Who are Temple athletes listening to?

For some athletes, music is a necessity — just like game film and practice — to prepare themselves for a game.

Temple University’s football team blares YFN Lucci during its practices and after wins. Men’s basketball players form forever bonds over Meek Mill. Track and field sprinters get their motivational messages from rap lyrics.

The Temple News talked to several Division I athletes at Temple to ask them how music influences their athletic performances.

Before every game Crump plays for Temple, he listens to one specific artist  — Justin Bieber.

“My pre-game ritual, I got my headphones in and my one song I listen to before a game that gets me pumped, it’s Justin Bieber,” Crump said. “I don’t know what it is. The beat, something that he did on that song, I don’t know. Most guys might like listening to Meek, something else, but I like listening to Justin Bieber.”

When Crump doesn’t have his headphones on and has the aux cord in the locker room, the Owls are bumping YFN Lucci, Migos, Lil Uzi Vert, Meek Mill, Dave East and Tsu Surf, he said.

But the one song the entire team unanimously loves is DMX’s “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem,” which is played during pregame warmups at Lincoln Financial Field, Crump added. 

“We make a circle, somebody might be rapping, freestyling, but it just gets everyone pumped,” Crump said. “It just brings that team [camaraderie] before the game.”

LINWOOD CRUMP, SENIOR CORNERBACK

For redshirt sophomore cornerback Christian Braswell, music is more personal.

Braswell listens to artists he believes he can relate to through their messages and who grew up in the same area he did. Braswell closely relates to a particular artist, Shy Glizzy, who is from Washington D.C., like Braswell.

Listening to Shy Glizzy helps reminds Braswell why he plays the game and “who he does it for,” he said.

“I listen to Shy Glizzy because he’s from where I’m from,” Braswell added. “I like his vibe and the way he raps. He kind of relates to me and where I come from.” 

It doesn’t matter whether Braswell is putting on pads or walking to class, music is a big source of motivation.

“I listen to them anytime, game or practice, it doesn’t matter,” Braswell said. “I might get a motivational message out of one those songs, or I just want to get pumped out of one of those songs. Some songs have different messages. I can kind of relate to a lot of their songs and get a different mood from these different songs.”

ALANI MOORE II, SENIOR GUARD

Moore can be seen arguing with junior forwards J.P Moorman II and Justyn Hamilton about who should control the music in the locker room. 

Music for the men’s basketball team is their culture. Before practice, games or even during leisure time, the Owls play artists like Drake and Meek Mill and occasionally sing along to R&B together. 

Prior to home games, the Liacouras Center plays a hype video ahead of the players’ introduction using Meek Mill’s “Millidelphia,” which is a locker room favorite, Moore said. 

“You want to get everyone involved before the game,” Moore added. “And that Meek song really gets us going. We all know the words, it connects us as a team and gets us ready to put a show on at games.”

Before meets, sophomore sprinter Mallorie Smith has her head down focusing on the lyrics of her favorite song. 

“Kill ‘Em With Success” by Eearz, ScHoolboy Q, 2 Chainz and Mike WiLL Made-It is a hip-hop song that has one meaning to Smith: “do whatever it takes to be successful”, she said. 

“It’s my song,” Smith added. “You want to be successful and kill everyone with success.”

Smith’s coaches might have to remind her to put her phone away before meets, but that isn’t because she’s on social media. It is because Smith is getting ready for competition by bumping her favorite songs.

“Music is a sanctuary,” Smith said. “It’s like my go-to place, especially if I need to be calm-downed or if I need to be hyped up or if I wanna be put in a certain mood.”