LeBron James is a top NBA player and with that comes the responsibility to say all of the right things.
That ambassadorship was tested over the weekend, when James posted an Instagram story video of himself rapping along to 21 Savage’s “ASMR.” James referenced a line in 21 Savage’s song, stating:
“We been getting that Jewish money, Everything is Kosher.”
The IG story’s video caption also read that aforementioned line.
It started a controversy.
James has since apologized. “Apologies, for sure, if I offended anyone,” James said over the weekend.
“That’s not why I chose to share that lyric. I always [post lyrics]. That’s what I do. I ride in my car, I listen to great music, and that was the byproduct of it. So, I actually thought it was a compliment, and obviously it wasn’t through the lens of a lot of people. My apologies. It definitely was not the intent, obviously, to hurt anybody.”
Was it Anti-Semitic?
It’s a mixed bag.
“LeBron has an added sense of social responsibility, considering his following,” journalist Jeff Eisenband tweeted over the weekend.
“So if his followers don’t know Jews and are just getting educated on this stereotype, it can be frustrating from the Jewish perspective.
“With regards to LeBron James and him taking that 21 Savage line, ‘We gettin’ that Jewish money,’ I was not offended by it at all, pop recording artist, JopauL told me via a Scoop B Radio interview on Christmas.”
A seasoned vet, JopauL has worked with hip-hop legend, Ice-T and has been featured in Billboard.
JopauL believes that context is everything.
“I don’t think anybody should be offended by it at all, we have the First Amendment, freedom of speech and you should be able to say what’s on your mind without having to be chastised by your peers, or by society, or by the media,” he tells Scoop B Radio.
“So I think people just need to dial it down, I think people are just too overly sensitive in today’s day and age and then just using anything as a right to protest. There was a movie back in the early 90s called PCU, where basically everyone just stood up for everything and protested everything, so i’m gonna quote N.O.R.E. my man Noreaga to say that they need to relax.”
LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers got a huge Christmas day win over the Golden State Warriors. James left the game in the third quarter with a groin injury.
“With me and injuries, I’m never too concerned,” James told the Washington Post’s Ben Golliver.
“I was able to walk off under my own power. I don’t know [if i can play Thursday versus Kings]. We will see what the MRI says.”
Comments
LeBron James News: Jewish Rapper Says People Are ‘Overly Sensitive’ To The Lakers’ ‘Jewish Money’ Reference