Kenny the Jet gets it

May 21st, 2007 | Posted by PostmanE

Solid interview up at the Chicago Sports Review today, in which Kenny Smith — the guy sitting next to Charles Barkley during TNT’s NBA broadcasts — talks about all sorts of good stuff, from the Spurs to his youth tournaments.

The real eye-catcher, though, is his take on the Imus situation and the way that has bled into criticism of rap:

I think in our communities and our life, I think there are certain things you accept if you are in certain environments if you are in jail so to speak and certain things you would expect if you are in a boardroom. There is a different acceptance and expectation and there definitely was in his case. I think that’s where it is in the community. Last thing on that, I think in terms of rap music, I look at it as the same way I look at if I have friends who act and play skinheads in movies and things like that. I look at it as an art form. I don’t take them literally. I think rap music has somehow gotten people to believe that everything they say is true when rock music, country music, R&B, no one else believes every lyric except for in rap.

Thank you. That’s sort of what I’ve been trying to say to everyone who has tried to turn the focus onto rap artists for something some old douchebag said. Everything in rap songs isn’t meant to be taken literally. It’s so simple, I’ve been talking my way outside of it for like three weeks now. Thanks Kenny, for laying that out there.

No wonder why TNT’s show is so good — besides being funny, Kenny is smart, too. Charles? Well, at least Charles is funny.