Joakim Noah's Mom Bought Him Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg Albums in 3rd Grade

Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah is as rough and tough on the court as anyone in the NBA, thanks at least in part to Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.

In a recent piece from ESPN.com's Jon Greenberg, the trash-talking big fella dished on a variety of topics, and among them was his first taste of gangster rap as a nine-year-old living in France:

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"I used to listen to 'The Chronic' and 'Doggystyle.' My mom bought those for me when I was in third grade living in Paris. Those albums just came out, and she gave them to me. I had no idea about those lyrics or what they were talking about. I could just feel the energy, and I loved it."

You can picture a 9-year-old, French-speaking Noah rapping "Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang."

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This makes so much sense. Too much sense, even.

The next time anyone questions why Noah cursed, shoved an opponent or did anything else Dre and Snoop would've approved of, all he'll have to do is quote Ice Cube's "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It."

[ESPN.com]