Justin Fox Burks
Graham, a.k.a. “G3”
We’ve had more than a week to lick our wounds since the Grizzlies’ 2015 playoff run ended at FedExForum. But the beat continues, you might say, for Griz Nation. Among the fans you can count on seeing in Beale Street Blue throughout the offseason is 6-year-old Graham, a.k.a. “G3.”
“I’m a ZBo ballin’, Marc Gasolin’ Grizzly bear,” sings Graham in “The Grizzly Bear Song.” The video took a month to produce, and Graham says writing the lyrics was the most time-consuming element. “Every night,” he explains, “instead of bedtime stories, we would write more lyrics, like ‘Jeff Green dunkin', We don’t bluffin’.“
Graham played all the instruments on the song except bass (played by his uncle). He says two takes were needed for each instrument, his only real distraction being his 2-year-old brother romping around the home studio in a Zach Randolph jersey. As for G3’s favorite Grizzly, it’s Marc Gasol. “I think he is going to stay in Memphis,” he says. “Because we love him.”
For much more on the Grizzlies' cultural impact, check out our June issue. Lots of grit, plenty of grind.
