If I were Ja Morant, I would not play another NBA game until further notice.
My motto is show up and show out. If I have a job where I can’t show up and show out authentically, I’ve realized I probably need to quit. In this story I play an alternate reality version of Ja Morant and I tell the commissioner Adam Silver and his cornball brethren to eat another 🍆 since they’re already used to it…and I still end up winning.
Since I know I got the talent, there’s no need to ever fear the people who seem to be in charge. Maybe it’s time to start viewing getting fired by these people as a promotion. All their doing is preventing me from being great because of their obsession with owning and controlling everything. In that case it’s ultimately on me to show the world that I and my people can thrive on our own.
If they didn’t want to release me from my contract, I would purchase a few ballistic gel dummies, attach realistic masks designed to mimic the faces of the commissioner and other top executives, and “test” out my Chicago typewriter (yeah I know its a different gun than the one in the title) on the dummies at the nearest gun range. I would film it all in 4K and post to all social media platforms.
Of course the world would question my mental health, or accuse me of being overly emotional, as that is their usual go to move whenever someone Black goes against the grain or refuses to comply with society. However, my next moves would force people to challenge their beliefs about my intentions and sanity.
One of the underlying principles of Western society is the ownership and control of Earth’s resources. This was a ridiculous concept to many other previous cultures. How can a person own the resources of a living planet? Why be obsessed with controlling the forces of nature, when you can derive more benefit from understanding and living in harmony and balance with them?
Slowly, through the process of cultural indoctrination, society has been conditioned to accept the ownership and control of natural resources. But as we know, profit seekers are not willing to stop at just the earth’s resources, they wish to control everything including our gifts and talents. Forcibly taking a person’s talents is rape, and this is unacceptable to most people. So instead those who seek to control others have instead created a system where people feel like they have no other choice but to trade away their intrinsic value for a better life or freedom. One way they accomplish this is by flooding depressed communities with drugs, informants and other agents of chaos, nutrient depleted food and poverty designed to put people into bad situations where people feel like the only way to escape is to make yourself available to them for exploitation. Fortunately the tide is turning and many talented people are growing up in environments where they have more options.
Just because a person gets paid millions of dollars doesn’t mean they aren’t being exploited. For example, if I were to get paid millions by the NBA or another corporation, but they felt entitled to control my image and time, then I am being exploited. This is because I can make the same amount without sacrificing or ceding control of my life. No amount of money entitles anyone to control my life. Since I’m Ja Morant I can easily find fans who would appreciate my talents, willingly give me money, show appreciation and respect and not feel entitled to control my image. In fact I would enjoy performing for these fans at my own leisure.
In addition many athletes are discovering that they’re multi-dimensional, with talents that go beyond athletics. How dare the NBA or any corporation tell me that I need to limit myself to only doing things that make them money. How dare they think they have any right to control my image. I don’t need them, because I have the God-given talent and mind to accomplish whatever I wish and live the life I want. If anyone ever forgets this I would kindly remind them: “I’m Ja Morant, and you’re a bitch.”
Let’s be honest, I love drugs, sex and violence. But that doesn’t mean I let any of those things dominate my life. It’s possible to be useful to your loved ones and community while being balanced when it comes to sensual pleasures. Being respectful greatly reduces the need for violence, and I’ve learned a great deal by observing females be able to get what they need without resorting to violence. Unfortunately, in a society that pushes self-repression instead of healthy self-expression, there are few creative outlets for such things considered to be the dark side. Sports, music and entertainment are the few industries where this creativity is allowed, and these fields happen to be dominated by Black talent. So it’s no surprise that the most sophisticated predators enter these areas to exploit the most vulnerable people.
Everyone who’s been around long enough knows that powerful, controlling people love to try putting you in your place. Humiliation and shaming is a common tactic these sociopaths use to force compliance, but it don’t work on everyone. While some things that happened to me as a child might be considered unfortunate, they taught me a tough lesson. Those who seek to control through shame and humiliation are almost always hiding even darker secrets from the world. They only believe that humiliation is effective, because it is still effective against them. They don’t realize that some people dgaf and have no shame. I’m one of them.
Another lesson I learned is that people who already have everything they need, are too busy enjoying life to take from others. This means that a group of people who are materially wealthy and appear to have power, could actually be very lacking and needy, whereas someone with a raggedy car could be quite fulfilled. The reality is that the sports, music and entertainment industries are owned and controlled by people lacking any natural talent and charisma. The advantage they posses is knowledge of how the game is actually played and capital obtained by their ancestors under dubious circumstances. Their greatest fear is that people will awaken to their internal power and intrinsic value and realize that the system is no longer needed. In fact, the current power structure is holding everyone back. They need us, we have never needed them.
