Kenny Smith Defends Rapper Meek Mill Over Kobe Bryant Controversy

It has been more than a year since the world was struck by the tragic death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant. Bryant, along with his daughter Gianna, were two of the nine fatalities in the tragic helicopter crash.

Recently, rapper Meek Mill caused a stir among basketball fans all around the world. In a now deleted post in Genius, Mill had included a couple of insensitive lines in an unreleased single. According to TMZ, the rapper had these lines about the Laker great.

“Yeah, and if I ever lack, I’m goin’ out with my chopper, it be another Kobe,”

Understandably, this did not bode well with multiple basketball fans who accused the rapper of being rather insensitive and disrespectful towards Bryant. After a flurry of public outrage, the rapper also replied back to the backlash.

In a latest tweet, Mill accused people of being swept away by the narrative.

Kenny Smith gives Meek Mill a pass for controversial Kobe Bryant line

2-time NBA champion and NBA analyst Kenny Smith recently defended the controversial rapper. In a latest interview with TMZ Sports, Smith said that he would give a pass to Mill for the controversial lyrics.

“I’m a Meek Mill fan. I know that he’s a huge, not just huge basketball fan, huge Kobe fan. So whatever he says, I’m always gonna give him a pass.

“I’m always gonna give Meek a pass. People are sensitive about it. We all are. In Los Angeles everybody’s sensitive about you know, Kobe whenever you talk about him.”

He added, “But uh, you know, I always give Meek the benefit of the doubt because he has done a lot for the community. He has a track record that speaks pretty long. I’m pretty positive of what he did in the last year so we’re gonna give him a pass on this.”

ALSO READ: ‘Owe You An Apology’: When an Emotional Shaquille O’Neal Cleared the Differences with Kobe Bryant

It remains to be seen whether the rapper will release his song. Irrespective of that, this latest fiasco has made Meek Mill a controversial figure among basketball fans all around the world.