MEMPHIS – From the days of the ‘Grit and Grind’ and the ‘Core Four’ to now, with the ‘Grizz Next Gen’, the Grizzlies have not only evolved in a lot of ways but so has the playoff rally chant, “Whoop That Trick”.
‘Whoop That Trick’ a chant to inspire the underdog, is naturally a rally cry, not for just the city of Memphis, but also the Memphis Grizzlies.
“Through all of the adversity. The Grizzlies are still fighting back and they fighting back to the point they got us back to the playoffs, and people coming together to chant the team on four wins. So the fight-back spirit is still in there, but it is on the sports level now. I love it that way “.
Memphian and rapper, Al Kapone created the hit song, which most people know, from the 2005 Craig Brewer film “Hustle & Flow”. Kapone started performing a version of the hit song in the late 90s around Memphis nightclubs.
” It was always about making a song that had a lot of energy. Where I can turn the club up basically, that’s what the song was originally for. So it kind of went from one thing, to another thing and here we are now”, said Kapone.
The chants began a decade ago at FedexForum when Grizzlies legend Zach Randolph and then Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin, tussled to the ground for a loose ball and fans chanted ‘Whoop That Clip’.
” It just spread through the Forum with all the fans screaming ‘Whoop That Trick’ and people that were there, called me to say you won’t believe this,” said Kapone. “So I had to see it with my own eyes, and when I did I was like whoa, this is crazy, the chant came from the people point blank period”.
It’s a noticeable change in the atmosphere during the playoffs and the players can feel the crowd’s energy.
” The rookies didn’t even really get a chance to hear it. It’s like a party in the fourth quarter”, said Grizzlies forward Xavier Tillman Sr.
“I’m excited for it, I definitely saw like videos just from afar watching and stuff, and it looks like a lot of fun,” said Grizzlies guard Luke Kennard.
” We love playing at home in front of our fans. They give us all the energy we need to, go out and play hard and get a win. I know the Forum will be even louder,” said Grizzlies guard Ja Morant.
‘Whoop That Trick’ a chant for Memphis, and nobody else.
“You can’t use ‘Whoop That Trick’ against Memphis, it is Memphis. All races, all genders no matter what you claiming, we are all there for our team to win,” said Al Kapone.
