Dave Chappelle recently released his brand new Netflix special called "8:46" and it is filled with some hilarious bits and some personal anecdotes. Perhaps one of the more somber moments in the special is when Chappelle begins talking about Kobe Bryant who passed away earlier this year. In fact, there were some staggering coincidences when it came to Chappelle's relationship to Kobe that it made him not want to go to the Grammy's.
For those who don't know, Chappelle won a Grammy for one of his comedy specials this year. Kobe died on the same day as the awards show and because Chappelle was so close with the Lakers star, he simply didn't feel right going. Not to mention, Bryant's jersey numbers are 8 and 24, and they were already hanging in the rafters at the Staples Center. Chappelle was born on August 24th so the numbers hit home for him.
“I loved Kobe Bryant. He died the day I won a Grammy. That was why I didn’t show up at the Grammy’s, because Kobe died,” Chappelle said. “They had both of his f***ing jersey numbers hanging up — 8 and 24 — well, that’s my birthday. I cried like a baby.”
Chappelle's story is both compelling and extremely sad considering the circumstances. It seems like everyone who knew Kobe had their own stories about him and Chappelle was no different.
Kobe Bryant Pilot’s Rep Blames Passengers For Fatal Crash
Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others died in a helicopter crash on January 26th.
Kobe Bryant’s passing is still shocking to people around the world. He died in a helicopter crash on January 26th, alongside his daughter Gigi and seven others, including the pilot Ara Geroge Zobayan. At the time of the crash, it was incredibly foggy in California and it was believed that Zobayan was going 184 MPH before the accident. The families who have been affected by this tragedy are in the midst of suing Island Express, the company that owned the helicopter, for wrongful death.
It is believed that Island Express should have never let the helicopter leave that morning and that they were ultimately responsible for what happened. A representative for the pilot is now responding to the lawsuit, saying that it was the passengers who are actually at fault.
Maxx Wolfson/Getty Images
“Any injuries or damages to plaintiffs and/or their decedent were directly caused in full or in part by the negligence or fault of plaintiffs and/or their decedent, including their knowing and voluntary encounter with the risks involved, and that this negligence was a substantial factor in causing their purported damages, for which this answering defendant bears no responsibility,” the representative for Zobayan said.
The rep doesn’t give an example of what the passengers did to cause the accident, which just goes to show that these claims are pretty nefarious. Innocent people were lost that day and to blame the passengers for the accident is truly a shock to all of the families involved.
Stay tuned for updates on this story as it continues to develop.
[Via]
Brandy Speaks On The Death Of Former Prom Date, Kobe Bryant
Brandy was devastated by the passing of basketball legend, Kobe Bryant.
Before Kobe Bryant met his wife Vanessa, he had a bit of a crush on Brandy, who eventually went on to have a lucrative career in the entertainment industry. As a student at Lower Merion Township High School in Philadelphia, Kobe actually got to take Brandy to prom and even went to some Hollywood events with her once he ended up in the NBA, playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.
As many of you know, Kobe sadly passed away in a helicopter crash in January of this year and the entire incident left a huge impact on Brandy. Following the tragic accident, Brandy posted about Kobe and Gianna on her IG page. In a recent interview, Brandy spoke a little bit more at depth about how she felt following the news that Kobe had passed.
“It’s unbelievable. I can’t believe it, and honestly I would have to say that shook my faith,” Brandy said. “That moment really shook my faith. It just stopped me dead in my tracks. I just cannot understand it. I don’t understand it. I’ll never understand it till this day.”
Kobe had a huge impact on a lot of people and his death is certainly going to sting for a very long time.
[Via]
Shaq Speaks On Kobe Bryant’s Death And How He Mourned Him
Kobe Bryant’s passing was a particular shock for his former teammate, Shaq.
Kobe Bryant’s tragic passing is something that still doesn’t seem real to many sports fans. Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash in California on January 26th. His death will forever be something in which people remember where they were when they found out about it.
Kobe’s passing has been particularly hard on his former teammates, including Shaq who certainly had his fair share of ups and downs with the Black Mamba. In a recent interview, Shaq spoke about all of the pain he has been feeling and what he did when he first heard the news. As he explains, he immediately began watching old games in which he and Kobe were at their best.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
“When he passed away, I couldn’t believe it,” O’Neal told the Hollywood Reporter. “I watched every playoff game that we ever played. I just sat in my room and told people I don’t want to talk to anyone. And I am just looking at him [on film] like it can’t be true because he is right there on the screen.”
