Michael Irvin blasts son’s rap persona: ‘You grew up in a gated community’

Having been a staple of the sports media since his retirement from the NFL in 1999, Michael Irvin has never been shy to offer criticism.

But during an episode of Fox Sports’ Undisputed last week, “The Playmaker” took aim at an unlikely target: his own son.

Irvin’s comment came during a conversation regarding Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant, who has been involved in multiple off-the-court incidents over the course of the past year. In discussing the matter, Irvin likened the 24-year-old Morant to his own son, who he accused of projecting a personality that doesn’t reflect his actual upbringing.

“I got a son. He raps. His rap name is Tut Tarantino,” Irvin said. “If you ever listen to some of his raps, I’m like, ‘Oh my god. Where does this come from, son?’ You grew up in a gated community your whole life.”

Irvin, who reportedly made more than $17 million over the course of his NFL career and has since worked for media outlets including ESPN, the NFL Network and Fox, added: “He’s rapping my life. ‘Cause we romanticize and fantasize about that old thug life, ghetto life and all of that stuff. When we used to work to get away from it, now, we’ve gotten to a place, somehow, we’re running back towards it: in the music, in everything.”

It’s unclear how active Tarantino still is as an artist. His Apple Music page includes two albums—Free Brack, Pt. One and Tarantino World—both of which were released in 2018. Tarantino’s social media pages are similarly inactive, but certainly don’t display what you might expect from someone who grew up in a gated community.

In another twist to the story, The Ringer’s Van Lathan took to X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday to reveal that not only had he reached out to Tarantino—whose real name is Elijah Irvin—but that the 25-year-old is currently in a multipurpose Texas facility, which Lathan described as a prison. The younger Irvin was once considered a college football recruit coming out of Prestonwood Christian Academy in Plano, Texas.

So, I reached out to Michael Irvin’s son Tut Tarantino to do @Higher_Learning. He told me he was free in about 45 days … HE’S IN A TEXAS PRISON. Looks like it’s a multi-use facility for substance abuse, but definitely A PRISON. @TutTarantino pic.twitter.com/74h89fk0SH

— Van “#1 Voice in Wrestling Media” Lathan Jr (@VanLathan) October 22, 2023

While no one would fault Irvin for keeping his thoughts on his son’s rap career private, it was interesting to hear him use his own personal experiences to discuss a high-profile player like Morant. On a show typically known for its hot takes, this was a rare moment that felt authentic, as you could almost hear the pain in Irvin’s voice as he discussed a subject that is clearly personal to him.

[Undisputed]