There is no objective way to rank a rapper against a jazz guitarist, a country songwriter or a reggae producer. The ten athletes below qualify for “successful” music careers in different, documented ways: chart results, certifications, award recognition, released albums, songwriting honors or sustained work as performers. This is an editorial selection, not a definitive all-time ranking of athletes who made the jump to music.
What counts as a successful athlete-musician?
A music career can leave different kinds of evidence. A chart peak or certification measures commercial reach; an award nomination or songwriting honor marks recognition; albums and recurring performance show continued musical activity. Those markers are not interchangeable, so the entries below explain why each person belongs rather than assigning a misleading score.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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Petty: The Biography | $11.17 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Blow by Blow: The Jeff Beck Story | $22.27 | Buy on Amazon |
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The Beautiful Ones | $14.75 | Buy on Amazon |
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The Rolling Stones: The Biography | $23.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Brothers: An Intimate Account of Brotherhood and Rock Music | $16.14 | Buy on Amazon |
The list draws on a FOX Sports feature updated August 1, 2025, a Recording Academy feature published October 1, 2021, and additional reporting from NAMM and Athlon. The cited chart and certification figures are as those sources report them.
10 athletes who built notable music careers
1. Shaquille O’Neal — rapper and DJ
O’Neal released five studio albums as a rapper. FOX Sports reports that his 1993 debut, Shaq Diesel, reached No. 25 on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by the RIAA. His later identity as DJ Diesel extended his music work into DJ performance; in a 2019 Recording Academy interview, he recalled DJing since 1988. That start date is his recollection, rather than an independently verified career record. FOX Sports; Recording Academy.
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2. Damian Lillard — rapper
The NBA guard records as Dame D.O.L.L.A. FOX Sports reports that his album The Letter O peaked at No. 7 on Billboard’s R&B and Hip-Hop Albums chart, and notes collaborations with Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross and Ty Dolla $ign. The Recording Academy counted four albums released since 2016 as of its October 2021 feature. The combination of multiple releases and a reported chart peak makes Lillard one of the clearest examples of an active recording career alongside professional basketball. FOX Sports; Recording Academy.
3. Bernie Williams — jazz guitarist
Williams won four World Series titles with the New York Yankees and pursued music from childhood, continuing to make music during his baseball career. After retiring, he earned a music degree from Manhattan School of Music, according to a 2017 NAMM oral history. FOX Sports reports that his album Moving Forward spent five consecutive weeks at No. 2 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Album chart and received a 2009 Latin Grammy nomination. His case is especially notable for the depth of his formal musical study as well as chart and award recognition. FOX Sports; NAMM.
Rank #2
4. Oscar De La Hoya — Latin pop singer
The boxing champion released a self-titled Latin pop album in 2000. FOX Sports reports that it received a Grammy nomination in 2001 and was certified platinum by the RIAA in 2006. Those milestones put De La Hoya’s music release beyond the level of a one-off novelty recording, even though the cited evidence centers on a single album. FOX Sports.
5. Usain Bolt — producer, recording artist and DJ
The eight-time Olympic gold medalist has worked across reggae, dancehall and Afrobeats contexts, and the Recording Academy’s 2021 feature describes his album Country Yutes and DJ activity. Bolt also explained the role music played in sport: “We enjoy music as athletes. It helped hype us up or calm us down depending on the type of genre.” His entry reflects both a released project and a continuing interest in music production and performance, rather than a claim that his music career matches his athletic one in scale. Recording Academy.
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6. Manny Pacquiao — singer
The champion boxer has recorded and released music in the Philippines. The Recording Academy reports that Pacquiao charted on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart in 2011 and that two of his albums were certified platinum in the Philippines. The geography matters: those certifications are reported for the Philippine market, not as US certifications. Together, the chart appearance and regional album certifications provide measurable evidence of a music career alongside boxing. Recording Academy.
7. Roy Jones Jr. — rapper and group performer
The boxing champion released the solo project Round One: The Album and formed the group Body Head Bangerz in 2004. FOX Sports reports that the group’s “I Smoke, I Drank” peaked at No. 25 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart. That chart result, paired with solo and group releases, makes Jones one of the more commercially documented athlete-rappers in this selection. FOX Sports.
Rank #4
8. Wayman Tisdale — jazz bassist
Tisdale played 12 seasons in the NBA before establishing a substantial recording career as a jazz bassist. Athlon reports that he released eight jazz albums and that Face to Face reached No. 1 on Billboard’s contemporary jazz chart. That peak is reported by a secondary source, so it is best treated as a source-attributed chart milestone rather than an independently checked chart record. His catalog and sustained work distinguish him from athletes whose music activity consisted of a single release. Athlon.
9. Mike Reid — country songwriter
Before turning to country music, Reid played defensive tackle in the NFL. Athlon reports that he wrote the 1990 No. 1 country hit “Walk on Faith” and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. His story is a reminder that athlete-musicians do not always build careers as recording stars: songwriting credits and industry recognition can be the strongest evidence of success. Athlon.
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10. Barry Zito — country singer-songwriter
The former Cy Young Award-winning pitcher released the six-song country EP No Secrets in 2017. FOX Sports also reports that Zito later co-wrote a song for an Eddie Murphy film. The available evidence supports a meaningful creative pursuit and songwriting work, though it does not establish the same kind of chart or certification record documented for some other people on this list. FOX Sports.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why athlete-musicians’ success is hard to rank
These careers do not share one reliable measure. O’Neal and Pacquiao have reported certification milestones; Lillard and Jones have chart peaks; Williams combined chart performance with a Latin Grammy nomination and formal music study; Reid’s distinction is songwriting recognition; and Tisdale’s is a substantial jazz catalog. Bolt’s production and DJ activity and Zito’s EP and co-writing show other routes into music.
Bronson Arroyo offers a useful counterpoint. The former Major League pitcher has played music for years, but told MLB that he viewed it as a hobby rather than a second career. In the same interview, he said, “What you don’t realize is the most beautiful part about playing music or playing anything that’s hard is the grind.” That distinction helps explain why a list of successful athlete-musicians should not treat every musical hobby as a professional career. MLB.
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