Roman Perez Uses Basketball to Spread Love The Brooklyn Way

He’s as stamped as his Passport

Roman and I have a basketball and Hip Hop jones in common. The fact that Roman calls Bobbito Garcia a close personal friend should give you an idea of how well-versed he is in both arenas. Roman is more than that, though. He’s a devout Christian and family man, a #GirlDad , a community pillar, a professional athlete, a musician, a comedian, a coach, and a teacher. Roman is an honest and selfless champion who I am happy to call a friend. Recently, we had a chance to chop it up about all things good. Peep game:

Why do basketball and Hip Hop mesh so well? I’ve seen it happen for you and many others, myself included. Tell me more.

Growing up in Brooklyn, NY the thing was always that you’re either a Basketball Player or a Rapper. The game of Basketball and its style relates to the music world, especially Hip Hop. The culture is all about style and street fashion. Something that even non-pro ballers do when going to a game or performance in the city. Representing stylistically directly relates to the communities.

Favorite place to play and why?

My favorite place to play is at my home court in Brooklyn: Rodney Park. Growing up, I was bullied by locals in the neighborhood. As the years passed, I worked hard on my game and proved all my doubters wrong at the local tournament in that park. It’s where my Father (who passed in 2014) got to see me in action live when I was home from playing overseas.

I can’t imagine how proud your Pops has to be of you at this point. You’ve played the sport you love professionally on different continents. Not too many people can say that. What were some of the cultural differences you came across with regards to the game itself?

The cultural differences are major. Overseas, the game is more organized compared to NYC street ball where it’s more free play. Here in New York, the game is played more iso one on one. Overseas, it’s more team atmospheric than anything.

Anyone who is a consummate Pro in their field is hella familiar with perseverance. I would love to hear about the time that you doubted your journey the most and how you got through that.

I doubted my journey in my early stages; getting cut from 6th to 12th Grade, and my community not showing support. I felt like this wasn’t for me. But the love i had for the game, and the stories i heard that told me “if you work hard you can accomplish anything in life” really propelled me. My father played a big part of believing in me as well. Seeing him as a refrigeration mechanic pushed me to be the best, and motivated me to fight for my dreams at an extreme level.

What’s the best thing basketball has given you?

The best thing basketball has given me is the unity and connection with people around the world. A round orange basketball that connects so many, no matter the differences of culture, race, and religion. Such a beautiful gift that the game has provided not only for me, but for many.

Can any other city in this country touch NYC in terms of streetball? Which US city or state is the closest in terms of talent?

California. Basketball there is based on toughness and athleticism. In NY, it’s based more on one on one and showmanship. They have their differences, but Cali is definitely the closest in my opinion.

Penny Hardaway was destined to be one of the best players of all-time…

Name a player that made the NBA and should’ve been an all-time great, but wasn’t.

Penny Hardaway was destined to be one of the best players of all-time but because of injuries, he never obtained that level.

I LOVED Penny! I think he had some of the dopest sneakers as well. I had a pair of the first ones when I was in 5th Grade and the commercials were genius. I would have to agree with you there; he was next. Continuing the great player conversation, who is the best player you’ve ever squared off against?

The best player i have ever played against was Ronnie Price. Back in 2003–04, we played at Utah Valley State together, and he was a hard-knock, in your face type of player. Dude literally lived in the gym and was a ridiculously hard worker. Not surprisingly, he went on to play in the NBA. Ronnie is still the best I ever played against. EVER.

My Brother, as always, it’s been a pleasure. Tell the people anything else they need to know about Roman Perez:

Roman Perez is all about the neighborhoods and repping for them. On and off the court, the mission is always to give back. All it takes is for one person to activate themselves in order to make it happen, then many more can lead and follow.

You can follow Roman on Instagram as well as Twitter; you can also see him in my latest music video (co-shot and co-directed by his brother Jay Perez) or read about him in the New York Post.

I’m your friendly neighborhood MC Bravado; many thanks for reading. You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and/or your favorite place to grab music. Please remember to be kind to one another and that “Michael Jordan is the GOAT” is a fact and not an opinion.