| Artist | Lil B |
|---|---|
| Cover | Lil B - Hoop Life cover art.jpg |
| Released | June 1, 2014 |
| Genre | Hip hop |
| Label | BasedWorld |
| Producer |
|
| Prev year | 2014 |
| Next year | 2014 |
Hoop Life is a mixtape by American rapper Lil B. It was digitally released on June 1, 2014, through Lil B's own record label, BasedWorld Records. The mixtape mainly features basketball-themed songs.[1][2][3]
The song, "Fuck KD", a diss track to Kevin Durant following their feud, was released on March 8, 2014 along with an accompanying music video.[4] Notably, the mixtape was released the day after Durant's Oklahoma City Thunder was eliminated from the 2014 NBA playoffs by the San Antonio Spurs.[5][6] The music videos for the tracks "Fuck KD", "Gotta Make the NBA", "Katy Perry", and "Hoop Life" were also released throughout March, April and May 2014.[7][8][9] On November 30, 2020, a sequel to Hoop Life was released using YouTube titled "Hoop Life 2". Hoop Life 2 was later made available for streaming platforms on December 7, 2020.[10][11]
Reception
In a positive review, Billy Haisley of Deadspin praised Lil B's handling of basketball related themes and topics, though pointed out that some unrelated songs on the project were derivative of his previous work: "...Hoop Life is a typical Lil B mixtape, from the celebrity songs to the ignorant, crass, and often great cooking songs to the positive and explicitly #based ideological songs... Other tracks, however, uphold the narrative promise of 'Gotta Make the NBA'... the "player on the come-up" stories have the most depth".[12] Phil Witmer of Vice considered Hoop Life an "essential" Lil B mixtape, acknowledging the basketball concept and dubbing the production "Bay Area-styled post-hyphy that's as warm and inviting as a summer day"[13]
The diss track "Fuck KD" was singled out for particular praise. The Fader considered the track "better than it needed to be"[14] while also praising the songs "NBA Live" and "Real Based".
In 2021, the song "Ski Ski BasedGod" was widely used in the viral "devious lick" TikTok trend where students would record themselves stealing or vandalizing items from their schools.[15]
References
- ^ Hughes, Josiah (June 1, 2014). "Lil B 'Hoop Life' (mixtape)". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
- ^ Minsker, Evan (June 1, 2014). "Lil B's Hoop Life Mixtape, Featuring "Fuck KD", Has Arrived". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 1, 2014.
- ^ Frydenlung, Zach (June 1, 2014). "Stream and Download Lil B's "Hoop Life" Mixtape". Complex. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
- ^ Minsker, Evan (March 8, 2014). "Lil B Shares Kevin Durant Diss Track". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
- ^ Stieb, Matthew. "Lil B Drops 'Hoop Life Mixtape' just in time for Kevin Durant's loss to the Spurs". San Antonio Current. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
- ^ II, C. Vernon Coleman IIC Vernon Coleman (2014-06-01). "Lil B Releases New 'Hoop Life' Mixtape - XXL". XXL Mag. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
- ^ Minsker, Evan (April 8, 2014). "Lil B Plays More Basketball in His "Gotta Make the NBA" Video". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
- ^ Gordon, Jeremy (April 30, 2014). "Lil B's New Song "Katy Perry" Inspires the Real Katy Perry to Ask Lil B to Prom". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
- ^ Minsker, Evan (May 26, 2014). "Lil B Shares "Hoop Life" Video". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
- ^ "Hoop Life 2", 2020-11-30, retrieved 2024-12-25
- ^ "Hoop Life 2 by Lil B on Apple Music", 2020-11-30, retrieved 2024-12-25
- ^ "Lil B's Hoop Dreams: Why The Based God Is Our Lebron (And Our Tupac)". Deadspin. 2014-06-18. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
- ^ Witmer, Phil (2018-04-24). "7 Essential Lil B Mixtapes to Get You Started on the Based Path". Vice. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
- ^ "Stream: Lil B, "Real Based"". The FADER. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
- ^ "“Devious Lick” Challenge Hits Franklin Schools". WLDS. 2021-09-16. Retrieved 2025-06-10.