Legendary rapper/actor, Ice Cube, is telling several people he’s doing business with to “check yo’ self, before you wreck yo’ self” (okay that was corny, but I couldn’t resist). The former N.W.A. rhyme spitta-turned-movie mogul- turned history setting pro’ basketball league owner has hit a few Qatari businessmen with a whopping $1 BILLION lawsuit, for trying to do him and his league dirty.
The Ball Hogs are officially on the clock. Who do you think fits best next to co-captains @scalabrine and @JChillin? pic.twitter.com/67sBdVCZXn
— BIG3 (@thebig3) April 3, 2018
In case y’all didn’t hear, Cube’s pro’ BIG3 basketball league has been getting off to a great start, ever since he sparked it in 2017. Fans have been lovin’ it, but there are a few hurdles that may block him and his league partner from being able to sustain to massive expenses it costs to run said league- those are the wealthy Qatari business investors who are now giving Cube the run-around.
Here’s What Happened
Simply put, Cube and Jeff Kwatinetz did a deal with some royal fam’ from Qatar, which promised to invest millions into the league that would help take care of the salaries of the players, but unfortunately things went way left. Check out the details of Cube’s lawsuit below…
Via TMZ: TMZ Sports has obtained the complaint in which Cube and Jeff Kwatinetz are suing several individuals including Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Thani … the CEO of the Qatari Investment Authority.
Cube says the Qataris were supposed to invest $5 MILLION and be passive investors in the league — but instead “quickly started to insinuate themselves into the affairs of BIG3 despite failing to live up to even their most basic obligation to fully fund their investment.” […] “These members and associates of the royal family made excuse after excuse for not paying, all of which is documented in text messages and emails, where the blame for their failure to fund the millions they owed the BIG3 ran the gamut from their ‘sinuses,’ ‘hiking,’ it being a ‘long day bro,’ and to bad press regarding Qatar associations with alleged funding of terrorism.”
“Also, like a simple debtor in hiding from a collection agency, these Defendants with their purported links to the Qatar royal family, would go into hiding and refused to return phone calls and ignore Plaintiffs.”
Cube says in Dec. 2017, Kwatinetz attempted to set up a meeting with Al-Rumaihi who instead of substantively responding “sent a picture of his teeth being worked on, apparently to conjure sympathy.”
In the lawsuit, Cube claims Al-Rumaihi eventually got so pissed off over the repeated requests for the money that he loudly screamed at Kwatinetz and threatened his life saying, “You don’t know who I know in L.A. and what they’re capable of. You should think of your safety and the safety of you and your family.”
Cube and Kwatinetz are now seeking $1.2 BILLION in damages in order to pay $20 million per player in the league.
What Is Big3 League?
All we do is win 🏆 pic.twitter.com/NknnBHEQxy
— BIG3 (@thebig3) March 25, 2018
If you still aren’t too familiar with exactly what Ice Cube’s Big3 League is all about, here’s what we previously reported about his killa grand opening last year…
Ice Cube has created a league that is one of the coolest things we’ve seen in a while. His Big3 League is a new basketball league comprised of some highly legendary former NBA players, including Allen Iverson, Jason Williams, Stephen Jackson, Chauncey Billups, and more.
Cube’s league features retired players who play on three-man teams against each other. It’s an eight team league. It’s also great way to allow the Old School to represent, by keeping the players- who have stayed on top of their game and kept themselves in tip top shape after retirement- on the court and their legacies thriving.
The league’s commissioner, Roger Mason Jr., expressed that same sentiment:
Vis CNN: “There’s a nostalgia there of a fan that watched those guys in the NBA,” Mason said. “There’s also a younger fan that competes and plays 3-on-3 out on the blacktop and that will be interested to see our guys play as well. […] There’s plenty of guys that actually continue to work out, that still work on their skills and their game,” Mason said. “Those are the guys that should be out there representing the league.”
Be sure to check your local listings for the Big3 League next airing. So far, Ice Cube’s got our attention with this one. Keep the Old School alive Cube!
