Originally published on July 16, 2002
Allen Iverson, the All-Star point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers, submitted to authorities today after being charged with assault. The word on the street is that the authorities do not have much of a case. Nevertheless, when a former MVP of the NBA is arrested, it becomes front page news.
I think Iverson is a good kid who’s caught up in living up to a tough guy image. Ralph Wiley agrees. Iverson share a lot in common with Tupac Shakur, a person whose life I followed while he walked among us.
I can’t tell you why I was intrigued by Shakur in the beginning. He was a bit player in the rap group Digital Underground. But something prompted me to buy his first album, 2Pacalypse Now.
I do not have that CD anymore, but I remember predicting his demise after I heard it. In fact, I made a point to play some of the tracks for a couple of friends to illustrate my opinion. Some of the cuts were very dark. It sounded like the work of a person who was obsessed with death. I was (and still am) upset when I heard he’s been fatally shot in 1996, but I wasn’t surprised.
Tupac Shakur had an artist’s spirit. He was a great writer and MC, a good actor and a controversial figure who flamed out too soon.
His book of poetry, The Rose That Grew From Concrete shows a sensitive, romantic 19-year-old poet searching for hope and love. His life ended at 25 with Shakur embodying the image of a thug.
I hope Iverson sees the light and realizes, that as a young, talented, rich, respected and honored athlete, he is more immune than the rest of us to forces that might lead to his demise. As Wiley says, it’s up to Iverson. No one else can help him now.
Will Leon 