To demonstrate this, one of the first moves I’d make once I removed the shackles of my NBA contract would be to recruit a team of other hoopers and go on tour. I wouldn’t even need to tour with other active NBA players, as former NCAA Division I standouts are more than athletic enough to cause problems when paired with a hyper athletic NBA superstar. Because we’ve been conditioned to sell ourselves short, we often overlook how ridiculously talented our athletes actually are. With our unique talent and ability we’d easily sell out arenas playing exhibition games against international competition. We’d set our own schedule so that we could stay multiple days in one location, meet the locals, explore the food, entertainment and tourist attractions and attract new fans. Without the constraints of a front office that’s focused solely on business, we’d be able to practice and play how we want. Professional sports are becoming stale due to lack of creativity and basketball fans would appreciate our innovative and entertaining approach to the game. Since arena seating and tickets are limited, there would be additional opportunities to meet with basketball lovers who normally would be relegated to watching on the internet due to ticket prices. Due to the influence of social media, people would be practically begging me to show up at their restaurant or store while on tour, thus I wouldn’t even worry about losing any brand deals.
Once I finished touring and got back stateside, I would drop my first mixtape on my own label. Since I’m not contractually obligated to anyone, I could use my already huge and rapidly growing social media presence to promote it. Since I’m serious about music, and finally have enough free time, devoting my whole ❤️, soul and energy to the project would be no problem. Instead of helping the rich get richer, I would use the money I earned on my basketball tour to create a collectively owned and operated distribution and marketing company to handle any additional promotion for my tape and manage my music schedule.
We’d be independent and there would be no need for a hierarchy. This structure would be attractive to people who do their best work when they don’t have greedy talentless losers breathing down their neck trying to extract every ounce of value from them. The modern music industry is currently structured like an MLM where the main business model is using old washed artists to recruit new artists entrap them in shitty deals so the people at the top can eat. Being collectively owned and operated would give everyone a stake in the outcome, rather than just being there for a check. It’s easier to take pride in work that bears your stamp, and when it’s time to move on, you will have something you can always carry with you. This is in contrast to soulless corporations who want to milk you for all your ideas and talent, then pretend you never existed 🫥, get you knocked off (allegedly 🤫🤐 )or have you catch a case🤨🧐once it’s time for you to grow and expand your talent to other dimensions.
It’s funny how they just tried to come out with an inspirational movie based on the story of Michael Jordan and Nike, when in reality Nike did nothing special other than exploit a young Black kid who was only interested in playing basketball, and at that age wasn’t savvy to the industry. It’s ridiculous\or people to expect Black teens in music and sports to be sophisticated enough to deal with predatory corporations who have 100x the resources and experience. People who say “well they should’ve signed a better deal,” deserve to get their jaw rocked. When they wake up and ask why they’re laying on the floor, I will tell them “well you should’ve thought twice before running your mouth and saying something dumb.”
Then of course there are adult crash dummies like Lavar Ball, who could’ve actually paved the way for independent apparel brands, but he was too focused on fame and being a 🤡. He was never serious. Either way, just because something hasn’t been done before, doesn’t mean it’s impossible or even difficult. After all, riding a bike seems impossibly hard, but once a person knows how to do it seems simple. There’s no need to take on the entire industry (almost impossible). Instead just start by creating a quality product (easy), promoting that product (not hard) and then delivering that product reliably to your customers and making sure they’re satisfied (not rocket science unless you’re remedial). Being that I’m Ja Morant in this story, I would have no problem accessing the resources to get started. Since my small apparel brand would be independent, community owned and operated, all revenue would go directly to the folks creating the product instead of to talentless executives, corporate shareholders or funneled to offshore accounts.
Price is no object when you got the juice, so as long as the product is top tier people will be interested in purchasing. Anyone who didn’t like the price could go buy some China shoes from Wal-mart. Or, if you don’t wanna buy my shit, you can create your own drip. Since there’s no limit to creativity, the up and coming designers and talent that I collaborate with would be free to take their designs and move on when they are ready to leave. Another benefit is that the brand would never get stale as fresh, new designers arrive and older ones expand to different arenas.
Contrary to corporate propaganda, a healthy marketplace is based on collaboration. Rather than spend resources trying to defeat other apparel brands, it would be better to team up and share our networks of resources and costumers. This also eliminates the need to devote resources to aggressively scaling up your business and competing for market share to remain profitable. A number of small independent apparel brands acting in collusion rather than competition will also be able to attract distribution deals (or create their own distribution company) that they would be unable to obtain if acting alone.
