Batter Up: When Hip Hop Meets Baseball

Two of America's favorite pastimes sometimes intertwine.

Jay Salutes Jackie - Jay-Z's inaugural show in Brooklyn's Barclays Center, only a couple miles from his humble Marcy Projects upbring, was already a history-making moment. But the most poignant highlight was, no doubt, when Hov held up a fan's Jackie Robinson Brooklyn Dodgers jersey — a powerful reminder of how far Jay, Brooklyn and America had come.  (Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
Off the Bat - Fat Joe and beloved hip hop talking head Sway Calloway are joining forces with the MLB's David Ortiz — you probably know him as "Big Papi" — for a new weekly program on MTV2, Off the Bat. Reportedly, the channel's already ordered some 30 episodes and athletes like Robinson Cano (signed to Jay Z's Roc Nation Sports) will executive produce individual shows.(Photo: Courtesy of MTV2)
A$AP Mob, Lord$ Never Worry - We already know that A$AP Mob loves malt liquor, high fashion, and purple drank. But apparently Rocky, Ferg, and the rest of the Harlem collective think baseball is pretty trill, too. The crew's starting seven dressed up in baseball uniforms and posed with a bat for the cover of their August 2012 mixtape, Lord$ Never Worry. (Photo: Sony Records)Kanye West and Lil Wayne, "Barry Bonds" - Weezy and Yeezy teamed up to hit a home run with this 2007 duet named after the former San Francisco Giants slugger.    (Photos from left: Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic, Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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Batter Up: When Hip Hop Meets Baseball - There's nothing more American than hitting baseballs and spitting rhymes (well, maybe applie pie). These two pastimes are favored sports of the athletes and the non-athletes alike — rappers love to pay homage to the diamond and its players, and players, well, sometimes they love the music so much they get in the booth. Read on for a play-by-play of when hip hop meets baseball, like the recent venture between Fat Joe, Big Papi and Sway Calloway.(Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

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