More than two decades before teams dreamt of landing a 7’5 Frenchman named Victor Wembanyama with the first overall pick in the NBA Draft, there was a different foreign giant that had the league buzzing. Yao Ming, a 7’6 center from China, was discussed almost like an urban legend before his arrival in 2002 (he first appeared on radars at the 2000 Summer Olympics), and when the Houston Rockets won the lottery (despite just an 8.9 percent chance) it changed their franchise direction.
Yao was an 8-time All-Star in his eight seasons in the NBA, thanks in part to his legions of fans in China that vaulted him to the top of fan voting each year, but was also a 5-time All-NBA center, as he dominated the paint in Houston and led them to four playoff appearances alongside Tracy McGrady. Yao’s impact on the NBA was immense and he’s largely credited with the league’s explosion in popularity in China, but Yao also became a legendary figure stateside as well.
No one had ever really seen anyone as big as Yao Ming in the league. There had been some guys his height, but they were usually extremely skinny (Shawn Bradley, Manute Bol, etc.). He was the most physically imposing figure in the land of giants that is the NBA, and famously made Shaquille O’Neal (the most physically dominant big man the league had ever seen) look relatively small by comparison. As Yao’s career went on, he became a the reference for tall or big, and that became apparent in hip-hop, as rappers all over began to reference Yao Ming in lyrics.
It helped that “Ming” is easy to fit into a rhyme given how many words you can play off of it, but Yao became a somewhat unlikely staple of rap music that has persisted long after his career. He usurped Shaq for a time in being the go-to reference for something being tall, long, or big, and also was the most famous person from China in the U.S., so there are plenty of references to China or something Chinese in rap songs that substitute Yao in place.
Below you’ll find a sampling of 12 songs spanning 16 years (twice as long as Yao’s NBA career) that show his lasting legacy in hip-hop.
“Still Tippin’ 2” — Chamillionaire ft. Slim Thug (2004)
N****s tell me they look up to me, and I know what y’all mean/Cause I’m balling with tall green stacks taller then Yao Ming
“No More Fun And Games” — The Game (2005)
I’m from the gutter, grew up in public housing/On the same block with a shack like Yao Ming
“Beat’n Down Yo Block” — DJ Unk (2006)
I’m with Montay in the South, system soundin’ so mean/26’s make it stretch, sittin’ high like Yao Ming
“Nah Ming” — OJ Da Juiceman (2009)
Money stacked tall, same size as Yao Ming (ayyy)
“Bricksquad” — Waka Flocka Flame ft. Gudda Gudda (2010)
I don’t need no flex, but I got to ball/Money Yao Ming, yes it’s that tall
“Same Damn Time” — Future (2011)
Horseshoes on my jeans, Robin jeans with the wings/Yellow bone on my team, trafficking them Yao Mings
“Yao Ming” — David Banner ft. Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz (2011)
And b*tch, I’m tall as Yao Ming
“Come And See Me” — Ludacris ft. Big K.R.I.T. (2015)
I’m feeling like Yao Ming in the whip (Why?) I need more leg room/So I hit a switch and the whole back seat turned into a god damn bedroom
“Yah Mean” — Playboi Carti (2017)
Shawty wanna ball with the team/Money sittin’ tall, Yao Ming
“Potato Salad” — Tyler, The Creator and A$AP Rocky (2018)
Married to the money, my b*tch green/No I don’t sip lean, but ride around in rockets like Yao Ming
“Yao Ming” — Gunna (2019)
Yao Ming, this money tall/I just checked the stats, n****s still waitin’ on me to fall
“Ralo” — NAV (2019)
Do my ting/Money tall, Yao Ming