A month after Bryant’s death, Shaq went on to deliver a touching yet humorous speech at Kobe’s memorial at the Staples Center. While Kobe is no longer with us, we’re sure he was somewhere laughing at Shaq’s jokes about Kobe’s competitive spirit.
[Via]
Derrick Henry Honors Kobe Bryant With Gorgeous $85K Chain
Derrick Henry’s new chain pays tribute to Kobe Bryant’s signature “Black Mamba” nickname.
Kobe Bryant’s untimely passing is still shocking to many of us who used to watch him play. He was a transcendent NBA star who will forever live on in our hearts and memories. Over the past few months, numerous athletes and fans have gone to great lengths to pay homage to the legend. Recently, NFL running back Derrick Henry decided to get a tribute of his own, in the form of a diamond chain, according to TMZ.
The chain was made by ZoFrost and contains a total of 35 carats worth of diamonds. This chain is in the shape of Kobe’s Nike logo while a Black Mamba snake is wrapped around it. These aesthetics play into Kobe’s nickname of the same nomenclature. As you can see from the video below, the chain is shining bright and will certainly be a piece Henry wears frequently.
Henry reportedly paid $85K for the chain which is an amount he can definitely afford. Henry is up for a brand new contract although the Titans recently hit him with the franchise tag since they were worried about him signing somewhere else. It remains to be seen what kind of contract he will get although we’re sure it would afford him even more pieces of flashy jewelry.
Let us know in the comments below what you think of the chain.
Drake Creates Kobe Bryant Tribute At His Indoor Basketball Court
Drake was a huge Kobe Bryant fan and had to make sure he paid homage the right way.
Kobe Bryant passed away alongside his daughter and seven others in a helicopter crash on January 26th. The news sent immediate shockwaves throughout the NBA and the world. Numerous players have come out with tributes to the legend while celebrities have coped in their own unique ways. All of these tributes have been touching and are incredible demonstrations of how much Kobe truly meant to people all throughout the world.
Drake recently showed off his very own tribute while filming an Instagram story from his indoor court. As you can see in the video below, Drake has the numbers 8 and 24 on the wall of his court, with each number placed on the left and right sides of his scoreboard. It’s a nice subtle tribute that will always remind him and his friends of what Kobe meant to the game of basketball.
Drake has been a huge basketball fan for a long time now so the tribute shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. The Canadian artist spends a lot of time in his indoor court so it only makes sense that he would pay homage in such an appropriate place. Not to mention, with everything going on in the world, we can imagine Drake has been spending an increased amount of time in his court.
Let us know what you think of the tribute in the comments, below.
[Via]
LeBron James Is "Not A Real Laker," According To Stephon Marbury
Stephon Marbury accuses LeBron James of exaggerating his love for Kobe Bryant: "He don’t need you to carry his legacy. His legacy is already his legacy."
In promotion of Stephon Marbury's new documentary, "A Kid from Coney Island," the former NBA star turned Chinese Basketball Association legend has been making the rounds doing interviews and podcasts, speaking on everything from his basketball career to his thoughts about the late, great Kobe Bryant.
During a recent appearance on Complex’s Load Management podcast, the Coney Island kid issued some questionable remarks about those who have attempted to carry Kobe's legacy in the aftermath of his death. Specifically, Marbury was critical of LeBron James, who he says is "no real Laker."
Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images
When asked about the reactions to Kobe Bryant's death, Marbury explained (H/T USA Today), “I see so many people saying so many great things about Kobe and they hated Kobe and I’m like, 'hmm, this is interesting.'" He later added the following about LeBron, in particular:
“You don’t need to go get guys like LeBron to go speak and talk about what they’re going to carry and all of that. He don’t need you to carry his legacy. His legacy is already his legacy. You don’t do that. Carry your own legacy. Keep it popping and going. You not no real Laker. The real Laker fans are real laker fans. And real Laker players. So when you hear these guys saying this type of stuff and doing these type of things, I’m wondering what is it for? Is it for show or is it for real life?"
You can listen to Marbury's comments for yourself in the audio clip embedded below.
Devin Booker Reveals Kobe Bryant-Inspired Tattoo
Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker shares a look at his new “Be Legendary” tattoo inspired by a message from Kobe Bryant.
