Kobe Bryant's lack of Street credit

[mike4949]

I know many on CF are not the biggest fans of Kobe. Many think he's all that. But as you know, he signed a new shoe deal with Nike. But he is gonna recive $50 million less than LeBron. The word is on many talk shows is; Kobe will always get lesser shoe deals is that he lacks Street Cred. Nike feels LeBron can reach the inner city better than Kobe. That's the deal of why AI outsells Kobe in shoes and Jerseys.

Now, I'm not a big Kobe fan, but I feel sick to my stomach of why many people think he lacks in Street cred, here's the reasons why Kobe is not embraced in the Urban inner city;

He went to private school.

He came from a well groomed two parent family.

He always wear designer suits to post game interviews.

Never in the news for breaking the law

Married then had kids

Sadly the numer one reason why the inner city(mainly inner city black youth, hate Kobe)

His wife is not black.

It's sad people in 2003 are still thinking like that. You don't have to be Kobe's fan, but to hate him over that, that is very ignorant!!

 

[Coro'sGirl]

wow mike where did u research this?

 

[SiameseSher]

Kobe Bryant has the Syndrome super star athletes who are bright, inteligent, humble (as athletes can be).

Look at another person who should get more deals , Tim Duncan.
David Robinson is the same, and Hakeem the Dream.

Many companies have a hard time to understand how to promote a Genuinely good person.
Personally, I couldn't stand Kobe's commercials, they just seemed to be not him.

Sad thing, good people usually wind up doing Life Insurance Ads.

 

[mike4949]

True.

I did some research on this Awinna. It's a fact that in the inner city; Iversons shoes and Jerseys outsell Kobe because, many inner city kids feel they can relate to AI. He was from a single part home, he was in trouble with the law in HS. And many don't relate to Kobe, nor Tim Duncan.

I'm not Kobe's biggest fan, but I think he's good. I hate Kobe's shoes because I thought they were butt ugly. I don't care about Street Cred. I know many of people who embrace Street cred, many of them are in jail or dead(many before hitting age 19)

 

[LaNenaDeOro]

ok my b/f is a big lakers fan ...and his fav player is kobe...forgive me for sounding blonde but what do u mean by street credit...lol break it down to me blonde style....lol

 

[mike4949]

Don't worry. Street credit is not worth explaining!!LOL

 

[MARKLUVZCYNTHIA]

ok my b/f is a big lakers fan ...and his fav player is kobe...forgive me for sounding blonde but what do u mean by street credit...lol break it down to me blonde style....lol

LaNena, Street cred is a term that applies mostly to minorities of fame. It's how you are embraced in the streets (before and after fame). Street cred is based upon your past and how you're presently living.

A lot of minorities feel that the big minority stars who have made it have a responsibility to give back to their community, the people who are still struggling. I personally find this mentality to be complete BULLSHYT. Aside from the origins and egos of family, no one owes anybody shyt.

Mike, Kobe ain't hated on for his lifestyle. If anything he's a good example of a positive, African-American, male celebrity. He just played himself when he tried to freestyle. lol

I mean you got:
Private school-Funkmaster Flex, Dame Dash
Two parent households-Jennifer Lopez, Aaliyah, Brandy
Designers suits-any big entertainer (besides, they get them for free!)
Never in news for breaking the law-Fat Joe, Timbaland, Missy Elliott
Married THEN had kids (lol)-you got me there dawg! lmao ?????

The part about Kobe's wife not being black has nothing to do with nothing cuz she's Puerto Rican. America doesn't care when two minorities get together cuz America doesn't give a shyt about minorities anyways lol. Especially with something so common as the black/hispanic pairings.

The bottom line really is: Kobe brought himself down when he tried to pick up the m.i.c.! lol

The other thing is, this type of thing goes around in circles. In about 8 years or so, LeBron James will be getting the same type of heat. LeBron is just enjoying now what Kobe had when first he blew up.

Minority stars have the burden of having having to fight and get noticed by pop culture (to make the $$$), and at the same time staying down with the people of their own cultural background. And at some point, the two will almost always conflict and cause a problem for the celebrity and their "street cred".

 

[mike4949]

Great point Mark. The Williams sisters are the most glam and graceful athlete's in the world. They had a two parent home, but learned to play in the tennis courts of South Central LA(home of The Bloods and Crips)and attended public school. But they have no need for street cred. They way popular for that, and is a great positve role models for Black females.