Stephen A. Smith Incensed After ESPN Let Rapper Quavo Interrupt First Take: ‘I Didn’t Like it One Bit’

Stephen A. Smith gets an incredible amount of camera time on ESPN and their various platforms, but the famed sports talker evidently won’t tolerate forfeiting some of it to a hip hop star.

During Wednesday morning’s First Take, ESPN producers welcomed musical artist Quavo to the program, so he could debate show contributor and former NBA player Kendrick Perkins. It was a debate on First Take, in the heart of the NBA Playoffs, and ESPN expected Stephen A. Smith to just sit on the sideline and watch.

“I knew ABSOLUTELY, positively nothing about this quote unquote beef or whatever it is between y’all,” a clearly irked Smith interjected. “Quavo loves his basketball, knows his basketball, [Perkins] is a champion, and clearly a paid analyst on this network, you know your basketball, and now it’s about talking basketball. HOW BOUT THAT!”

But it wasn’t over. Quavo took two more minutes to address Perkins, while Smith had to keep waiting to regain control of his show.

The reason for the beef between Quavo and Perkins goes back to 2018. When the Migos member released an album that included the lyric, “Get no playin’ time, Kendrick Perkins.” Now with a new album set to premiere Friday, June 11, ESPN used Smith’s airtime to let Quavo and Perkins hash out any beef.

When the segment ended, Smith’s co-host Max Kellerman said “that was entertaining,” with a smile. But Smith didn’t play along with the bit.

“I didn’t like it one bit,” Smith said bluntly.

When Kellerman asked why, Smith remained short. “Cause I don’t. I’m gonna leave it at that. I don’t. I had nothing to do with that, I ain’t know anything about it.”

Smith could then be seen closing his laptop, beginning to pack up his things as the show ended with just 30-seconds of playoff basketball talk.

Watch above via ESPN