Never one to shy away from candid comments, former Auburn Tiger and NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley told Philadelphia radio hosts too many black people are caught up in a culture that's more concerned with street cred than intelligence.
Speaking on the radio show "Afternoons with Anthony Gargano and Rob Ellis," Barkley was asked his opinion on Seattle Seahawks Quarterback Russell Wilson, who was the subject of an article detailing allegations he wasn't "black enough."
Barkley fired back:
"We as black people are never going to be successful, not because of you white people, but because of other black people. When you are black, you have to deal with so much crap in your life from other black people," Barkley said.
Barkley, a native of Leeds, said African Americans are too concerned with street cred than true success and that's holding the community back.
"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 intelligent, and don't break the law, you're not a good black person. It's a dirty, dark secret in the black community.
"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 BS that goes on when you're black, man."
Listen to the audio of Barkley's comments below:
What do you think about Barkley's statements? Is he right?