Ryan Babel’s Rap Career Is Embarrassing, But Not Like This

There are a lot of reasons to read Daniel Taylor’s profile of Ryan Babel in the Guardian: the look inside Amsterdam’s crime-ridden Bijlmermeer, the subtle evocation of Babel’s uneasy marriage of gentleness and unpredictability. But anyone who’s seen the videos of Babel rapping that have circulated online will probably want to take this passage with a grain of salt:

Babel has a studio at home and has put out a number of records under the name Rio, including one collaboration with his Holland international team-mate Royston Drenthe. His lyrics could make Eminem blush – sample: “you can see this nigga with number 19/I can’t even spend all my money/keep your daughter inside or you will be my family”.

Somehow I think Eminem could stand it.