Denzel Valentine grew up in Lansing, MI. It was there at his high school J.W. Sexton, that Valentine began to indulge in free styling in the hallways with his friends. He turned this hobby into a full-fledged passion as he got older, this music passion went on through college. That all came off the court, away from Chicago Bulls basketball.
It was at Michigan State that he honed his craft and really began to indulge more deeply in his love for music. His father introduced him to music at a young age, his father instilled a passion of music in him as a young boy. His four years as a Spartan ended with an impressive collegiate college career, also a hidden talent.
His music passion followed him into the NBA where he was drafted in the 2016 draft at No. 14 by the Bulls. With his NBA career moving forward and as he started solidifying his place as a leader and beloved voice in the Bulls locker-room, Valentine was far from finished, he had bigger dreams. He was not content, and he felt basketball was just the beginning for him.
Besides his father’s influence, Valentine grew up jamming out to hip-hop legends like Biggie Smalls and Tupac. Jay-Z was another hip-hop artist he pays homage to in helping him find his voice in the rap game. He dreamed to one day have his voice heard and to be known for more than just playing basketball at a professional level.
Thanks to the long lay-off due to the start of the pandemic last March, Valentine used that free time to turn his passion into another career. He built his own studio in his home and took advantage of the long NBA lay-off to begin recording, turning his passion and love for hip hop into his first EP.
Dropping on Feb. 14, no surprise, that is Valentine’s day. The perfect day to introduce to the world his love for music. 517: “Made Me” is a story of his life from his adolescence and love for sports and music. It shares his journey from past to the now present. Giving fans a deep look into his life. Also, a look into his future aspirations.
From catchy beats and clever lyrics, 517 gets a shout out from me. I listened to the album, from front to back, all 11 tracks expose a different side of Valentine we would never have known. More vulnerable side of him, his introduction into the rap game. The track “Denzels Intro” is a dynamic track with a somber tone, give us a dialogue of what it took to get where he is now.
He raps about the hard work it took to get drafted, how it was perfect timing because he only had six dollars in his pocket. He tells us about his promise to his family that he would make it. Giving us a raw illusion into the mind of Valentine.
On “Paper Cutz”, he raps about enjoying his success and with a tight hook and futuristic beat, not to mention the solid production. This is my favorite track on the Album. Counting money from his success to his goals going into his future in the NBA. I enjoyed the trip inside his mind as well as bobbing my head to his genius accomplishment in rhyming form.
Valentine has newfound respect for the rappers who are doing it big in the industry. He was lost at the beginning of this project but worked his butt off for months to finally get it completed. Learning on the fly, he said it was one of the hardest things he has ever done in his life. That is coming from an NBA lottery pick.
So, do not look at him as just a veteran sharpshooter coming off the bench. He is more than just basketball; he is a dynamic threat with multiple talents. Hear his voice so when you watch him play you respect the grind, most importantly what it took to get there.
Next time you watch that game altering step back three, you can remember that Valentine went from step back threes to dropping his first EP, quite a remarkable accomplishment to be as talented and driven as this man. Another story of how NBA players today, are more than just basketball! Can you imagine if he just shut up and dribbled?