Former NBA player Stephen Jackson poses on Chicago’s infamous O Block with local young men. (Credit: Instagram / @ _stak5_)
Former NBA player Stephen Jackson, who won a championship with the San Antonio Spurs, recently went live during a visit to Chicago’s infamous O Block. Located at the 6400 Block of South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, O Block is described by many as the Midwest city’s most dangerous area.
Once home to former First Lady Michelle Obama, O Block is also home to the Chicago Crusader newspaper offices and Parkway Gardens low-income apartments. It rose to worldwide prominence in 2012 when Chicago MC Chief Keef highlighted it in some of his most popular music videos.
O Block received its name as a tribute to 20-year-old Odee Perry, who was murdered in the area in 2011 by a 17-year-old rival gang member who was then also shot and killed, Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Perry was one of 19 shooting victims within a three-year span from 2011 to 2014 on O Block, earning the block its “most dangerous” designation.
Jackson, 44, beamed with pride while bragging that he was on O Block because he has enough street cred to be among “the real ones.”
“A lot of y’all n*ggas be on O-Block, pulling up taking pictures. Where we at? We in the middle of it, Y’all pullup and take pictures and y’all not allowed to,” Jackson said at the beginning of a video that was posted on Twitter. “One thing about it, if you a real one, you don’t mind checking in. I check in with the real ones that’s why I’m in the middle of O-Block. … I’m in the middle of O-Block n*gga! What the f**k you mean? Sh*t you can’t pay for. No rap cap.”
Black America had some thoughts about Jackson’s video and they weren’t shy about sharing them on Twitter.
“Checking in ??? Cmon Nigga you 44 years old,” Twitter user @KingMosesDaGod tweeted before quoting a Jay-Z lyric that says, “I don’t be in the project hallway Talkin’ ’bout how I be in the projects all day that sound stupid to me.”
“Man 45 years old taking gang fied trips,” Twitter user el_budget echoed in a tweet.
“There’s absolutely 0 reason for a nigga to be that established in life and still wanting to hang in the hood at that age,” @SoufParkMack responded.
“I don’t want to be in O Block!!! WTF he bragging about?” Twitter user @ron2smoove agreed.
“Zero! All this for him to cut the cameras and go back to his nice home while they stuck there. They should’ve robbed him,” @Rose_Cranberry replied.
“Von’s Ghost Watching His Hood Turn Into A Celebrity Gangsta Vacation Resort,” @AyeAyeLEX tweeted.
“I see why Kwame goes at Jack. You can’t still be looking for validation at his age,” @PhillyGIL said. “Also, I thought he was Muslim. If so, why is he talking like that?”
When another user challenged @PhillyGIL by stating that no one was perfect despite their religious beliefs, he responded by doubling down on his opinion.
“You’re missing the point totally. None of us are perfect, that’s a fact. Problem is Jack plays a role. One day he’s speaking the good word, the other he’s a ignorant street ni**a,” @PhillyGIL responded. “And on camera at that. Who’s he teaching, what’s he trying to prove?”
Twitter user @jstacksjones didn’t see a problem with Jackson’s video, however. “Niggas can’t go to the hood? Only certain ppl think like this,” @jstacksjones wrote. “Hope y’all know what I mean by certain.”
“Go there and post up taking cute ig videos like he’s on a field trip ??? lame. and weird,”@_jwatsonn chimed in. “Lol nothing wrong with going but don’t act like you’ve never been nowhere this is a real neighborhood where real people live not a tourist attraction.”
Jackson also posted a picture of himself on Instagram in front of a mural of slain Chicago MC King Von. with some of the young men on O-Block. “I spread love wherever I go. U mad kuz I’m everywhere u never there. I get it. It’s just the Port Arthur Texas in me,” Jackson wrote in the caption.
PHOTO: Former NBA player Stephen Jackson poses on Chicago’s’ infamous O Block with local young men. (Credit: Instagram / @ _stak5_)
