2 0 0 8 , ▁Francis ▁supported ▁president ial ▁candidate ▁Bar ack ▁Ob ama ▁by ▁we aring ▁a ▁red ▁vel vet ▁sports ▁jack et ▁with ▁" Bar ack ▁Ob ama " ▁sp elled ▁on ▁the ▁back ▁in ▁sequ ins . ▁Francis ▁said ▁he ▁had ▁followed ▁the ▁president ial ▁race ▁closely . ▁" It ' s ▁important ▁that ▁there ▁is ▁an ▁African - American ▁candidate ▁running ", ▁Francis ▁said . ▁" I ▁never ▁thought ▁I ' d ▁see ▁the ▁day ▁that ▁would ▁happen . ▁Right ▁now , ▁we ' re ▁at ▁a ▁p iv otal ▁point . ▁It ' s ▁a ▁great ▁feeling ▁for ▁me ." ▁ ▁Francis ▁has ▁suffered ▁from ▁Mé ni ère ' s ▁disease , ▁which ▁causes ▁episodes ▁of ▁vert igo , ▁t inn it us , ▁and ▁a ural ▁full ness . ▁ ▁Francis ▁has ▁vent ured ▁into ▁several ▁entrepr ene ur ial ▁projects , ▁including ▁a ▁construction ▁company , ▁box ing ▁prom ot ions , ▁a ▁bar bers h op ▁and ▁cl othing ▁line ▁( We ▁R ▁One ), ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁hip - h op ▁record ▁label , ▁Maz er ati ▁Music . ▁ ▁After ▁Francis ▁left ▁professional ▁basketball ▁and ▁his ▁step father ▁committed ▁suic ide , ▁he ▁began ▁drink ing ▁heavily . ▁In ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Francis ▁was ▁arrested ▁in ▁Houston ▁for ▁driving ▁under ▁the ▁influence ▁and ▁a ▁fel ony ▁charge ▁of ▁threaten ing ▁a ▁public ▁servant . ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁he ▁turned ▁himself ▁into ▁Man ate