Ex-Liverpool star Ryan Babel releases autobiography in form of a hip-hop album

Former Liverpool winger Ryan Babel has released his autobiography in the form of a hip-hop album.

Babel released 'The Autobiography – Chapter 1' on streaming services on Friday, along with a separate LP titled 'Open Letter' with references made to several big names from his career.

Rafael Benitez and Louis van Gaal both come under fire on the main album, while the LP contains lyrics criticising former Stoke City man Ibrahim Afellay.

'Open Letter' has already been streamed over 78,000 times on Spotify, where Babel holds 37,000 monthly listeners via his four releases on the streaming service so far this year.

Speaking to The Guardian, Babel said of the album: "I was aware that, if I wanted to make it authentic, I had to share stuff that maybe isn't always comfortable to tell.

"But at the same time, I was prepared mentally to do that and the process of writing was very inspiring with the people who were involved. I'm really proud of what I was able to tell in the final product and the way I was able to tell it.

"In the past when I was making little things in the studio it was more like bragging, you know how rappers do in general.

"It's easy to lie and say, 'Oh, I'm rich this and rich that' but that wasn't interesting for me and definitely not what I wanted to do. I wanted to be as authentic as possible and share my truth."

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Babel spent four years with Liverpool after being brought to the club by Benitez but was later frozen out by the Spaniard, according to the Dutchman.

Van Gaal also comes under fire on the album, having once refused to offer Babel a new contract while he was Ajax sporting director.

However, it is Afellay who arguably comes in for the harshest criticism on the accompanying 'Open Letter' LP.

The former Stoke midfielder has played alongside Babel on 13 occasions for the Netherlands at youth and senior level but it is for his role as a pundit that he comes under fire.

On the track, Babel raps: "Bro, I don't know you from Barca, maybe more from PSV. Oh, now you're an analyst? Hmm, so so.

"Heard in the corridors you're broke, bro. You call things and don't think about them anymore bro code. But I understand if your career comes to a dead end."

Babel also spent time at Fulham in 2019 and now plies his trade in Turkey with Galatasaray, having returned from a loan spell with Ajax.

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