Ex-Clipper Stephen Jackson evokes slavery in rap song aimed at Donald Sterling
Stephen Jackson has released a rap song about Clippers owner Donald Sterling. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images Sport)
Former NBA player Stephen Jackson has released a rap song about disgraced Clippers owner Donald Sterling that evokes slavery and calls on NBA commissioner Adam Silver to follow through on his plans to force Sterling to sell his team.
The 36-year-old Jackson, who played nine games with the Clippers this season, raps under the name "Stak5." His song, "America Da Beautiful (Letter To Mr. Sterling)" references Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Ku Klux Klan, cotton plantations, and lynchings in response to the controversy surrounding Sterling, who was caught on tape making a series of racist remarks.
Jackson's song can be heard at SoundCloud.com.
"The best part of my career was being able to play with guys from different countries, different places, different races, that was the best part about it," Jackson says during the song's outro.
"Salute to Commissioner Silver for doing the right thing. But it ain't over until [Sterling's] family completely, completely sells the team. I say completely sells the team, the team is no longer in his family's name."
Here's a sampling of Jackson's lyrics.
CHORUS
Is this a court or this a cotton field? //
Can someone please explain exactly what this is? //
I heard they hating but I ain't surprised //
Same reason Martin Luther King died
VERSE 1
Dear Mr. Sterling, here's a speech for you //
I had a dream that the Klan had a sheet for you //
We don't understand, we need an explanation //
Is this the Staples Center or a plantation? //
Cotton pickers running up that hardwood //
While Massah overlooking like it's all good //
Floor seats next to his Lupita //
Sneak in the slave quarters just to meet her //
12 years a slave, 12 years a slave //
He say he clothed us and he feed us //
Uncle Toms yelling that they need a raise //
Don't want to smile but they really need us
VERSE 2
It be the same people cut your check //
be the same people that give you no respect //
Beat you with a whip, a noose around your neck //
hang you from a tree, yeah, you know the rest
The NBA announced Saturday that the league would appoint a CEO to run the Clippers as the league pursues its goal of ousting Sterling.
Sterling, 80, has owned the Clippers for 33 years. Last week, TMZ released audio of a conversation in which Sterling can allegedly be heard scolding V. Stiviano, his assistant and regular companion, for bringing African-Americans to Clippers games and for posting photos of herself and African-Americans, including Lakers legend Magic Johnson, to her Instagram account.
On Tuesday, Silver fined Sterling $2.5 million and banned him from attending NBA games, practices, the Clippers’ facilities, and all personnel decisions. Two days later, the NBA’s 10-member advisory/finance committee voted unanimously to pursue Silver’s plan to oust Sterling and complete an ownership change.
A three-quarters majority vote of the league’s owners — 22 out of the other 29 owners — is required to force out Sterling. Kings owner Vivek Ranadive said he expects unanimous support from the NBA owners to oust Sterling.
Pacers forward David West also evoked slavery in his reaction to Sterling's comments.
"All this Sterling outrage speaks to how naive and gullible folks have become about race," West wrote on Twitter. "Folks buying into this post-racial society mythology. ... Sterling basically articulated Plantation Politics: Make money off the Buck, lay with the Women, no association in public, good or bad.
