Best Sports/Music Bromances

Sports and music have often joined forces to create some of the best bromances around. From Tiger Woods and Darius Rucker to LeBron James and Jay Z, professional athletes and entertainers tend to have a great respect for each other’s crafts. It is that mutual respect that often leads to those exquisite, special, once-in-a-lifetime man-loves.

But what constitutes the best bromance around?

First, there is a high level of combined talent among both parties, i.e. the more awesome the bros, the more awesome the bromance. Second, the bros are seen together frequently in public or work on projects together. Finally, the bros broadcast their mutual respect for one another with public shout outs, or declarations of dude adoration, if you will. 

Behold, the bromances that dreams are made of—bromances so deep and true that only the collision of sports and music could make them happen. 

Special shout out to Will Ferrell and Manny Pacquiao, but let’s face it—despite this gem on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Ferrell just is not a musician.

Cam Newton and Young Jeezy

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Combined talent level: Medium-high. Combined, Cam Newton and Young Jeezy have one Heisman Trophy, one national championship and four Grammy nominations. 

Seen together: The two have bonded over Atlanta, and Newton was seen with Jeezy at a 2012 party in A-Town. 

Shout-outs: Newton told Complex Sports of Jeezy, “That’s my boy.”

Womance: Danica Patrick and Miranda Lambert

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Combined talent level: High. Danica Patrick is one of the most successful female race car drivers in American history—she finished third at the Indianapolis 500 in 2009 and became the first woman to ever win a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pole in 2013. Miranda Lambert is a country music star who has won a slew of awards. 

Seen together: Most notably, in a music video. According to Country Weekly, the two met on the set of Lambert’s “Fastest Girl in Town” music video and immediately hit it off. “We had great chemistry and it wasn’t fake,” said Lambert. 

Shout-outs: Danica has since attended one of Lambert’s concerts in Michigan—the two hung out afterward and exchanged Twitter shout-outs.

LeBron James and Macklemore

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His emerging friendship with Macklemore is the lesser of two LeBron James bromances on this list, but it’s just totes adorbs nonetheless. 

Combined talent level: High. James is the best basketball player walking planet Earth, and Macklemore is a four-time Grammy winner. 

Seen together: According to TMZ Sports, the pair met at a Miami Heat game in 2013 and have been bros ever since. 

Shout-outs: Macklemore sung LeBron’s praises via Twitter, and LeBron posted this photo of Macklemore on Instagram with these oh-so-insightful hashtags: #Music+Sports and #BestRelationshipThereIs.

Rio Ferdinand and Harry Styles

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Combined talent level: Medium. Rio Ferdinand has had a solid, yet understated career as a defender with Manchester United, and Harry Styles is in a boy band. 

Seen together: The twosome were first seen together in 2013 when Styles took in a Manchester United match. Ferdinand returned the favor by attending a One Direction concert the same weekend, and they reportedly had several meals together as well. 

Shout-outs: Styles has worn Ferdinand’s jersey onstage, and both have broadcast their brofection on Twitter. Maybe it’s a Brit thing?

Brad Keselowski and Luke Bryan

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Combined talent level: High. Here we have a Sprint Cup champion in Brad Keselowski and a winner of a bunch of those country music-themed awards in Luke Bryan. 

Seen together: Not often. The bromance seems to be more marketing-related—the two were photographed together at the 2013 Pure Michigan 400 promoting their “Crash My Party” collaboration. The two can also be seen together on a t-shirt.

Shout-outs: Bryan’s face has been on Keselowski’s car. That’s a pretty serious shout out.

Kevin Durant and Wale

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Combined talent level: Medium-high. Kevin Durant is the reigning NBA MVP, and while Wale has obvious talent, his is not as widely agreed upon as Durant’s.   

Seen together: The Washington, D.C. natives have been seen celebrating their birthdays together on several occasions. 

Shout-outs: The two seemingly had some short-lived Twitter beef in 2011, but hey, what’s a true bromance without a little spat here and there? They apparently made up since they were out celebrating birthdays again in 2013 and KD tweeted about the cake.

Steve Nash and Nas

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Combined talent level: Medium-high. Steve Nash has two NBA MVP awards, but Nas has zero Grammy wins (in his defense, most people agree he’s been snubbed). 

Seen together: Several times. Most notably, Nash joined Nas onstage at a 2011 New York City music festival. They also hit the red carpet together at the ESPYs in 2012. 

Shout-outs: Nash has been a fan of Nas since at least 1994 when he requested “It Ain’t Hard to Tell” on Canadian Rap City. Nas also ‘grammed that picture of the two at the ESPYs and Nash dug it.

Scottie Pippen and Kanye West

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Combined talent level: Extremely high. Scottie Pippen is in the Basketball Hall of Fame and Kanye West is a 21-time Grammy winner and the top-selling male digital recording artist of all-time. 

Seen together: These two have been spotted at family affairs and apparently only with their wives, who are reportedly friends. Pippen and his wife Larsa spent Thanksgiving with Yeezy and Kim Kardashian in 2013 and recently attended their wedding as well. 

Shout-outs: According to one all-caps-loving super fan, Kanye apparently gave his fellow Chicagoan a shout-out during a 2011 concert at the United Center. Beyond that, methinks this bromance might be more about the wives than the bros.

Jeff Gordon and Brad Paisley

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Combined talent level: High. Jeff Gordon is a four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, and Brad Paisley has won 14 Academy of Country Music awards.   

Seen together: Paisley had his pal Gordon make a cameo in his “Old Alabama,” music video. The two also appeared together at the 2010 Country Music Awards doing a bit that poked fun at their uncanny resemblance to each other. Paisley, a long-time NASCAR fan, called his friendship with Gordon “famous.” 

