Record executive Steve Stoute shared a story about how Kobe Bryant once stood up to a gangster outside a diner in New York City at just 18 years old.

Stoute was speaking to Shannon Sharpe and was telling stories about the time he worked with the late Laker legend in his first years in the league.

That included a time where a young Bryant got into a heated situation with a gangster after going out one night in the Big Apple.

‘[We go] one night to this bar, and back then, street guys would buy all of the Cristal,’ Stoute explained.

‘But let me tell you something. They’re buying the Cristal… If somebody comes in and you order Cristal, you got to check in.

Record executive Steve Stoute told a story of Kobe Bryant facing down a NYC gangster
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Record executive Steve Stoute told a story of Kobe Bryant facing down a NYC gangster

Bryant, who was 18 at the time, didn't back down from the confrontation outside a diner
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Bryant, who was 18 at the time, didn’t back down from the confrontation outside a diner

Stoute told this and many other Kobe Bryant stories to Shannon Sharpe
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Stoute told this and many other Kobe Bryant stories to Shannon Sharpe

‘I didn’t get the Cristal. I didn’t want to do it. I’m like f**k this. I’m not doing this.

‘We go out to a diner, like, two, three in the morning, and the same guy, street guy, won’t say his name, is sitting there, and Kobe is making jokes about his outfit, and he’s being a little loud.

‘I’m like, “he’s not chilling with that, bro.” The guy sends somebody over, “yo [person] want to talk to you.”

‘I go outside… he got the gun out. I’m like, “yo, he’s a young man.” I’m trying to tell him. He didn’t even know who he was, all right?

‘So he didn’t even know who Kobe Bryant is. I’m like, “He’s my young man. He’s cool”, whatever.

‘Kobe comes outside, sees the gun, I’m like, “go back in.” He goes, “I’m not going nowhere.” He did this on 23rd [Street] and 9th avenue. He did that. At 18. He said he ain’t going nowhere.’

In the same episode, Stoute revealed that he signed Bryant to a recording contract and was helping the future basketball star navigate his first years in the league.

‘He actually had a rap group,’ Stoute said. ‘When I signed him, he was in a group. [But] you know, Kobe, god bless, he went solo soon after that.’