NBA Bans Donald Sterling For Life, Rappers Respond

The National Basketball Association has banned Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life and fined him $2.5 million for racist remarks that were audio-taped, NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced today (April 29).

“The hateful opinions voiced by that of the man [on the tape] are those of Donald Sterling,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a press conference.

During the taped conversation that was released, Sterling made a series of racist remarks to a woman believed to be his girlfriend, including the following:

“It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to?” he says. “You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in. You can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it on that … and not to bring them to my games.”

Commissioner Silver also announced today that he is going to work to try to force Sterling to sell the team.

When the tape was first published, several emcees responded Saturday (April 26), including Snoop Dogg and Meek Mill.

The Los Angeles Clippers have also made a change to their website, which now only features “We Are One” and the Los Angeles Clippers logo in white font and a black background.

Many rappers have responded to NBA’s decision to ban Sterling for life, including the following posts made by emcees today (April 29).

If u think banning an 80 yr old man for life is in some way a WIN for blacks people, 1. don’t speak on my behalf 2. kill ya self.

— Killer Mike (@KillerMikeGTO) April 29, 2014

If you think the comments that were made public so far are disgusting wait until you hear the rest. #DonaldSterling

— Willie D (@WillieDLIVE) April 29, 2014

When the owners vote on whether to force #DonaldSterling to sell I want the vote to be made public. We need to know how each owner feels.

— Willie D (@WillieDLIVE) April 29, 2014