Kenneth ‘Kenny Bird’ Jackson, a business man, is slamming an online article as an attack on him and the new owner of a venue that was once a strip club.

The Baltimore Brew, an online publication, reported May 15 that Jackson was seeking to re-open “Kings and Diamonds,” a strip club on in the 400 block of East Baltimore Street; popularly known as “The Block.

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“The Block” is in downtown Baltimore; close to police headquarters and City Hall.

Jackson told the AFRO that he is not re-opening his business. In fact he said he is selling it to a new entity backed by a Baltimore-native who is one of the most popular DJ’s in the country.

“I’m selling a business to a young Black man; they can’t find nothing wrong with neither one of them,” he said.

Jackson is referring to his son, Mustafa, who has been on the liquor and adult entertainment license since 2011.  And to Roberto “Quick” Silva who will own the club once all of the legal paperwork and financial transactions have been completed.

“They use me to attack the sale; a sale of a business don’t require this kind of publicity,” he added.

A Wikipedia page documents Jackson’s past convictions for manslaughter, resisting arrest and a drug charge. However, Jackson has not been arrested or charged for any crime since the early 1990s.

“I had a past, I’m not proud of it; I wish I made some different choices in life but I didn’t,” he said.

Jackson is no longer in the adult entertainment business.  He did say that he still holds the note on a loan he used to open the former Kings and Diamonds club.

The Brew article also got the attention of Larry Young, former state senator, morning host for WOLB (1010AM) and a close friend of Jackson’s.  He said The Brew “needs to get their homework done.”

“Mr. Jackson has had the business of adult entertainment for years; he had the location called El Dorado and then he was in some partnership with the one downtown,” Young said adding the story should be about a business being sold to Silva and not about Jackson’s past.

“ decides he wants to take the facility and reverse what it was; an adult entertainment spot.”

Silva, an award-winning DJ and co-host of the morning show on WKYS (93.9 FM) in Washington, D.C, will not be opening a strip club.

He’ll be launching a venue called Club Downtown; an upscale lounge for “urban professionals.”

“A lot of my colleagues are like ‘Why don’t you open this up in D.C. or a much bigger market,” Silva said.  “I’m like, ‘Because I’m born and raised in Baltimore.’  And I want to show Baltimore the love they’ve always shown me over the years.”

For his part, Silva said the Brew article threw him for a loop.

Silva said that he looked forward to opening his venue in Baltimore and cleaning up the image of “The Block.”

“Back in the day, The Block was looked at as an upscale block,” he said.  “People would come from all over and party in Baltimore.”