Sports fans don’t always have a horse in the race when it comes to competition. Sometimes fans root for a specific player or a team other than their usual favorite. Or they can root based on a certain narrative.
The same theory applies to hip-hop, where during rap beefs fans don’t necessarily have to pick a side, but rather enjoy the hard-hitting and creative punchlines and verbal images that both sides produce.
Tennis Star Chris Eubanks Names His King of Atlanta Rap
But if you’re Atlanta-born tennis star Christian Eubanks, you’ve got to pick a side between two Atlanta legends in the rap game.
The 27-year-old went on “Black Spin Global: The Podcast” to discuss how he feels about rap and his favorite rappers, and when the question of his ranking between Young Thug and Gunna came about, he had to remain loyal to the Atlanta roots and go with the person who arguably birthed a new generation of rappers, including Gunna.
“Man, that’s tough.” Eubanks said. “If I say, like more, I mean the thing is, Thug is like, he’s like gold in Atlanta. Like, if I say Gunna, people gonna kill me. So, I just say Thug just to keep stay safe walking around. Because, uh, you know, saying anything bad about Thug in Atlanta is problems.”
Considering Eubanks is a rising star in the tennis world, and one of the many people to come out of the city of Atlanta to rise to stardom, he doesn’t want to get on the bad side of someone as influential as Young Thug. And doesn’t want to lose fans by saying anything that might belittle Young Thug while he is still very much in the public eye, albeit from a prison cell or courtroom.
Eubanks Doesn’t Want To Align With An Alleged Snitch?
Now anyone who has been paying attention to hip-hop knows why that question and answer by Eubanks is very controversial.
Young Thug was notoriously arrested back in May 2022 on Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) charges because authorities suspected his music label YSL was a front for a crime syndicate and gang.
His former prodigy and “fellow” Atlanta rapper Gunna had gotten arrested as a part of this RICO case, and accepted a plea deal, testified that YSL was a criminal organization, which allowed him to be released from jail. Meanwhile, Young Thug is still incarcerated.
Following Gunna’s plea deal, many artists from Lil Durk, to Lil Baby labeled Gunna as a snitch, accusing Gunna of telling authorities crucial information to help bolster their case against Young Thug in exchange for his own freedom.
But many fans are divided on whether they support him or don’t like him anymore, and he receives mixed reviews from social media and fans for everything he does now.
But in Atlanta, Thug is still king, which is why Eubanks doesn’t want to go against the grain on this one.
Eubanks, who was a two-time ACC Player of the Year when he played for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, is currently No.32 on the singles world rankings.
