Everything is going right for the Golden State Warriors. The NBA's hottest team is a league-best 18-2, riding a franchise-record 13-game winning streak and playing the most entertaining brand of basketball you'll find this side of the Harlem Globetrotters.
But no matter to what heights the red-hot Warriors soar, they'll have to continue without one key piece: The "CoCo" -- or, to be more precise, joyous sing-alongs to a drug-themed song of that name by the rapper O.T. Genasis.
The song -- which revolves around the rapper's professed love of cocaine -- became a hybrid of team-bonding rallying cry, social media meme and post-victory ritual. Then -- poof -- it was gone in a puff of smoke.
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CoCo-gate all started two weeks ago, with the Warriors in the midst of a 5-0 road trip that cemented their status as early-season contenders. After a win in Miami, veteran forward Marreese Speights, who is enjoying a career renaissance this season, posted an Instagram video from the team plane that showed players relaxing while O.T. Genasis' "Coco" blared in the background.
After the team won its next game, in Orlando, Speights posted a better video. This time, the team bobbed in its seats while rambunctiously singing along in unison with the tune. The clip was the very epitome of team camaraderie and genuine joy in a pro sports world too often overrun by infighting and egomania. More succinctly, it was awesome.
Great team win tonight ... Part 2 lmaoooo @dlee042 @klaythompson @sdot1414 @fezzyfel @hbarnes @money23green @blurbarbosa @wardell30 @justholla7 @sdot1414 #DubNation A video posted by Mo (@mspeights5) on Nov 11, 2014 at 8:19pm PST
Fans were treated to another installment -- complete with dingbat sound effects from guard Leandro Barbosa -- after the team's next road win. Yet another sequel would follow on the same road trip.
Squad stay going #coco part 3 @dlee042 @wardell30 @money23green @sdot1414 @kuzma.000 @fezzyfel @blurbarbosa @andre @hbarnes @klaythompson @brush_4 @justholla7 #Dubnation A video posted by Mo (@mspeights5) on Nov 11, 2014 at 8:19pm PST
Why "CoCo" of all songs? Beyond it being a popular, catchy song from something of a one-hit hip-hop wonder, there is no obvious explanation.
But no matter the reason, the song quickly gained mythic status among Warriors fans. Home wins during the team's current streak even came with something of a bitter lining: No hope for "CoCo" singalongs from the team plane.
Now, um, about the song itself, best recognized by its mantra-like refrain, "I'm in love with the CoCo."
"CoCo" is indeed about cocaine. It features four minutes of O.T. Genasis, who is from Long Beach, rapping and chanting in a bizarre fake accent about his love for the drug. He is, you see, in love with the CoCo. He got it for a low, low price. If you snitch on his drug operation, the lyrics explain, he'll go crazy and be forced to use his .38 pistol.
The official "CoCo" video shows O.T. Genasis surrounded by drugs, guns and money. In short, it's not that different from much of what you hear on the radio these days -- and, admittedly, it's pretty catchy in its way.
You can probably guess what happened next, however. After a few rounds of the league-leading Golden State Warriors lightheartedly singing the song on their team plane -- much to the delight of most fans -- it seems an oversensitive PTA member or two must have written some angry letters to team brass.
How do we know this? After the Warriors beat the Bulls in Chicago on Saturday night, fans eagerly anticipated the latest "CoCo" installment. But Speights did not share one. Instead, he posted this sad-face of a tweet.
We wish we could do the coco thing but they said we can't nomore sorry!!! #dubnation!!!— Marreese Speights (@Mospeights16) December 7, 2014
Fear not, though, dear reader! Golden State notched yet another road win on Monday night in Minnesota. There, on the team plane after the win, were the Warriors loving the -- well, loving a carton of Kellog's Cocoa Krispies.
And we still goin!!! @theblurbarbosa @wardell30 @money23green @fezzyfel @sdot1414 @klaythompson @mspeights5 #coco A photo posted by Harrison Barnes (@hbarnes) on Dec 12, 2014 at 8:58pm PST
A cheeky homage, but not the same. Some Golden State fans have taken to Twitter imploring the universe to #FreeCoco.
“@Mospeights16: We wish we could do the coco thing but they said we can't nomore sorry!!! #dubnation!!!” #freecoco— Zack Dubuc (@ZackDubuc) December 9, 2014
the warriors just became one of my favorite teams after coco-gate #iminlovewithdacoco #freecoco— Mendacium (@hamoodii24) December 9, 2014
So, rest in peace, CoCo. You may be gone, but you'll never be forgotten by Warriors fans.
For proof of that, look no further than this delightfully sentimental YouTube tribute to the short-lived CoCo era.