Today is the deadline for Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling to formally respond to the NBA’s charges of improper racist conduct. This after TMZ released an audio recorded conversation between Sterling and his girlfriend, V Stiviano.
The issue of race in sports has been a hot button topic in mainstream culture since the Sterling findings. Though he was banned and fined $ 2.5 million, to some the punishment seemed like a slap on the wrist for an owner that has been well-documented for his wrong choice of words.
A 17-year NBA veteran, Stephen Jackson is well-respected amongst his peers for being outspoken. Currently an NBA free agent, Jackson is a career 15 point scorer and was a integral part of Coach Greg Popovich’s 2003 Spurs championship team.
Check Out His Career Highlights
Ironically, Jackson briefly played for the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this season before being waived in January. He penned, America Da Beautiful (Letter to Mr. Sterling), a response to the embattled Sterling’s comments. “I didn’t really get a chance to speak my mind like I wanted to,” Jackson told The Source by phone.
Check It Out
“I’ve been writing and producing for a long time, so I said: ‘You know what, let me make a song, let me speak my mind on the situation.”
A native of Port Arthur, Texas like UGK’s Pimp C and Bun B, Jackson’s decision to get aggressive in the booth rather than on the court was not just on a whim. Performing under the stage name Stak5, Jackson’s album, My Life Not Yours album is slated to drop this summer under Single Society Entertainment. His first single, Gumbo, features T.I. and Young Jeezy on Gumbo. “You’ve got music and basketballcolliding,” said Jackson.
“T.I. talks about two or three different types of women you mix that up in gumbo. It’s going to be a song that you really love because you’ve never seen these four guys on a song in a collaboration before.”
Jackson is not the first hooper to pick up the microphone. Shaq, the most notable, collaborated with the Notorious B.I.G. Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson also had brief stints rhyming. Should folks take Jackson’s new career seriously or be skeptical? “I’ve been rapping for over 17 years,” said Jackson. “I’ve got mixtapes out, I’ve been featured on people’s projects, I’ve done shows, so this ain’t nothing new,” he said.
“I’m probably the only NBA player that’s done mixtapes and shows during the season. So if anyone thinks that, they need to do their homework.”
Check out more from Jackson below:
The Source: Was writing America Da Beautiful therapeutic for you?
Stephen Jackson: Nah, because it was easy because that was the hottest topic. I’ve been talking about it with my homeboys and talked to my cousin about it when I was in Cali and I landed in California when [the TMZ recording] it came out. So it was easy to talk about it and to write about it.
The Source: Why come out about it now? You played for the Clippers earlier this season. Were those feelings you had when you played for the team he owns?
Stephen Jackson: I didn’t even know who he was. I never even heard the name Donald Sterling. I didn’t know he was racist. I didn’t know anything about this man at all until this came out. So, when this came out, I jumped on it.
The Source: But you say you didn’t know who Donald Sterling was—he’s an NBA owner. You know who Mark Cuban is, you know who Mikhail Prokhorov is. You didn’t know who Donald Sterling was at all?
Stephen Jackson: Nope. I had no clue he was. I don’t even know who the owner of the Celtics is, I don’t know the owner of the Memphis Grizzlies—I don’t know these people and I’ve never played for these teams. Half of these teams you play on, you don’t really see the owners that much. Like when I played for the Spurs, the owner Mr. Holt [Peter Holt] was real hands on. But a lot of teams, you don’t really see the owners.
The Source: What message do you hope to get from putting out this track?
Stephen Jackson: The message is exactly what the song says: it’s no need for racism in 2014. We don’t believe in it and there’s no reason for racism. Even though he’s banned, his family still owns the team, and it is not over until the team is out of his family’s name.
The Source: You’re well respected in the NBA. The NBA’s free agency period starts in a couple of months. If asked, what advice would you give your NBA peers who may see an offer on the table from the Clippers? What advice would you give to some of your current friends on that Clippers team?
Stephen Jackson: At the end of the day, everybody is their own man. You can’t tell someone what they should do to provide for them and their family, that’s one. Two, I really don’t care. I’m too concerned about what I’ve got going on. I wouldn’t even give them a three. Put it like this, you could tell a guy, ‘Hey man don’t play for the Clippers, the owner is racist, he’s still on the team. But it’s going to be two guys you tell that to and the owner offers them $5 million. They ain’t going to pay attention to anything you said and they’re going to be just as African American as I am. They’re still going to sign that contract. So I’d rather just keep my opinion to myself and keep it moving and worry about what I can control and that’s me getting this money.
The Source: Who do you have in the NBA Finals?
Stephen Jackson:San Antonio and Miami.
The Source: Why?
Stephen Jackson: San Antonio, you can count on them being consistent. I think them and Miami are the most consistent teams in the NBA Playoffs. Everybody else is up and down getting beat by 30. Oklahoma always gives San Antonio problems, but I don’t think that it’s going to happen this year. And I see San Antonio winning it this year.
The Source: You’re rapping full time now. Is this a total switch just to music? Are you still looking to play in the NBA?
Stephen Jackson: Well right now I’m 100% music. Basketball is my first love and it will come first before anything besides family and God. So, if I get an opportunity where it is beneficial and I can be a player, be comfortable in the position I’m in and not be belittled by a coach and be treated like a man, I would love to go back and play. I’m nowhere close to retiring from basketball because thank God, I’ve never had any serious injuries or serious surgeries. So my body is fine. If I get a call and could come back, I would love to. It would be something I would take seriously and I can do my thing again.
Look out for Captain Jack’s My Life Not Yours album dropping this summer!
