Many a photo has been taken of Olympic legend Michael Phelps with the distinct iPod earbuds planted firmly in both ears. But what exactly does a world record breaking Olympian listen to? What does it take to pump up the human dolphin?
Hip hop, it seems. And lots of it. According to interview with the Today Show, he told the reporter:
“What did I have on today? I think I had Lil Wayne, ‘I’m Me.’ I think I had that on there”
Back in the ‘04 Summer Olympics, he was listening to Eminem’s “Till I Collapse” to help him focus, and in the World Championships in Melbourne, he said he had been listening to Young Jeezy.
His hit list on Rhapsody includes hits by a number of big hip hop names like Twista, Outkast, G Unit, and, Usher. Now before you pass judgement, remember this is the music he brings with him to get pumped and stay pumped. For all we know he could chill out to Miles Davis and Chopin while back home on his off days. I wonder what he listens to while eating his 12,000 calorie-a-day meals?
[Via ZDNet]
"I wonder what he listens to while eating his 12,000 calorie-a-day meals?"
I hope it's his cardiologist podcast episode on balanced meals...
Ok, spot the hip-hop-hating writer. Personally it would be ME coughing on Chopin! Kind of spoiled the article for me when David parades his own music bias.
The real question is what kind of iPod is it? I've never caught a glimpse of the iPod itself, but the earbuds are the new style introduced in Fall 2006.
I agree. The last paragraph could have been left out.
At least he isn't subjecting others to his music, like anyone who listens to that stuff while driving.
@hebeGBMN: Hate hip-hop? Maybe if I didn't consider Nas' "Illmatic" and Biggie's "Ready to Die" to be among the greatest albums of the 90's.
I mentioned the "before you pass judgement" thing because I didn't want readers to assume that *ALL* Phelps listens to is contemporary rap, as I thought it may invite negativity from tech people who, from my experience, tend not to be the biggest rap fans. It's just music he listens to for getting pumped up. I listen to *a lot* of hip-hop while I'm working out, for instance, but when I'm home working or studying, I put on other genres. Maybe Phelps is the same way, maybe not, it was just a muse.
Didn't mean to sound like a "hip-hop hater".
I speculate that he may listen to "Eat It" by Weird Al... and "I touch myself" by Divinyls
As long as he has Vanilla Ice, he will keep on winning.