Barack Obama: 'If You're Confident About Your Sexuality, You Don't Need Eight Women Around You Twerking'

Former President Barack Obama and NBA star Stephen Curry joined together on Tuesday to urge boys from minority backgrounds to become strong examples for their communities by focusing on their self-confidence as opposed to chasing personal wealth or women.

Speaking in Oakland, California, at an event to mark the fifth anniversary of the My Brother's Keeper Alliance—an organization that strives to close opportunity gaps facing young minority men—the two spoke about the challenges they faced while growing up and shared their thoughts on subjects that ranged from policing minority communities to hip-hop to what it means to be a man.

Touching on the social pressures faced young generations and the images of success portrayed by most hip-hop stars, Obama talked about the importance of self-confidence and remaining true to one's principles.

"We live in a culture where our worth is measured by how much money we have and how famous we are," he told the audience, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. "I will tell you, at the end of the day, the thing that will give you confidence is not that. I know a lot of rich people that are all messed up.

"If you are really confident about your financial situation, you're probably not going to be wearing an 8-pound chain around your neck. If you're very confident about your sexuality, you don't have to have eight women around you twerking."

The My Brother's Keeper Alliance is part of the Obama Foundation and was founded after the 2012 shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin that sparked protests across the nation.

Obama and Curry have developed a strong friendship and regularly play golf together. While both hail from minority backgrounds, they had vastly different experiences growing up.

The former president admitted he was "all kinds of screwed up" during his high school days, which he partly attributed to having met his father only once.

Curry, on the other hand, said his father, former NBA player Dell Curry, was a "consistent presence" in his adolescence. He credited his parents with helping him overcome his lack of confidence.

"The confidence to kind of get over that hump was a process," Curry said. "The swagger that you see on the court right now, it wasn't always there. It was a constant struggle."

Obama said his confidence also took time to grow and didn't truly emerge until he changed his approach to life.

"I think I started to grow up when I stopped thinking about myself, and I started thinking about how I can be useful to other people," Obama said. "The amazing thing is, when you help somebody, and you see that positive impact on somebody, that gives you confidence."

Obama also explained how eradicating stereotypes was a crucial challenge to take on to improve society.

"Some communities need more police, not fewer police," he said. "Building trust, knowing who is who and just because somebody is wearing a hoodie doesn't mean they are a criminal. That is just the style."

Curry also touched on the issue, suggesting that the time had come for the NBA to stand up and serve as a social example for the next generation.

"One moment can be a difference maker for a lifetime," Curry said, according to The Mercury News. "For me, I can speak for my teammates and people in our league, right now [there is a] social responsibility we feel, to take a stand for things we believe in, to look out for the next generation."

Curry has taken a stance for his beliefs before. Following the Golden State Warriors' title triumph in 2017, he declined to accept President Donald Trump's invitation to visit the White House.

The gesture prompted Trump to rescind the invitation for all the entire team members, who opted to spend a day at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., instead.

The players were joined by young people from Seat Pleasant, the Maryland neighborhood home to Kevin Durant.

Before last year's NBA Finals, Curry joined LeBron James in saying that neither the Warriors nor the Cleveland Cavaliers would visit the White House if they won the title.

Last month, during a trip to the nation's capital, the three-time NBA champion instead visited the former president before their game against the Washington Wizards.

Barack Obama, Stephen Curry
Former President Barack Obama speaks alongside Golden State Warriors basketball player Stephen Curry during the MBK Rising! My Brother's Keeper Alliance Summit in Oakland, California, on February 19. Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images

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Dan Cancian is currently a reporter for Newsweek based in London, England. Prior to joining Newsweek in January 2018, he ... Read more

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