TMI: What goes into a pre-game playlist?
Some may argue that one of the most important parts of a CFL Game Day is the pre-game playlist. It can help you in the right mood, the right mindset and the right attitude before kickoff.
Maybe it’s gospel music like Jonathon Jennings or perhaps it’s Eminem and John Mayer like Tyrell Sutton.
Sometimes players have a set playlist they listen to every week but others, like Derel Walker, change it up every single week.
Over the last few months, I’ve talked to quite a few stars around the league and asked them what they listen to before the hit the field. That’s one of my favourite questions to ask because every single guy has a unique answer.
I’m thinking of making a playlist with all of their suggestions and then I’ll be able to tackle (pun intended) my day to the fullest. What do you think?
DaVaris Daniels
Calgary Stampeders
It’s called Mo Bamba by Sheck Wes. That’s the one that gets me going but it’s a lot of hip hop. I’ve got some R&B on there. I like to switch up my mood so there’s a little bit of R&B on there. There’s some R Kelly.
James Franklin
Toronto Argonauts
It’s kind of changed. All the way up until maybe four months ago I just like, not slow music so to speak, but just calming music, pop music. I don’t necessarily get psyched up. From a quarterback stand point, in my head I just like to be calm and so I’ll listen to love songs, I’ll listen to whatever. But then about four months ago, this was a huge surprise for me. I don’t like rap music, I like the beats but most of it’s pretty derogatory and a lot of cursing. Then I was looking for some music one day, and I’ll do it for hours and hours to try and find one or two good songs because it’s hard to find clean songs now because every song has to some kind of curse word in it. And then I found this rapper named NF, his name is Nathan Foster. I know that he is signed by a Christian label so I don’t know if he’s classified as a Christian rapper but what I like about him that’s different than most is he talks about, in my opinion, real topics.
I like the beat and I like how it sounds. A lot of people think it’s Eminem but he doesn’t cuss in any of his songs, he’s really respectful. He just talks about some of the things that he’s been through. For the first time ever, I downloaded an whole album. Which is huge for me because I only download songs because I don’t like all the songs so I was really surprised. Every time I’ve worked out since then that’s the only thing I listen to. That’s probably going to be my playlist this year.
Jamaal Westerman
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Oh! Pre-game playlist right now.. I’ve got some Jay Rock. It’s pretty good. Some J Cole. Drake’s always sprinkled in there. And every now and then, you’ve got to take it back to some Trick Daddy, Rick Ross.
Bryan Burnham
BC Lions
There’s a lot of stuff on my pre-game playlist. There’s some Eminem, J. Cole and then there’s some ACDC on there, some Scorpion. I’m into a lot of different music.
James Wilder Jr.
Toronto Argonauts
We have a little bit of Drake, a little bit of Meek Mill, some DJ Khaled in there. Lil Wayne, of course. Those are the main ones.
Tyrell Sutton
Montreal Alouettes
Eminem, Jay-Z, Wiz (Khalifa), John Mayer, T.I. It’s very eclectic. You’ve got to get up just to come down. It’s a little bit of everything.
Derel Walker
Edmonton Eskimos
I don’t really have a pre-game playlist. It would probably be different week by week. New music drops all the time and I just try to keep up with whatever comes out. I just play whatever. I might play some Future, or something like that, before a game because you want up beat. You have to have Lil Wayne on there sometimes. I don’t really have a playlist, I just go through the music I have and find what I want to listen to at that point in time. I usually just pick an artist and just roll through the album. Or I just find a few songs I like. I’m never consistent with my pre-game, it’s just how I’m feeling that day.
Ernest Jackson
Montreal Alouettes
Everything, I guess! I listen to a lot of hip hop before games. One of my favourite artists is Fabolous, I listen to a lot of New York rappers. That’s originally where I’m from so growing up (I listened to them).
Jonathon Jennings
BC Lions
I listen to gospel, honestly. I listen to a lot of gospel pregame. Sometimes, if I’m feeling crazy, I’ll listen to some J Cole. And every now and then some John Mayer. I switch it up, I’ll listen to anything.
