed by Don D.O.L.L.A., in 2023.
Damian Lillard dropped a five-song EP based on his life while making a transition to Milwaukee
The summer of 2023 was when Damian Lillard faced a bunch of hurdles in life. Damian married Kay’La Hanson in 2021, and they shared four children. However, due to irreconcilable differences, the couple decided to file for divorce in 2023. This was around the same time Lillard was trying to push himself out of the Blazers’ roster.
While his fifth studio album came out in August 2023, he decided to release a five-song EP two months later. This release was based on various things he was dealing with such as his divorce. “My music is my ultimate expression. Some people journal, I write music. Especially at this stage in my career, I like to be able to vent, I like to be able to share in a creative way,” he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Damian Lillard aka Dame Dolla says he’s the greatest NBA rapper of all time pic.twitter.com/vlvoMfL0Ku
— Hot Freestyle (@HotFreestyle) August 26, 2021
Life Lately did not have any direct references to the Milwaukee Bucks or his teammate, Giannis Antetokounmpo. He mainly expressed his feelings through the lyrics while transitioning to a different team and dealing with his unfortunate split with Hanson.