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During the NBA off-season, sports media are hungry for stories. In a piece that appeared in the Denver Post this week, JR Smith is questioned about the nature of his posts on the popular microblogging Web site Twitter. The story looks at some of Smith's recent posts in which all the Cs are replaced with Ks, a writing style associated with the Bloods street gang."Those are still little messages that are being transcended back to some of the neighborhoods," Rev. Leon Kelly, executive director of Open Door Youth Gang Alternatives in Denver, told Denver Post's Chris Dempsey. "Not to say in no way is he promoting a gang. But people got to understand that a lot of these kids come from gang neighborhoods. Their friends are still involved in doing what they do. Just because one was able to get out of that lifestyle, many of them don't forget where they come from."
In some of his recent posts, Smith wrote things like, "Vegas here I kome!" and "Kant wait to get bak in the swing of things." And after serving a 24-day sentence for a reckless driving charge that resulted in the death of his friend Andre Bell, Smith posted, "I just kame home. . . . I kouldnt have done it with out yall."
Other messages on his Twitter page are spelled correctly. Smith nor his agent have commented on the claims, but the baller grew up in New Jersey, where Bloods aren't really around. He graduate from high school in 2004 and went directly to the NBA. Did he really have time to gangbang?
Quibian Salazar-Moreno covers the sports world for Black Voices. He's a freelance journalist based in Denver who also covers the video game industry, iPhone games world, the music industry and a bunch of other things. Follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/q_salazar 
Comments: (5)
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By: jeff on 8/05/2009 6:25PM
To say the Bloods street gang is not in New Jersey is very untrue. In New Jersey the Bloods are the most common street gang. Please verify your information prior to writing your articles next time.
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By: jeromequigley on 8/07/2009 1:37PM
Quibian, why write an article if you are just going to write a "fluff piece"? Come on, you completely let this guy off the hook. So what if he grew up in a gang neighborhood!!! So did I, and once I got myself out of that violence and crime I sure in the He** did not try and keep in touch and associate with them. You leave the reader with some image that the gangbangers he ran with were just a great bunch of guys. I will give you that in the time I had 1 or 2 guys I could actually trust but that was it. The rest of them would of killed my a$$ for a buck just as quick as if I were a stranger. He is not doing tweets to keep those few guys in touch, he is doing it to get his respect from his boyz!! So way to go if you wanted to teach our young to stay close to those gang bangin friends you make in the hood!!!! Maybe they can get together for a reuion and rob and beat the crap out of your sister. Bet you won't be so passive about the gangs then will you. Try knowing a little something about what your writing about before you write a piece that I sure would not want mine or any one's kid or young adult to read!! I just can't imagine what you were thinking????
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By: A MOTHERS CONCERNS on 8/10/2009 2:58AM
I DO MY DARNEST NOT TO AIR MY VOICE ON COMMENTS OR BLOGS. BUT WHEN YOU SEE HALF A TRUTH YOU MUST SPEAK.
NOW FOR MR JR/ BRO JR/ YES, IN A GANG JR. HE WAS RECRUITED FROM ONE HIGH SCHOOL TO ATTEND ST BENEIDICTS PREP, NOT BECAUSE OF GRADS EITHER. IF HE HAD SPENT FROM THE 7th GRADE TO THE 12th YEAH, MAYBE YOU COULD HAVE GOTTTEN AWAY WITH SAYING HE DID NOT BELONG TO A GANG. ST BENEDICTS HAVE NEVER HAD STUDENTS WHO WOULD MISS SPELL WORDS GANG SIGNS (YOU WOULD REALLY HAVE TO BE IN SUCH AQUAINTANCE) TO FELL IT WAS OK DO TO AS SUCH.
I PRAYED THESE 2 YEARS VERY HARD FOR JR BECAUSE HE CAME FROM ST BENEDICTS. HIS PERSONALLY WAS ALL OVER HIM, I PRAY THAT HE STOP MAKING THINGS HARDER ON HIMSELF AND LIVE A LIFE THAT COULD STOP GANG VOILENCE AND IGNORANCE IN HIS COMMUNITY. MMMMM.... JR IT IS T. I. M. E. TO MAN UP
AND THE BLOODS ARE THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY IN NEWARK ALONE THERE HAS BEEN 125+ INNOCENT VICTIMS BECAUSE OF THE GANGS IN NJ.
WAKE NEWS MEDIA YOU ALL ARE SHUTTING IT UP AS WELL.
PEACE - ON THE STREETS THAT IS WHAT I PRAY FOR
NO MORE BABIES DYING J.R.
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By: george la on 8/12/2009 10:23PM
yea the bloods basically got started in newark and east orange.. you have no idea what you are talking about.. everyone from e orange or newark knows a blood.. unfortunately its a huge culture there... so chill out.. jr isnt a blood.. he is a blown.
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By: smays75 on 9/09/2009 1:36AM
he wants to be a gang banger send him back to the hood if that the mental he has
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