Cole Beasley Is a Rapper Now

With the Cowboys offseason fully underway, wide receiver Cole Beasley has decided to launch his hip-hop career.

His debut track, “80 Stings,” or at least the 30-second iTunes preview of “80 Stings,” is absolutely OK. Beasley owes a lot to Eminem’s nasal delivery, and I felt my eyes rolling back into my head at this line: “I’m bossed out but Sunday, Jerry’s boss now when I ball out, I’m a dog when Dak get the ball out.” Pretty OK, though, with all the usual caveats about the history of athletes’ misguided attempts to enter the music business, and the problems of an industry and media system that prioritize leveraging pre-existing fame over developing pre-existing talent.

The song is a harbinger of thing to come. Beasley and producer Victor “Phazz” Clark have teamed up to form the Cold Nation Records imprint, and a full album is due this spring. Beasley does not intend to tour of perform live, according to a tweeted press release that ranks his priorities as follows: 1.) family, 2.) football, 3.) music. That should keep the “stick to sports” crowd happy, at least.

While you’re here, please go read this story about Beasley and his parents, from the January 2017 issue of D Magazine. Thanks.