Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea Plays All-Bass National Anthem at Kobe Bryant’s Final Game
Kobe Bryant’s final game brought a drove of celebrities to the Staples Center in Los Angeles, a halftime reel of star-studded send-offs and Flea to center court to perform the National Anthem a la Hendrix -- but, you know, on bass.
The Red Hot Chili Pepper, decked out in Lakers gear, opened the game with an all-bass rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” It recalled Jimi Hendrix’s performance of the National Anthem at Woodstock while still making it singularly his own. Flea’s contribution was perhaps a good omen for Bryant, who closed out a 20-year career by scoring 60 points in the Lakers’ 101-96 win over the Utah Jazz. Check it out above.
Flea also showed up in that halftime video, telling Bryant: "Kobe Bean Bryant, you seriously touched my heart; you blew my mind."
RHCP are currently working on their follow-up to 2011's I'm With You. While the band hasn't divulged any details regarding the album's release, they have confirmed they will headline Lollapalooza's 25th anniversary in Chicago this July.