Yankees Star Signals Collab Interest After MLB Rookie’s Fire Rap Album Goes Viral

St. Louis Cardinals’ Victor Scott II is more than a baseball player — he is also an experienced artist in the studio. Under the name “Argo,” Scott has been dropping music since 2021.  His first album, Welcome To My World, included the track “Draft Day,” which has over 3,000 plays on Spotify. And, guess what? He has been especially productive this year. In the new year, he put out a collaborative album, “OvaYaHead,” before dropping his sixth studio album, Not Your Average Rapper, in April.

The album’s title is a mission statement. Scott knows some may be skeptical of a ballplayer who raps, but that dedication of his is undeniable. He even uses one of his tracks, “Boxers to Poodles,” as his entrance music. And now, his latest project is getting some major league attention.

It all began when Major League Baseball posted about the release of Scott’s new album, Not Your Average Rapper 2.  In their words: “Cardinals center fielder Victor Scott II dropped a rap album and it’s FIRE. Plus, there’s a song ft. Chandler Simpson👀.” Buzz around the 26-minute, 10-song album was instant. Chandler Simpson, one of the Rays’ prospects and a player known for his speed, is featured on the song “Oxygen.”

This collaboration between two competing players was already a topic of discussion among fans, but it was a singular comment that completely changed the narrative. New York Yankees player Jazz Chisholm Jr. first dropped two emojis: “🔥🔥“.  Pretty telling, right? Following that, he publicly asked, “Definitely need the open verse!!!” In the hip-hop world, an “open verse” is an offer to collaborate, so it’s no surprise that the whole thing went viral in an instant.

This public request was expected by some of Chisholm’s close followers. The Yankees star is also an avid musician. He goes by the moniker “Prince Jazz” and has put out about 200 tracks. His primary creative partner is fellow player Nick Gordon. The two have put out a track called “Upset Your Maker” on SoundCloud. Chisholm also has plans to own his music label, he said. But his “open verse” request to Scott is the first time he has gone public with a collaboration offer with another player.

This moment feels like a major cultural shift, but it is often seen as traditional.

A New Wave of Baseball Creatives?

Victor “Argo” Scott II and Chandler Simpson’s collaboration is a perfect example of this new trend. But the baseball and music connection has a very long and detailed history. In the 90s, cultural icon Ken Griffey Jr. put out the track “The Way I Swing” with Kid ‘ N Play. Also, New York Yankees great Bernie Williams is a Latin Grammy-nominated jazz guitarist. He has worked with music greats like Bruce Springsteen. He is by far the most talented musician in baseball history.

There’s actually a great connection between today’s Latin MLB stars and the urban music scene. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is a part of music videos for big-name artists like Anuel AA. Former pitcher Michael Seander has transformed into the professional rapper Mike Stud. He even worked with his former college teammate Marcus Stroman. These crossovers are a sign that the line between the diamond and the studio is blurring more than ever before.

For this generation, a competitor on the field may also be a collaborator on a track.  And who knows it better than Scott and Simpson? Both 23-year-old outfielders from Atlanta became teammates in 2021.  In 2023, which was their prime season, they went head-to-head for the minor league stolen base title. They were in constant touch, almost daily they are tracking each other’s stats. The race was very close in the end, and even in the end, they finished tied at 94. “I am watching where he is on the leaderboard,” Simpson said, “and I’m like, OK, maybe I need to get on base a couple times more and get some bags.”

This season, the three players are making their mark in the big leagues. Scott has stolen 31 bases for the 61-61 Cardinals. Simpson has gone 33 for the 59-63 Rays. Also, Chisholm has 20 home runs and 17 steals for the 64-57 Yankees, who at present are in the Wild Card spot. These players are also proving that you can be a star on and off the field. So, what collaboration will we see next?