Former NBA Commissioner David Stern once read out the lyrics of Allen Iverson's song '40 Bars' to him, and he told the story of how he found it really amusing.
David Stern was the NBA Commissioner before Adam Silver, and he is one of the most influential figures in the history of the league. He was the top man in the NBA for 30 years, from 1984 and 2014, and he has been credited with growing the league and making it international while also making it a vastly better product.
However, one thing about David Stern was that he was quite a serious man. Because the league's image was central to how it was promoted and how it grew, he came down hard on players that could mess with it. So naturally, Allen Iverson was one of his toughest battles. AI changed the culture of the league, expressing himself however he could and being unapologetic about it. And it led to one very hilarious incident that he recently recounted.
Allen Iverson Revealed How David Stern Once Called Him To His Office And Read Out The Words To His Rap Song '40 Bars'
Not many fans may remember this, but Allen Iverson once released a rap album called Misunderstood under the alias Jewelz. The album received quite a lot of criticism, and Iverson himself regularly refers to it as terrible. And the lead single '40 Bars' got a lot of criticism for being sexist and homophobic. So obviously, David Stern was unhappy with the whole situation and called Iverson in to speak with him about it. AI told Kevin Hart the story, including how he almost ended up laughing during the meeting.
(starts at 4:24 minutes)
"It wasn't a great relationship when I did it, that terrible rap album. When I did that bull****, that's when I had a problem with David Stern. And then, I remember going into the office and he was reading my lyrics. Kev, like, David Stern was, actually reading 40 bars off a piece of paper and me and Theo Ratliff. I was trying not to laugh, because I know how serious it was and the shi** I was saying. Obviously, you know, to hear David Stern rapping it, it was crazy."
The story provides a light-hearted take on what must have been quite a serious meeting between Iverson and Stern. The NBA Commissioner wasn't one to take things lightly, but he also understood the value of maximizing the league's superstars and their personalities. In the end, Iverson had a huge impact on NBA culture, most of it being really positive.
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