San Antonio Spurs’ Stephen Jackson is quite the talent on and off the court. By now everyone knows 
what he can do on the court but off the court he has a budding rap career. He goes by the nickname “Stack5” and despite many NBA players trying their hand at a rap career and failing miserably, Jackson is quite the opposite. He is actually pretty good.
Speaking with XXL Mag, Jackson opened up about his rap career which has spanned 13 years. In the interview, he speaks about having NBA players joining him on his albums such as the Thunder’s Kevin Durant (who will be joining Jackson on his upcoming album) and Celtics’ Marquis Daniels and says many athletes are afraid to rap with him.
Yeah, KD can go, man. I respect him for even getting on the track with me, because a lot of athletes are scared to even get on the same song with me ’cause they feel I’m gonna embarrass them. I’m just happy he took the time to do it, and he really killed the verse so a lot of people are gonna be surprised by it.
Yeah, I listen to Quis. I haven’t heard Lou Williams rap before, but I heard he’s pretty good. But me and Marquis been rapping for a long time together. Baron Davis, also.
Yet despite the successful rap career Jackson is having, he still takes time to remember his friends such as Thunder’s Kendrick Perkins who also hails from Port Arthur, TX.
After I left, my high school coach went to his school and started coaching him when he was coming up. So when I used to go back home, I used to go work out with Perk and my high school coach, and I just started raising him from there—working out with him, showing him the ropes, keeping him positive. He lost his mom at a very young age, so it was good to see how mature he was with that happening in his life. Kendrick’s been a man from a young age, and I’m not surprised at where he’s at now because he’s been through a lot and fought through a lot to get to where he’s at.
Yeah, and he’s like me too in that he really don’t care. He has a beautiful wife, beautiful kids, beautiful family and that’s all that he really cares about. I don’t think he really cares about what people on the outside say. At the end of [the] night when he gets on his knees and says his prayers, that man upstairs is the only person that matters, and the people in the house that he’s sleeping in. I think we all was raised that way.
Other Spurs players have tried their hand at a rap career most notably Tony Parker and DeJuan Blair, but neither have had the success Jackson is having. Jackson’s new album is set to hit stores next month and has been working on it since the offseason began.
Music has been a great influence in Jackson’s life but before rapping, he was singing in the church choir.
I think growing up in the Church choir, singing, that started it all. Music just became a part of my life, and I don’t think it’ll ever leave because it’s so dear to me. I have a lot of memories of singing in the Church choir. I think that’s why I got my love of music from.
Once the album is done, he knows Tim Duncan will support him but do not expect “Stack5” to be handing out a copy to head coach Gregg Popovich.
I don’t know what kind of music Pop listens to, but I would never give him my CD.
Can you imagine that Spurs fans? Pop bobbing his head to some hard-core rap by Jackson. Hilarious.
And for those who haven’t heard of Stephen’s music, take a listen but it is very NSFW!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUgTK6m5g3Q&w=420&h=315]
