Veeze Defends Kobe Bryant’s GOAT Status Against Stephen A. Smith’s Criticism

Veeze, a Detroit rapper, recently called out sports commentator Stephen A. Smith for what he perceived as disrespect towards the late Kobe Bryant. In a video reaction to ESPN’s “First Take” segment, Veeze accused Smith of being biased against certain players and hating on Bryant specifically. He criticized Smith’s appearance, saying his suit, hairline, and makeup were weak, and urged him to stop speaking negatively about Bryant.

The “First Take” clip featured Smith and Jay Williams responding to Shaquille O’Neal’s remarks about Bryant’s place in the GOAT debate alongside Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Smith argued that while Bryant came close, he didn’t measure up to Jordan’s level. Bryant, who tragically passed away in a helicopter crash in 2020, had impressive career stats, averaging 25 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in 1,346 regular-season games.

In a 2023 episode of “The Howard Stern Show,” Smith reminisced about Bryant’s legacy, expressing how much he missed him. He recalled receiving a voicemail from Bryant, who used colorful language to urge Smith to call him back.

Veeze, known for his critically acclaimed 2023 album “Ganger,” featured collaborations with artists like Lil Uzi Vert, LUCKI, Lil Yachty, Babyface Ray, and Icewear Vezzo. The deluxe edition of the album included tracks such as “Rich No Duh,” “Luv the Tour,” and “Rich Rockstar”.

Chad Mauli

Chad is a professional journalist specializing in Hip-Hop culture and writing music reviews.