This song is named after Michael Jordan's clothing brand logo. It is used by Nike to promote the Air Jordan shoes, among other Michael Jordan-related merchandise. The logo is a silhouette of Michael Jordan performing a dunk.
Drake is a known basketball fan and on his 2014 sports-metaphored song "
Draft Day" he shouted out a number of NBA stars. Also, his video for "
Best I Ever Had" revolves around a roster of basketball playing females.
Drake and Michael Jordan have previously collaborated; the OVO Jordan 10s feature both the OVO and Jumpman logos.
Drake and Future debuted this song live during Drizzy's performance on the Samsung Galaxy Stage at Austin City Limits on October 3, 2015. The pair also gave another
What a Time to Be Alive track, "
Big Rings," its live debut at the same event.
Up-and-coming Toronto rapper Mo-G called out Drake for not crediting him for his contribution to this song.
Mo-G's track 'Still' features the line: "Switch it up with the left like Ginobili," referring to San Antonio Spurs shooting guard Manu Ginobili who shoots left-handed, so that hand will always be raised on his followthrough. On 'Jumpman', Drake raps: "I hit that Ginobili with my left hand up like woo."
Speaking of the resemblance on an Instagram video, Mo-G commented: "Have you ever, ever heard in the history of hip-hop a man that gives away his creativity and helps make Billboard hits, but doesn't get paid a dollar for it or credit for it?"
The song features in an
Apple Music commercial. We see Taylor Swift confidently get on the treadmill and start to rap along to the banger. However, she gets carried away and the star (or her stunt double) abruptly falls flat onto her face. According to Swift, the storyline was "based on true events."
Speaking with Fader, What a Time to be Alive executive producer Metro Boomin recalled one of the song's sessions. "I remember, it was like six in the morning," Metro said. "I had been up in the studio all night mixing beats. And [Drake] come in in the middle of the night to f--k with 'Jumpman.'"
"[Drake] was playing a new verse," he added. "And I heard 'Jumpman, jumpman. Metro Boomin on production, wow.'"
When Drizzy turned to Metro for approval, the young beatmaker replied back, "OK. OK. I f--- with that! I f--- with you!"
