Josh Ho-Sang had plenty of raw talent on the ice, but it appears he has talent behind the mic as well.
The former Islanders’ first-round draft pick recently released an 18-song album called “SAME” that appeared to contain a few nods at his short-lived NHL career.
Ho-Sang never managed to stick on the Islanders’ roster during his time with the organization from 2014-21.
Ho-Sang, who has stepped away from the game of hockey, appeared to use one song, “It’s Time to Grow Up”, to express regret over some of the choices he made.
“I thought I was homesick. But really, I was just holding on to times when things were simple, moving slowly, and the pressure was less,” Ho-Sang raps. “My biggest problem was going every day. I measured my progress. I wonder when that started stopping, not just my growth, but the celebration of my success. I wonder when my pride turned into stress.”
Another song on the album was an apparent reference to Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews.
The song is titled, “Papi for MVP.”
Matthew’s nickname is “Papi,” according to The Hockey News.
Ho-Sang’s time in hockey had been one filled with plenty of potential but an equal amount of drama.
The 28th overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft faced questions about his character, which turned some teams away from selecting him.
Then-Islanders general manager Garth Snow took a flier on the forward and when asked about the criticism that Ho-Sang had faced, Snow told TSN, “They s–t on me too.”
Ho-Sang reportedly woke up late during his first Isles camp and after being made to run the stairs at Nassau Coliseum, he was returned to his junior hockey team.
Ho-Sang did eventually get a cup of coffee in the NHL in 2016-17 when he played in 21 games, scoring four goals and 10 points while making an impression on Isles’ fans.
He saw some more time in the NHL but never managed to stick with the Islanders, playing more with their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport and eventually requesting a trade in 2019.
Ho-Sang played in Europe since and spent last season in the KHL with Ufa Salavat Yulayev, but played in one game before suffering an injury.
In addition to the release of his rap album, Ho-Sang also announced he was involved in a new app called Pick-Up Pro Sports, which allows users to find pick-up games and events.
