Is the NBA clashing with the HipHop (thug) culture as it cleans up it's image?

[xmas1997]

Over at Pounding on the Rock there is a long article describing this clash and how most of the hip hop thugs are no longer in the league like SJax and Steve Francis and the latest scuffle between them in a night club, yet it is still maintained by Labron James to a certain extent.
What is your opinion about it?

[Spur|n|Austin]

Labron

[ChuckD]

I think the league is doing what it always does. If you're a star, you got more leeway. If not, not so much.

It just seems that fewer player feel the need to live or emulate the thug life. The Iverson Effect may finally be wearing off.

[xmas1997]

I think the league is doing what it always does. If you're a star, you got more leeway. If not, not so much.

It just seems that fewer player feel the need to live or emulate the thug life. The Iverson Effect may finally be wearing off.

It may have just been peer pressure all along as the fad eventually wears off according to what the article implied, that James is the only player of consequence left who is still carrying the hip hop culture torch.

[Venti Quattro]

:lol what a redneck view of the hip-hop culture.

[xmas1997]

:lol what a redneck view of the hip-hop culture.

You obviously didn't read the article.
I saw no redneck connotations in it whatsoever. Perhaps you can clue us into what you consider to be this redneck view that you are referring to since you find it offensive enough to call it redneck? That might help. A discussion is what we're after, not a baseless accusation!
Plus, for what it's worth, I've never been accused of being a redneck in my life, if that was what you meant, especially since I am diametrically opposed to them. :nope
.

[SpurPadre]

I love old school hip hop and hate what passes as rap nowadays but what I hate more are the players who adopt this subculture where they feel they have to act like thugs and "keep it real" and think they're too cool to behave or play for small market teams. Unfortunately, this image won't change any time soon no matter how the NBA tries to clean it up.

[Vic Petro]

Drawing a direct line from hip-hop culture to thug culture is lazy.

[xmas1997]

Drawing a direct line from hip-hop culture to thug culture is lazy.

Maybe so, but that is part of what the article pointed out especially when referring to the SJax/Francis night club brawl.
In Houston it was noted that SJax had his hand around Francis' throat, and then next Francis was in handcuffs.

[Juggity]

Lebron has nothing to do with "thug culture."

The guy is about as clean-cut and un-gangster as Matt Bonner.

[racm]

Lebron has nothing to do with "thug culture."

The guy is about as clean-cut and un-gangster as Matt Bonner.

I think he acts more like a big kid, no diss.

[johnnySpurs]

Drawing a direct line from hip-hop culture to thug culture is lazy.

Yup.

And there are a lot of things that Lebron is, 'thug' is certainly not one of them.

[look_at_g_shred]

lol

[JRHernandez88]

Labron
:)

[JRHernandez88]

Lebron has nothing to do with "thug culture."

The guy is about as clean-cut and un-gangster as Matt Bonner.
He's not "thug" but definitely represents the hip-hop culture. Which is not a bad thing anyway.

[phxspurfan]

LeBron is an oreo for sure.

[cd021]

LeBron is an oreo for sure.

How is he white on the inside,exactly?