American-born Collingwood forward Mason Cox may have had to pull out of the 2019 AFL season early, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t thinking about his next game—and the songs that pump him up before he hits the field. “I’ve got playlists for everything, from rap to country to jazz and in between. This is a pre-game playlist, or for a workout,” he tells Apple Music. “It’s something to listen to if you wanna get some energy and serotonin going through your brain.” Cox is a big fan of old-school hip-hop and songs that remind him of where he grew up—so you’ll find plenty of that here. “I think that’s what music does. It brings you back to a certain point of time, who you were with, what you were doing, hopefully enjoying life at that point. It brings good memories back, and I always make playlists based on that… It might not even be the best song, but I remember jamming out to it with all my best friends.” Read on to find out more about some of Cox’s favourite tracks. Kanye West, “Black Skinhead” “My brother always loved Kanye, and as a younger brother, I’d listen to the same music. I don’t know how Kanye does it! There are so many instruments that go into this song, and it comes out so well. It’s pretty hardcore, it’ll get you up and about, and it’s so different to anything else.” Outkast, “B.O.B.” “This song is just so impressive. André 3000 is able to rhyme so quickly, nobody could match him here. My brother listened to this one too, and I always liked it as a kid, it’s just such a crazy song. It’s a classic that you always enjoy hearing, and it definitely takes you back to the good times. I wish they were still together. I actually enjoy that old-school stuff more than artists today. They really thought about what they were saying before they’d say it.” N.E.R.D & Rihanna, “Lemon” “The beat is just completely different and so cool and upbeat, it keeps you on your toes. At one point the song dies off, and you’re like, ‘Ah, damn, the song’s over,’ but then it comes back and keeps going. It’s so good!” The Notorious B.I.G., “Juicy” “I can rap every single word to that song! It’s the story of his life, where he came from. I’ve seen the movie and read books and whatnot, and I love the way the song came together and became one of his biggest hits. It’s one of the songs that brings me back to the States, back to five to ten years ago, what I was doing and how different things are today.”