Coming of age in Minneapolis in the ’80s and ’90s, I never fully understood the west coast/east coast “feud” in the hip hop world. I mean, we had Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and Prince and Morris Day and things were just fabulous. I remember going to hard rock shows at The Quest in downtown Minneapolis, and they’d usher all us young’uns out the door by 10PMish, so the Prince-affiliated club could prep for it’s real bread and butter: the late-night weeknight dance parties. I’d walk out into the November frozen wastes that characterize the Warehouse District in Minneapolis, wearing a band t-shirt and jeans, and step past the most fabulously dressed people waiting for their turn to use The Quest. I’d hop in my car and be home and in bed before their nights even started. Now, what does any of this have to do with Ivica Zubac, the 7-foot Bosnian who plays backup center for the Clippers? Of course! It’s the vague similarity between my midwestern accent mangling “Zubac” into sounding something like “Tu-pac,” which makes me ruminate on how the west coast owns the narrative of hip hop and basketball. Tupac, the Lakers (also from Minneapolis, bee-tee-dubya), that guy who was drafted by the Utah Jazz and married Kim K for 72 days (Kris Humphries, also from Minneapolis, double bee-tee-dubya). ENYWHEY. I’m here trying to save your fantasy basketball team, so let’s see what I can do.