The 2013 NFL Season is just a few days away! I’m extremely excited about it. I’m watching preseason games from start to finish. And ready to lock down my Sundays for the next five months. If you don’t speak the language of the NFL, do not ring my doorbell.
Have you ever watched the pregame and wondered what your favorite NFL player was listening to when they’re entered the arena? Ever wondered what their ultimate song would be as they exited the tunnel to over 80,000 screaming fans? Well, if you answered yes, we have your back.
AllHipHop.com had the opportunity of talking with the “Madbacker” Bart Scott of the New York Jets lockdown defense. The Jets is currently facing a preseason of futility in the touchdown and wins department. But Bart isn’t worried at all. He knows something that Jets fans are dying to be let in on. And he has the theme music to prove it:
AllHipHop.com: Football and music goes hand in hand all the way back to Pop Warner. On High School, College and in the NFL, Rap music is a dominant genre of choice. Being a fan of Rap music now, would you say you love it more, has it remained consistent or less love compared to your high school days?
Bart Scott: I don’t know if my love for Rap is as strong as it was before. As I mellow out more, I find myself listening to music that older people around me listened to. You tend to mellow out a little more when you’re a parent. But I love the older Hip-Hop. It has changed. But as a fan, we tend to love the music linked to the greatest times of our young lives. I remember the Rap music played at the school dances, at Homecoming. I remember when I first went to college and Juvenile hit the scene. I remember at halftime of one of our games, we were told that Tupac passed away. I remember the transition from the Tupac/Biggie Era to when Master P stepped in and took over.
AllHipHop.com: That No Limit Era in Rap music assisted in the South, blowing the doors wide open within the genre. I’m sure if you were listening to Master P, you were also listening to Outkast…
Bart Scott: Yes, Goodie Mob’s “Black Ice”, loved that time in Rap!
AllHipHop.com: You’re taking me back, Bart. Back when mixtapes were actually cassette tapes.
Bart Scott: Good times! I still play a lot of that music today. Some of the younger cats in the locker room can’t identify with it at all. Telling me, “Cut that off, we don’t want to hear that.” I’m like, “C’mon man, listen to this “Tear da Club Up”, this Three 6 Mafia, man! Man, listen to this “Break’em Off Something” and “How You Do That There”. Those songs got me amped up for games. Master P for me, is Lil’ Jon for some of the young guys in the locker room. When I was in college, Master P songs got you jacked up.
AllHipHop.com: What are the young guys playing in the locker room that’s slowly growing on you?
Bart Scott: Anything Rick Ross, he has that inspirational effect to his music. Some of that 2 Chainz stuff, the catchy stuff, I’m not really with that. I don’t like how he put his lyrics together. I still appreciate how Nas puts it together. That ‘Accident Murderers’ Nas and Ricky Rozay, man, amazing. I felt like Rick Ross knew he had to step his game up with Nas, compared to how laid back he normally is. I like to see the new artists challenged by the veterans; you have to come super correct.
AllHipHop.com: Springboarding off the Nas and Rick Ross collaboration, which two artists would you like to see come together for a complete album?
Bart Scott: I don’t know if it would be much of a contrast because they’re both so alike. I would love to see B.o.B. and Andre 3000 come together for a complete album. Or put Andre 3000 and Talib Kweli together. An album of that magnitude must be done for the love.
AllHipHop.com: Picture this, Jets vs. Ravens, AFC Championship Game; you’re waiting in the tunnel for your name to be introduced. Which song would you prefer to hit the field to?
Bart Scott: Man, I think about some of the best years that I’ve had, some of the best seasons that I’ve had and some of the best teams I’ve been on. I think about the music from those times. Songs like “Motivation” by T.I. is still stuck in your head. I think about Eminem (“Lose Yourself”), because early on in my career I was trying to find a way for myself in the league. But let me tell you, one of the hardest verses I heard Diddy spit was on “Victory”. I came out the tunnel to that song last year and the young guys were like, “What song is that?” On the sidelines, people in the crowd were asking me what song it as. That first verse goes so hard. I’d go with that.
AllHipHop.com: Last question. What can New York Jets fans expect from Bart Scott, his defense, and the team as a whole this year?
Bart Scott: Our fans should be excited. We’ve put some pretty interesting defenses on the field. But we have the most potential this year. If we do our jobs and communicate more, we could be the best Jets defense in franchise history. Which is scary because my first year here we were #1, by 30 yards, in almost every statistical category that was meaningful… They should be very excited by their team.
We’re going through a transformational period. We’re younger, more athletic. Our veterans our more mature. Our defense has come together. Our offense is taking a lot of flack for not scoring Touchdowns in the preseason though. With that being said, watching our offense and playing against our offense, I know there are a lot of strategies they’ve yet to pull out. Everything has been kept on the hush. Even with our opener against Buffalo, they don’t have any idea of anything we’re doing because we haven’t shown anyone yet. We can’t wait!
Follow Will “Deshair” Foskey on Twitter (@Deshair).
