Charles Barkley Explains Why He Thinks Most Black People Will Never Be Successful

During an interview with CBS Philadelphia radio program “Afternoons with Anthony Gargano and Rob Ellis,” NBA legend Charles Barkley had some choice words for members of the black community whom he considers “unintelligent” African Americans that believe “going to jail” is a good thing because it gives you street cred while they criticize others for not being “black enough.”

The question came when Barkley was asked to comment on a report regarding Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and how some of his NFL teammates feel he isn’t “black enough.”

“As I tell my white friends, we as black people [are] never going to be successful, not because of you white people, but because of other black people. When you’re black, you have to deal with so much crap in your life, from other black people. It’s a dirty dark secret and I’m glad it’s coming out …”
If you do well in school, you’re not “black enough.”

“When young black kids do well in school, the losers kid tell them, ‘Oh you’re acting white’ … One of the reasons we’re never going to be successful as a whole because of other black people … For some reason we are brainwashed to think, if you’re not a thug or an idiot, you’re not black enough. If you go to school, make good grades, speak intelligently, and don’t break the law, you’re not a good black person.”

Why many black sports players go broke.

“One of the reasons a lot of black players go broke, because when you’re successful you’re friends say, ‘Oh, you ain’t cool, you ain’t down with us anymore.’ And you end up giving up all your money to these damn loser and you end up broke again.”

“There are a lot of black people who are unintelligent, who don’t have success … It’s best to knock a successful black person down because they’re intelligent, they speak well, they do well in school and they’re successful … It’s just typical B.S. that goes on when you’re a black, man.”

“We’re the only ethnic group to say, ‘Hey if you go to jail, it gives you street cred,’ ” which he says is a compliment in the black community. “That’s just typical B.S. that goes on when you’re black, man. Don’t waste a lot of time on it please.”

Via NextShark