Erika Goldring/Getty Images R&B singer Tank is refusing to perform the national anthem at Tuesday night's Clippers game in the wake of racist comments attributed to the team's owner, Don Sterling. R&B crooner Tank isn't in the mood to sing.
The "I Can't Make You Love Me" crooner told TMZ.com that he's so disgusted with the racist diatribe apparently made by Los Angeles Clippers owner Don Sterling, he won't go through with a planned performance of the national anthem at Tuesday's home playoff game.
"As an African-American man and artist, I must take a stand on a matter that is so deeply personal to me," Tank told the gossip site.
"In light of the recent disturbing and offensive allegations, in good conscience, I cannot move forward with my scheduled appearance at Tuesday's Los Angeles Clippers game."
Danny Moloshok/ASSOCIATED PRESS Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, center, and V. Stiviano, left, watch the team play the Los Angeles Lakers during a 2010 preseason game. Tank's decision to stay clear of the Staples Center comes days after TMZ and then Deadspin leaked audio of a conversation attributed to Sterling, in which the 80-year-old real estate mogul is heard berating his purported mistress for posting a picture of herself with Hall of Famer Magic Johnson on Instagram.
"You can sleep with [blacks], you can bring them in, you can do whatever you want," he babbles to 20-something friend V. Stivianoin.
"The little I ask you is not to promote it and not to bring them to my games."
"Don't put him on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me. And don't bring him to my games, OK?"
Those comments have stoked a firestorm of controversy around the Sterling and his team, with his own players wearing their practice jerseys inside out in protest before Sunday's loss to the Golden State Warriors.
Without denying that it's Sterling's voice on the bombshell tapes, the team released a statement casting doubt on whether the voices on the recording had been altered.Stiviano's lawyer released a statement Sunday saying the recording "is in fact legitimate."
Prince Williams/FilmMagic Tank attends the Road To Essence Festival at Walmart in Atlanta on Saturday. Tank took his stand one step further, telling TMZ he won't have anything to do with any NBA team until the league takes action against Sterling.
Source : http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/tank-refuses-sing-clippers-game-sterlign-scandal-article-1.1771632