The final move I’d make (in my first year or so) would be to open a semi-private complex that would serve as a hotel, spa, dinner club and bar. Just as most people would never open their home to just anyone, it’s reasonable to conclude that entertainers in particular industries should be allowed the same discretion as to whom they entertain or serve (if you don’t know what I’m talking about then Weenie Hut Jr might be more your speed). With modern technology, there’s no excuse for why the entertainers, performers, therapists, bartenders and chefs are not already taken care of before patrons even step foot into the establishment. This eliminates a few things: awkwardness and need for up-selling and lewd, rude, disrespectful and cheap people will be deterred from entering or they can be easily blocked. On the other hand appreciative customers can still tip if they wish and privacy is respected. This creates a more enjoyable and safer atmosphere for everyone. And since it isn’t controlled by greedy owners (who sometimes look down on the entertainers they employ), it gives everyone involved creative freedom and independence.
By hosting small concerts, comedians, guest chefs, release/launch parties, fashion shows and other events, it would also act as an incubator for up and coming talent in many fields. Having a high profile player, like myself (the alternate universe Ja Morant), actively involved in activities that are considered sex work is taboo in the world of sports. This is because corporations are obsessed with promoting a certain image, as a sexually repressed society is easier to manipulate. Its hard to use access to sex and women as a selling point and object to a person who already has had their thirst for coochie quenched and who deeply respects the agency and autonomy of females, especially those whom they’re intimate with. And manipulation tactics, such as withholding affection and causing drama, that industry chick use, will be ineffective.
Meanwhile, the hypocrites in corporate offices look down on nightlife while secretly bringing girls out to their exclusive locations and making them sign NDAs. All that secrecy shows that they fear being exposed and losing their position in society. All that for some sex is doing way too much. Idgaf bout any of that, because I’m Ja Morant in this story, and I only care about living my life, having fun and making sure I do my best so that everyone else can do the same. You can’t expose me, because I’d be the first former NBA player with an Onlyfans if it came to that. It would be very tragic when you see your girl up in my video after I visit your city.
Of course this much fun is only possible for athletes who can remain independent. Sadly corporations are already trying to get young athletes to sign away their name, image and likeness. Just because a person may view the world a certain way as a teenager, doesn’t mean you will remain this way. Your ability to comment on social issues may be restricted, as well as your sex life and other habits. If a person is willing to cede control of their life to a corporation, that’s their decision, but teenagers and young adults need to be shown that they have other options.
The United States economic and corporate culture is built on illusions; smoke and mirrors.
But like I told you before/We not gonna faallll for the banana in the tailpipe-Mystikal
Per usual, the power structure scams Black people out of their autonomy by making us feel that we have to participate in the system. It’s never been illegal for Black athletes to control their name, image and likeness but because unskilled, slave master wannabes, who only view a persons talent as something to be exploited and marketed, wanted to monopolize the sports and entertainment industries they colluded with colleges to prevent players from becoming financially independent during their formative years.
Now that they have their next scam in place, they are willing to tank most college sports except for the handful that make money. Their goal will be to collect the most profitable athletes like stocks in a portfolio. As long as you’re marketable and perform they will love you. As soon as you struggle, do anything controversial or speak your mind, there’s the likelihood you will be dropped for someone younger and more marketable. They will also eventually want to take a percentage of any business you start, films you create or music you produce as well.
It is also completely OK for athletes to not go to college. Who knows, your career might not take off until you’re in you mid 20’s or later, but at least you’ll be independent and in control rather than feeling the need to put all your eggs in one basket. In the meantime, athletes will be able to develop their other creative talents (music, film, fashion etc), perhaps play two or more sports, and learn to handle drugs sex, fame, money and violence. A developed person is more resilient and harder to manipulate. Whereas a developed person that’s part of a community of independent athletes who are willing to put aside personality differences to work with others to maintain their autonomy is virtually impossible to manipulate. There are several ways to do this, which I will discuss in another article.
I love all my Northeast Ohio people, so I don’t want people to think I’m talking down on Jake and Logan Paul. Instead, they are an example of how to game the system to your advantage. Their main talent is being edgy and this has never stopped them from getting 9-figure fight deals. When you know your worth, the money will come as long as you stay focused on being the best version of yourself and being passionate about everything you do. They found their niche, then became multidimensional Of course, they had the luxury of not being desperate or in poverty. They’re even more fortunate that I’m not Ja Morant in this reality, as I would’ve already KO’ed them both (all in fun). But instead, I get more enjoyment being this version of myself and watching people win at life.
To end the story, the Memphis Grizzlies franchise would lose tremendous value and their local economy would take a hit just by me leaving the NBA. Would I return? Since this is just a fictional story, I haven’t thought that far ahead, and this article is long enough. Getting me to return to the NBA would be a huge promotional event for them, so I would consider it, but only on my terms and after they apologized for having the audacity to even suspend me. Or maybe Ja Morant in this reality will read this article, quit the NBA and give us something entertaining to discuss.