Shout-outs: As with most celebrity bromances, Twitter shout-outs abound.

Tiger Woods and Darius Rucker

KEVORK DJANSEZIAN/Associated Press

Combined talent level: High. Tiger Woods has won 14 majors, and Darius Rucker, who first gained fame as the Hootie & the Blowfish frontman, is now a Grammy-winning solo artist. 

Seen together: These two aren’t spotted publicly often, but according to an interview Rucker did with News 13 in Orlando, the two have been friends for over 20 years. Rucker has supported Woods on many occasions, speaking out on his behalf after Woods’s public marital troubles and performing at his father’s funeral. 

Shout-outs: Rucker did tell Dan Patrick on The Dan Patrick Show that Woods once joined him onstage during a concert, but his vocal talents are “awful” (via Yahoo Sports). Woods' website, tigerwoods.com, features a video entitled “60 Seconds with Darius Rucker.”

Justin Bieber and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

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Oh, I’m sorry. This must be a mistake. I’m inclined to think this is, in fact, one of the worst sports/music bromances. Unfortunately, based on my own criteria, it’s actually deserved of a high place on this list. My bad. 

Combined talent level: Medium-high. Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a world champion and undefeated as a professional. Justin Bieber’s talent level is well, more subjective. 

Seen together: Often—on Twitter and in boxing rings. According to Fight Hype, the two reportedly met through the creator of an anti-bullying app, which makes this bromance harder to hate on. Now Bieber has become a regular at Mayweather’s fights. 

Shout-outs: The two show each other all kinds of love on social media, and Bieber actually compared himself to the champ at one point, telling Live From E!:

"

Now that I'm on top, everyone wants to bring me down…Everyone's trying to tug at me and take my spot. Like Floyd Mayweather, he's the best boxer in the world. Now he is a champion. Every time he goes to a fight now, people are like, ‘He's going to lose this time.’

"

David Beckham and Snoop Dogg

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Uh oh, someone is cheating on Tom Cruise. 

Combined talent level: High. David Beckham, while not the greatest footballer of all time by any stretch of the imagination, is up there with the greats, and Snoop Dogg is a rap icon. 

Seen together: According to E! Online, these two met when Beckham moved to Los Angeles in 2007. They have been involved in a variety of weird projects together, including a baby clothing line, a Star Wars-themed Adidas ad, a reality TV show and an animated Christmas Carol (what?). Even weirder? According to Snoop, Becks is among the first to hear his new music before it’s released. 

Shout-outs: By all accounts, it seems like these two do more hanging out than shouting out, but both have a great mutual respect for each other. For example, Snoop has said what a genuine person and devoted father Becks is. Aww.

Womance: Serena Williams and Kelly Rowland

Eric Charbonneau/Associated Press

Combined talent level: High. Serena Williams has won 17 Grand Slam titles, and Kelly Rowland is a Grammy-winning musician. 

Seen together: Often—parties, lunches, etc. Rowland and Williams have been friends for years—Rowland supports Williams at her tennis matches, and the two have even vacationed together. 

Shout-outs: The two ladies support each other on Twitter as well—with Rowland giving props to her girl for tennis victories and Serena keeping Kelly up on her social plans.

Kobe Bryant and Lil Wayne

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Combined talent level: Extremely high. Kobe Bryant has five rings, one MVP award and is often in the conversation of the greatest basketball players of all time. Lil Wayne has won so many awards that it’s impossible to keep track. 

Seen together: At Lakers games. Wayne is a huge Lakers fan—so much so that he wrote a song about Bryant. After that, the two met and have reportedly remained friends ever since. 

Shout-outs: In 2014, Weezy told ESPN The Magazine (via ESPN.com), "When we met, I told Kobe I’m a huge fan and he told me he’s a huge fan, which was a total shock." 

Lil Wayne didn’t just include lyrics about Kobe in a song; he titled the actual song “Kobe Bryant.” That’s bro love. And Kobe returned the favor by promoting Weezy’s album via Twitter.

Johnny Manziel and Drake

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Drake has a history of athlete bromances. He’s no one-bro kinda guy—the rapper has been seen cozying up to Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul. 

However, his most recent man crush is on none other than Johnny Manziel. 

Combined talent level: High. These two have Heismans on Grammys (OK, just one Heisman, but still). 

Seen together: Often. The two have been friends since 2013 when Manziel made a trip to Toronto to meet his rap idol. In an interview with Richie and Greggo on 105.3 The Fan (via Complex Sports), Manziel said the coolest moment of his offseason was meeting Drake. The two have kept in touch and even partied together after Manziel was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the 2014 NFL draft. 

Shout-outs: These two were destined for bromance. Manziel had an OVO (for OVO Sound, Drake’s record label) tattoo on his wrist before the two met.  

Drake’s song “Draft Day” mentions Manziel, and Johnny used the song as his draft walk-up music. According to an interview with First Take, Drake said, “I feel like our friendship will last for a very long time.” There’s also a lot of Twitter love happening between these two.

LeBron James and Jay Z

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Jay Z hangs with a lot of athletes—especially now that his entertainment company Roc Nation has a sports management arm. But there could be no other bromance atop this list than the one between the rapper and LeBron James.

Combined talent level: Astronomically High. The best baller on the planet meets the best rapper in the game—it’s a match made in bromance heaven. 

Seen together: Often. Besides chumming it up courtside at Miami Heat games, LeBron and Jay are often spotted at events together—awards ceremonies, charity events, after parties—you name it. Oh, and Jay and his wife Beyoncé also performed at LeBron’s wedding, according to Radar Online. 

Shout-outs: Jay mentions LeBron in the lyrics of his song “Empire State of Mind.” LeBron is an active Twitter user and has given shout outs to Jay via that medium and congratulated him on Grammy wins via Instagram.