Social media has become a driving force in our society for discovering talented individuals, showcasing work, earning jobs, and ultimately getting a deeper look into celebrity lives. It gives people the chance to have their voices heard and share some of their most personal moments. Whether that means following The Rock on Instagram for fitness inspiration, Chance the Rapper saving SoundCloud with a tweet, or Draymond Green posting snaps of a lit weekend in Vegas (while probably hitting the casino's sportsbook to bet on himself winning the Defensive Player of the Year again); it comes with a sense that celebrities are just like us. Well, just with more digits in the bank account.
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However there’s one athlete who stands out amongst those to follow—Russell Westbrook. The 2017 NBA MVP is a master at leveraging his digital platforms, allowing fans to see him in his purest element. Not only is he a dominant playmaker, but an eclectic music fan who is never afraid to be himself.
With over eight million followers on Instagram, fans not only see Westbrook the athlete, but the role model, family man, fashion killer and music lover. He’s that person who is ready to turn up at any given notice. Fans will never forget the ultimate pre-game dance duo between the point guard and his former Oklahoma City Thunder teammate Cameron Payne—they knew just how to get the party started before balling out of control. However, it’s Russell’s viral videos of him dancing at a party or singing his heart out to a jam session in a car, that leaves me wondering, “Why aren’t music shows booking the MVP?”
Meanwhile, Russ is just losing his mind on Instagram today. pic.twitter.com/qOrR9J5rxj
— Up The Thunder (@UpTheThunder) July 18, 2017
Westbrook is that friend who you can trust with the aux cord and probably is the one who is doing the most while riding in the car with his friends. As much as fans adore watching the MVP dance his heart out to Lil Uzi Vert’s “Do What I Want” or channeling his inner Mary J. Blige on “Just Fine,” it surprises me that two of the most popular music variety shows have not scheduled him to appear.
Not just any music show on television, I’m talking about the ones in which viewers get to see celebrities in a different light. Segments like Carpool Karaoke with James Corden or Lip Sync Battle with LL Cool J would be the perfect appearances for the Brodie.
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Corden, host of The Late Late Show won over midnight audiences with his Carpool Karaoke segments. It’s a recurring piece in which Corden invites music artists to sing songs with him as he drives them to a destination. The segment started with Mariah Carey doing a sing-a-long back in 2015, since then Corden has hopped in a car with the likes of Bruno Mars, Adele and Stevie Wonder. To Corden’s defense, he typically only invites singers and rappers along for the carpool ride. However, he made exceptions when he invited former First Lady Michelle Obama to sing her best rendition of Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies.” In addition, the British-born host showed respect to the Golden State Warriors as he invited Stephen Curry to carpool and belt out songs from Disney’s Frozen and Moana. If you follow Westbrook on Instagram and Snapchat, you’re well aware that his stories are filled with daily car jam sessions. His eclectic ear for music along with Corden's artist fandom would be the perfect pairing for yet another viral Carpool Karaoke segment.
However if Corden is adamant about only booking musicians, perhaps Spike TV’s Lip Sync Battle would be the better route. Hosted by LL Cool J and Chrissy Teigen, the music reality show allows two celebrities to go head-to-head with lip sync performances and the audience chooses the winner. Lip Sync Battle is a bit more lenient with the different types of celebrities competing and several athletes have graced the stage. Ballers such as Shaquille O’Neal paid homage to Flashdance with a “Maniac” performance, Metta World Peace roared his inner Katy Perry, and Chris Paul lived out his dream as a New Edition member. Lip Sync Battle would not only allow Westbrook to perform some of his favorite songs, but actually become the artists he admires. Since he would need an opponent, perhaps fans would like to see a reunion battle with his former teammate Payne or even LeBron James (since he’s the league’s official-unofficial A&R rep).
Westbrook has constantly showcased his animated personality turning up to the likes of Nicki Minaj, John Legend, and even Taylor Swift, it’s time for these music television shows to put some respect on his name. Book the Brodie!
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