Lil Jon Confirms Comeback With $5 Million Rapper In Matt Barnes’ Presence After ‘All the Smoke’ Revelation

“Bridging the Gap: Advocacy, Artistry & Access” theme shaped the entire vibe of BESLA’s 2025 Conference. This annual mid-year event promises to bring fresh, dynamic conversations meant to uplift young legal and business pros chasing careers in entertainment and sports. And 2017 NBA champion Matt Barnes had to be there, because this guy’s everywhere these days, and rightfully so. Then Lil Jon rolled in and before dropping his big announcement, Lil Jon shared a cool story about Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson’s podcast. If you haven’t heard “All The Smoke” yet, you’re missing out big time.

On Thursday, May 29, 2025, Lil Jon received the Beacon of Industry Award at BESLA’s Mid-Year Conference in Atlanta. During his fireside chat, he opened up about his grind, business moves, and giving back to Atlanta’s neighborhoods in need. Somewhere in the conversation, Jon brought up an old story involving rapper Too $hort, who’s worth around $5 million today. He mentioned catching Too $hort on All The Smoke podcast, where the rapper shared a life-changing story of Jon. In that episode, Too $hort explained how linking with Lil Jon musically changed their careers and gave them both new momentum. Lil Jon gave a quick shout-out to Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson for putting those kinds of real conversations on record.

And just when the crowd thought Lil Jon was wrapping up, he casually dropped a little teaser that instantly grabbed everyone’s attention. He grinned and said, “And guess what I’m doing right now? Mixing a new Too $hort album with all Lil Jon beats.” That one line was enough to send the room into a frenzy, with folks instantly buzzing about what might be coming next. If their last collabs like “Shake That Monkey” and “Blow The Whistle” are anything to go by, this could get wild.

Lil Jon’s announcement was quickly clipped and shared on All The Smoke’s official Instagram. And it instantly made waves across social media circles. Fans flooded the comments. And also, there are several photos of Matt Barnes and Lil Jon going viral. And Matt Barnes also shared a picture of them together on his recent Instagram story. So are we gonna see an episode of both these legends together on the next episode of “All The Smoke” podcast? Only time can tell.

Matt Barnes reveals the music that kept him going on the floor

Matt Barnes spent 14 seasons in the NBA. He suited up for different teams and played every night like it was personal. Behind that intensity was a secret weapon, and Barnes opened up about the music that kept him locked in. For him, it was always about one artist whose words hit different when the lights went up before game time.

“I’m listening to 2Pac the whole time,” Barnes shared. “While I’m getting treatment, while I’m stretching, I’m listening to music.” And his songs were like motivation for Barnes, setting the tone for whatever battle lay ahead. “With 2Pac you can’t go wrong,” he added, making it clear the rapper’s lyrics hit harder than any pregame speech.

Barnes especially gravitated to one message from 2Pac, which he carried onto the court every single night without fail. “He’s talking about, either you’re with us or against us,” Barnes said, describing the track’s defiant, no-middle-ground kind of energy. That “us against the world” mentality became his mindset, and the music helped him block out doubts, critics, and expectations. It’s no wonder Barnes approached every game like a final, with 2Pac in his ears, he was built for war.

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