If its complex you're looking for you can find it in Ron Artest aka Metta World Peace - (Derral Chen photo)

NBA BEAT Part 1 - IS RON ARTEST JUST A MESS?

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

When it comes to trying to figure out the now former LA Lakers World Meta Peace aka Ron Artest the result is the same… FORGET IT. The reasons why are simple as the man of peace remains a work in progress

Friday, July 19, 2013

IT'S A NO BRAINER HE'S AN ENTERTAINER

Around and around we go, when it will stop nobody knows. When it comes to trying to figure out the now former LA Lakers World Meta Peace aka Ron Artest the result is the same… FORGET IT. The reasons why are simple as the man of peace remains a work in progress. After four seasons with the Lakers that included being on the 2010 title winning team the Meta man was cut loose by the organization leaving him to fend for himself. When that situation came about he claimed that he didn't want any NBA team to pick him up. He was in talks with former Houston Rocket star Yao Ming about playing in China for the Shanghai Sharks and their owner Ming. The talks were reported to be productive and for a moment it appeared that Artest would be eating plenty of rice.

That situation changed again when the man of peace said he would consider playing for a MAJOR MARKET team in the NBA. The two major markets he was referring to were Los Angeles and the Clippers and his home town New York. His wish came to fruition when his home town New York Knicks gave him an offer and signed him on a 2-year deal. It raised the question what is his motivation to play basketball or to be in the public eye that a small market franchise couldn't provide. If LA wouldn't have him New York would.

Artest was created November 13, 1979 in Queens, New York. Being signed by the Knicks the now 33-year-old World has a chance to further his entertainment career to follow-up his unsuccessful performance on Dancing With the Stars in which he was the first to be eliminated. Being in an entertainment capitol is a major attraction with some athletes that are exposed to the bright lights of Hollyweird and become enslaved to it and its egos.

Dwight Howard didn't fall victim to the Hollyweird trap and drew a negative reaction to his decision to leave the gloss and glitter behind along with, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. Howard's interest is playing basketball not being an entertainment star as is the case with Artest and one of Howard's critics Shaquille O'Neal.

Artest a veteran of 15 NBA seasons appears to be serious about his wanting to be involved in the entertainment business. His association with it includes:

In April 2010, it was announced that Artest would help develop and produce his own reality show, They Call Me Crazy, in conjunction with E1 Entertainment and Tijuana Entertainment.

On December 18, 2010, an art show honoring Artest was held in Toronto, Canada. Entitled Lovable Badass, the show featured work by 30 Canadian and American artists, illustrators, painters and sculptors inspired by the athlete. Artest made a surprise appearance at the exhibition's opening night; commenting that "(the show) was definitely special. It was unexpected. Overwhelming."

In October 2012, he guest starred as a special panelist on Nickelodeon's game show Figure It Out.

On October 31, 2006, Artest released a rap album entitled My World. He published the album on the Lightyear Records label under his own imprint, Tru Warier Records. The album features guest artists P. Diddy, Juvenile, Mike Jones, Big Kap, Nature and Capone.

He also is the founder of the Artest Media Group. Established in 2010, the brand management company's clients include himself and music artists Vinita, Deacon, Sade Artest, Rugby, and Emmaline Cleary. Music producers Wip, Q, and Lucky are also associated with the group. On February 19, 2013, World Peace was awoken by a squad of police who received a tip there had been gun play within his property. Authorities were quick to recognize their mistake after World Peace explained that the armed individuals were actors shooting a "life on the streets"-styled movie for his group.

Artest is a very complex individual and changing his name can qualify him as trying to run from his past that includes numerous events that challenge ones mental state.

On September 16, 2011, Artest's name was officially changed to Metta World Peace. "Metta" is his first name, and "World Peace" is his surname. "Changing my name was meant to inspire and bring youth together all around the world," World Peace said in a statement released after the name change court hearing. His publicist, Courtney Barnes, said that World Peace chose Metta as his first name because it is a traditional Buddhist word that means loving kindness and friendliness towards all.

In a December 2009 Sporting News interview, Artest admitted that he had led a "wild" lifestyle as a young player, and that he drank Hennessy cognac in the locker room at halftime when he was playing for the Chicago Bulls at the beginning of his NBA career.

During his rookie season in Chicago, he was criticized for applying for a job at Circuit City in order to get an employee discount.

He once attended a practice with the Indiana Pacers in a bath robe.

Ron Artest loves to mix it up resulting in problems and trouble. His behavior raises the question will the UFC be the next challenge for the man that claims to now be a peaceable man. Get this right... he is not Red Rider to those in the know.

PART 2 - LET'S GET PHYSICAL with RON ARTEST

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