Noted Rap Fan Michael Phelps Has a Very Eccentric Pre-Race Playlist

Michael Phelps has been mixing it up with his Olympic playlist.

Not Available Lead
Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Not Available Lead

Michael Phelps caused some buzz and gained a little Internet cred when he revealed one of his go-to tunes during his record-setting 2008 Games was Lil Wayne's "I'm Me." He said the song reminded him of where he was in life, and he fan-boyed out a little bit when Weezy tweeted at him.

Prior to the 200-meter butterfly Monday, Phelps mean-mugged harder than any human has before in human existence. He looked legitimately angry. Which led people to wonder: what the hell was playing in his headphones?

The New York Times shed some light on what could have been playing with one line from an article earlier this week. "Phelps’s phone held his prerace playlist, a mix of songs from Eminem, Young Jeezy and a more recent addition, Eric Church," Karen Crouse wrote.

No surprise with Eminem. Look at Phelps' face and tell me he's not listening to "Til I Collapse." Last year, a study found listening to Marshall actually boosts workout performance.

It's also no surprise that he's listening to more Jeezy ("Go Getta"? "Soul Survivor"?), whom he previously said he listened to during the '08 Games.

The big surprise is Eric Church, a country musician. His music falls far out of Phelps' previous pre-race prescription: strictly rap and EDM. While Church has a number of hits, his songs aren't known for being upbeat, with the possible exception of "Drink in My Hand." They're reflective.

Hey, if it's helping Phelps continue to dominate the Olympics sixteen years after he appeared in his first one, maybe we should all consider mixing in a little somber country music at the gym.

Send all complaints, compliments, and tips to sportstips@complex.com

Latest in Sports