MIAMI (CelebrityAccess) Chad Thomas, who’s about to become a professional football player while maintaining his career as a hip-hop artist, recently told Bleacher Report his trials and tribulations with the NCAA.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is well-known for its efforts to keep college athletes amateurs, monitoring any potential income, all the while selling those athletes’ jerseys for profit. Thomas, a defensive end at the University of Miami, who is expected to go high in the NFL draft, has had to contend with an already successful musical career. The 22-year-old has already produced tracks for Rick Ross, Kodak Black, City Girls and others, has been sampled by DJ Khaled and Drake, and dropped his Lil Tape EP, according to Bleacher Report. The musician can play nine instruments from guitar and drums to piano and tuba.
Thomas, aka “Major Nine,” will now likely be able to help out his family with some income but it’s been a long ride.
Rick Ross recently told Thomas that his beats would be showcased on “Apple Of My Eye,” the opening song on Ross’s album Rather You Than Me. That drew the attention of the Miami office of the NCAA, which demanded documentation of income he has earned from his music.
“They kept reminding me, ‘Boy if we had a game this Saturday, you won’t be playing,'” Thomas told Bleacher Report. He was told to not promote his songs on his Twitter account or post them on streaming sites for profit. He was also prohibited from tweeting about Miami or posting pictures wearing Miami attire.
“They were trying to take away my love, football. You can’t take that away from me. If somebody takes football away from me right now, Imma find my way back around it. Imma be coaching, doing something.”
Thomas is expected to have another one of his beats show up on Rick Ross’s upcoming album, Port of Miami 2: Born To Kill. Ross’s official DJ,. DJ Sam Sneak, recently wore Thomas’ jersey during Grammy Week.
“My n—a is gonna win a Grammy,” Sneak told Bleacher Report. “I’m telling you right now. He’s gonna win a Grammy.”