Phoenix Suns All Star Devin Booker is one of the many “Team Kobe” guys in the NBA who developed a strong relationship with the Black Mamba while routinely lacing up Bryant’s beloved Nike sneakers throughout his career.
Following a game against the late, great Laker legend in 2016, Booker – who was a rookie at the time – received an autographed pair of Nike Kobe 11 Elite Lows from the man himself. On one shoe, Kobe wrote, “To The Young Gun!” along with his signature. The other shoe reads, “To Book, Be Legendary.” And now, that “Be Legendary” script is stamped on Booker’s forearm forever.
Scroll through his IG post embedded below for a look at his new ink, as well as the message from Kobe that inspired it.
In the aftermath of Kobe Bryant’s passing, a number of his current and former teammates as well as other athletes, celebrities and fans have set out to permanently ink tributes to the Laker legend on their bodies. For instance, both LeBron James and Anthony Davis received Black Mamba themed tattoos, while The Game went all out with some new artwork above his eye and Cleveland Browns star Odell Beckham Jr. added some photorealistic ink on his ribcage.
Click here to see some of the other ways that artists have paid tribute to the Black Mamba in wake of his tragic death.
Rob Carr/Getty Images
Vanessa Bryant Responds To Allegations Of Photos Circulating Of Crash Victims
Sheriff’s deputies allegedly shared photos of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others.
Earlier this week, TMZ reported that there is an ongoing investigation into claims that deputies of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department were disrespectfully sharing photos of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others on January 26. The first report stated that gruesome photos of the victims’ remains were being circulated amongst several deputies. The story was then updated with the discovery that a sheriff had pulled up this confidential content at a bar in an attempt to impress a woman, which led to a disgusted bartender reporting this offence to the sheriff’s department.
Kobe Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, has now responded to these reports. In a statement shared on her Instagram page, her lawyer, Gary C. Robb, wrote:
“Our client, Vanessa Bryant, is absolutely devastated by allegations that deputies from the Lost Hills Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and Los Angeles County Fire Department publicly disseminated photos from the helicopter crash site.
Mrs. Bryant personally went to the Sheriff’s office on January 26th and requested that the area be designated a no-fly zone and protected from photographers. This was of critical importance to her as she desired to protect the dignity of all the victims, and their families. At that time, Sheriff Alex Villanueva assured us all measures would be put in place to protect the families’ privacy, and it is our understanding that he has worked hard to honor those requests.
First responders should be trustworthy. It is inexcusable and deplorable that some deputies from the Lost Hills Sheriff’s substation, other surrounding substations and LACOFD would allegedly breach their duty. This is an unspeakable violation of human decency, respect, and of the privacy rights of the victims and their families. We are demanding that those responsible for these alleged actions face the harshest possible discipline, and that their identities be brought to light, to ensure that the photos are not further disseminated. We are requesting an Internal Affairs investigation of these alleged incidents.
Mrs. Bryant is grateful to the individual who filed an online complaint exposing these acts of injustice, and for the choice to protect human dignity.
We ask that anyone else who has information as to the facts underlying these alleged grievous and shameful incidents contact our office at 816–474-8080 or email www.robbrobb.com”
We will continue to keep you updated on this investigation.
Kobe Bryant Accident: Deputy Tried Impressing Girl With Crash Photos
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is investigating claims that gruesome photos were taken, then shared.
Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, along with seven others, tragically died in a helicopter accident on January 26th. The accident came as a huge shock to not just the basketball community, but the world as well. The last month has been filled with tributes and grieving amongst fans, family, and friends. Unfortunately, it’s become increasingly difficult for the families to properly move on as multiple disturbing reports have come out in relation to the crash site.
Earlier today, we reported that deputies had received gruesome photos of the crash site, including the remains of the victims. What makes this disturbing is that the deputies allegedly shared the photos amongst each other. According to TMZ, the story gets even worse as one deputy, who was a trainee, tried to impress a girl at a bar with the pictures. This disturbed a bartender so much that they filed a complaint.
Elsa/Getty Images
In addition to this update, it was revealed that members of the fire department got the photos and now, the LA Fire Department is looking into it. These alleged transgressions have been known for three weeks and the investigation is currently ongoing.
If the investigation concludes that the alleged parties involved are guilty, they could receive some harsh punishment in relation to their jobs. Stay tuned for updates as we will be sure to bring them to you.