By Odeisel

Music has always been a way for people to connect to things that are larger than life. We see the fast life and the extravagant lifestyles and live vicariously through them. The baller lifestyle affords the ability to splurge and takes risks that the 9 to 5 lifestyle generally doesn’t afford the same risk/reward scenarios.

High stakes gambling has become such a part of the general consciousness that poker is a “sport” regularly broadcast on ESPN. While entertainers aren’t that professional, they’ve been about gambling for years. Here are some of our favorite tracks associated with gambling, both the light and the dark side. 

Kenny Rogers: “The Gambler” (Above)

This is the quintessential song about an O.G. hipping a youngster to the ways of the world. The O.G. offers to school Rogers in exchange for the last swallow of hooch and Rogers obliges. What follows is a lesson on surviving the times (as well as the poker table). Short ans sweet; know when to hold em. Know when to fold em.

Nas: “Life Is Like a Dice Game”

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB3tJ_5Uc1A[/pro-player]

This track is from the Nasty era as an unpolished neophyte Nas draws allegory between the ups and downs of life to the uncertainty of rolling dice. Sometimes you’re up big and trouble is right around the corner. Other times you may be down on your luck but you live for another roll.

Ice-T: “High Roller”

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Vp1HzzFwb0[/pro-player]

Ice T was in his prime, kicking that real street shit. Darlene on the arm (with a shotgun) and that sweet beat on blast as Ice told the tale of what happens to those that live the fast life. There was no fabulous life shit; the end was not a good one as long as Ice-T was the narrator.

Ray Charles: “Blackjack”

Ray Charles was a blues brother of the first order. This song is about being addicted to the blackjack game, losing your friends because you’re always borrowing money to feed that card habit. It isn’t exactly a reflection of the high life, because Ray never beats the house but the song is as real as it gets. Short and bittersweet

Ghostface Killah Feat. Shawn Wiggs: “Pokerface”

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzrJdpzYDBs[/pro-player]

This “Pokerface” actually happens to be about cards and high stakes all in Poker. Scared money don’t make money and in order to take the heat of No Limit Hold’ Em your game better be tight. Another strong track with  sharp story telling by Tony Starks. He espouses the rules of the gambler and the guts to sit at the table with the big boys.

Ice Cube: “Today Was A Good Day”

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWfbGGZE07M[/pro-player]

I doubt that the Goodyear Blimp actually said Ice Cube was a pimp but I do know that Cube had a thing for craps. “Roll em in a circle of homies and watch me break ’em.” This may be one of the few rap songs that cover a dice game where a sore loser didn’t put two in the winner’s ass. Cube won at the dice, and then he got his domino game on. A peaceful hood gambling outing is up there with that place where ain’t nobody crying: it probably doesn’t really exist.

The Rolling Stones: “Tumbling Dice”

Long before you knew them as the oldest rockers in the world, the Rolling Stones were some bad motherfuckers. This track was one of their most soulful, with element sof blues and country interwoven with the rock they were noted for. Jagger even had moves like Jagger back then and “Tumbling Dice” was something special because of them. This time the dice weren’t society but Jagger himself and if you weren’t sure about him darlin, you better roll him and take a chance. As later baby mommas could attest, he was loaded.

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