LiAngelo Ball’s music career is taking off.

His song “Tweaker” is already one of the most popular songs of 2025 and ESPN reported Ball has signed with Def Jam and Universal Music Group. The deal is reportedly worth up to $13 million, with $8 million guaranteed. It will also include his own music label and ownership of his music.

Ball, who raps under the name G3, released the song on Jan. 3 on his label, Born2Ball Music Group. The song has been a viral hit on social media, with NBA arenas quickly adding it to their playlists and multiple teams playing it in their locker rooms and at practices across different sports. The song has nearly eight million views on YouTube and is in the top-10 songs played on multiple streaming platforms.

Ball was also announced as a performer at Rolling Loud, a popular three-day music festival in Southern California.

The song’s sound is reminiscent of the New Orleans Cash Money Music era of the late 1990s and early 2000s. It’s already been praised by the likes of Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (who has released multiple rap albums) and rappers Moneybagg Yo and Boosie Badazz posted on social media that they want to record verses for Ball’s song.

Ball is the middle child of the Ball brothers that includes his older brother, Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball and younger brother LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets. Lonzo has also released music in the past.

LiAngelo attended UCLA but never played in an NBA regular season game before playing in the G League from 2021-23. Now, he appears to have found his niche with music.

(Photo: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)