Why JORDAN could learn something from LeBron, Melo, CP3 and D.Wade! “Torches”

"We're in the ride too bruh!"

John D. Rockefeller once said, “Every right implies a responsibility; Every opportunity, an obligation, Every possession, a duty.” Dick Gephardt, the politician, gave it to us like this, “Those who have prospered and profited from life’s lottery have a moral obligation to share their good fortune.” Then Phil Crane, another politician, put it where the goats could get it when he spit, “As my dad said, you have an obligation to leave the world better than how you found it. And he also reminded us to be givers in this life, and not takers.” 


Well playas…as I watched the ESPY’s on Wednesday night and saw duns like Melo, CP3, D. Wade and LeBron stand before America and tell a boy that enough is enough with the gun violence, police brutality and retaliation my soul smiled!! These cats understand full well what the reality of black folks and black males are in this country. They used their platform to make a difference. They reminded America that they are just as black, just as vulnerable and just as affected by this foolishness as Pookie and Ray-Ray are in the Delaney Projects off in the G!  


Let’s keep it real or all the way 100, whichever comes 1st! Everyone of those cats have family in some hood in America and all of their family looks just like them. They’ve all got children that will one day drive a vehicle and will ultimately be stopped by the police. Those are the FACTS playboy!! And what boyz don’t realize is that their kids will be GREATER targets by some racist cop than mine. Why? Because their kid will pull up in some multi-million dollar neighborhood drivin’ a luxury vehicle and the freakin’ cop isn’t goin’ to know that that’s LeBron’s or Melo’s kid when he pulls them over talkin’ crazy with the gun drawn. That’s not me speculatin’ bruh! That’s me givin’ you the reality of bein’ black in America! 


Just because you see these cats on TV every night and that they’ve got hundreds of millions of dollars it doesn’t exclude them from the conversation of worryin’ about their family and friends gettin’ brutalized by the police and in some cases maybe even killed. So I applaud these cats for doin’ what Michael Jordan has refused to do in all of his 32 years as a professional athlete. Say something, anything!! And that’s why I’ve got NO respect for him!!! 


Ole boy is the most powerful and influential person in the history of sports because of his resume and the Jordan Brand which should be respected because he’s earned it. However, he’s NEVER used that power to do anything but play basketball and sell shoes. Black men in this country are bein’ hunted from all angles. Like I said in the crazy Hot Joint yesterday entitled “Surface Area” not only are cats havin’ to run from the gangstas in these streets but now they’ve gotta run from the duns that were sworn in to protect and serve them! Wheredeydodatat?  I’ve got enemies in the streets and my safe haven is killin’ me too! 


Y’all can keep havin’ the love-fest on Jordan if you want to but I can’t ride with a boy that won’t love me back! See Muhammad Ali was the G.O.A.T. not because of his ability to box bruh! He became the G.O.A.T because of his ability to make a difference in the lives of his people! He understood the value of his platform and he used it to make change in this world not only for black folks but for all folks. When God blesses you he’s not just blessin’ you bruh! He’s wants to bless others through you!! 


So when Melo took out a full page ad in the New York Daily to express how he felt about this foolishness he immediately became somebody that I mess with. Why? Because he didn’t have to do it! He could have acted like he and his family were immune to the violence that everyday black folks in America are subject to but he’s not crazy. Salute my brother. 


I’m glad to see that these young cats playin’ today understand that it’s more to it than just playin’ ball and gettin’ rich. It’s about makin’ a difference.  Cats like Jim Brown, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Muhammad Ali put their careers on the line daily by supportin’ the civil rights movement and other social issues in this country. People hated Ali until he was unable to speak, but he died a national hero. Why? Because he stood up to the government in protest of the draft and the Vietnam war etc. Brown founded the Amer-I-can program in 1988 to help young African-American males transition out of the gang life and prisons in L.A. and Cleveland. Kareem was very active in the civil rights movement in the late 1960’s. 


They tried to pass the torch down to Jordan but he let that joint hit the ground. He was given the opportunity to make the impact that he has made on the world as a result of their efforts! But all he wanted was the bread and not the obligation to help change the world.  


I’m so glad that these young boyz didn’t learn anything from Jordan and they decided to skip over him and take their lead from the old heads. 

Beyond seein’ these young boyz doin’ what they did at the ESPY’s on Wednesday night they’re steppin’ up big time. We’re seein’ them more and more athletes speakin’ out on the injustice  of our people in America. We’ve seen cats like D. Rose, the five wide receivers from the St. Louis Rams with their hands up etc. We’ve seen boyz rockin’ hoodies and t-shirts “I Can’t Breathe!” We just saw the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx, who are the defendin’ champs, wearin’ the “Justice and Accountabilty” warm up shirts before a game this week in support of those that have died in these streets at the hands of the police or “so-called” police. 


We even saw Cardale Jones, who was just a college quarterback at the time, use his power of influence to at least make a statement about the injustice surroundin’ the Sandra Bland foolishness. But for more than 32 years all we’ve EVER gotten from Jordan was a jumper, a slam dunk, a tongue wag and some darn shoes! And that’s the edited version. 


Naw playa, I wanna see a boy get in the ride with me and everybody that looks like me and say enough is enough. That’s love! And I don’t care what color you are it affects all of us. Because until we learn to love each other we’re still goin’ to be dealin’ with this foolishness. And don’t get it twisted bruh, I speak at schools and to teams in the hood on a regular basis! Why? Because I’ve got a platform too and it’s not just about sports. It’s about encouragin’ people to live up to their potential regardless of their circumstances. 


So SALUTE to Melo, CP3, D.Wade and LeBron for usin’ their platform to bring attention to this nonsense. And on your way to the crib stop by Jordan’s house and remind him that his kids are black too. And that goes for his new kids too. Especially in the eyes of a racist cop. Stop me when I start lyin’! 

Playas Thesaurus: 

1) Spit: verb – to say

2) Dun: noun – the person in question, dude, guy, etc. It’s whoever I’m talkin’ about and its non-gender specific.

3) Put it where the goats can get it: verb phrase – to make it as elementary as possible. To put it at ground level so everyone can understand it.

4) The G: Noun – Gary, Indiana