The Game and Jimmy Iovine go way back. It was through Iovine’s Interscope Records — and Dr. Dre’s Aftermath, 50 Cent’s G-Unit Records and his own Black Wall Street imprint — that The Game released his 2005 debut album The Documentary, which topped the Billboard 200 and solidified the Compton native as a star.
However, that history didn’t appear to count for much when The Game and Jimmy Iovine crossed paths at the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Philadelphia 76ers game at the Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday night (March 23).
A viral clip from the contest shows the LAX rapper making his way through the arena and bumping into Iovine and Larry Jackson, Global Creative Director at Apple Music. The Game stops Jackson and daps him up, but Iovine slips right past the towering, 6’4″ rapper without so much as a glance.
Royce Da 5’9 caught wind of the clip and shared it on his own Instagram page on Thursday (March 24) while calling out Jimmy Iovine for seemingly ignoring The Game.
Nickel Nine posted a video of the Interscope boss expressing his shock that there aren’t more Black guys and White guys who go into business together while sat next to his longtime friend and business partner Dr. Dre. In his second slide, he posted the aforementioned footage of The Game and Jimmy Iovine’s interaction.
“The music biz in 2 slides,” Royce wrote along with a rolling eyes and peace sign emoji in the caption.
Some fans believed Jimmy Iovine simply didn’t recognize The Game, whose face was partly concealed by a black mask. But others speculated the veteran music executive deliberately blanked his former signee out of loyalty to Dr. Dre.
The Game famously parted ways with Dre in the mid 2000s during his feud with 50 Cent and recently threw shade at the legendary producer in his Drink Champs interview, claiming his “EAZY” collaborator Kanye West did more for his career in two weeks than Dre ever did.
“Not a fair assessment because he probably been seeing all that reckless Dre talk from the interviews,” one follower commented on Royce’s post. “He probably felt more loyal to Dre there and therefore said I’m going to side step you bruh.”
Royce Da 5'9 Says The Game Would 'Have His Hands Full' Trying To Battle Eminem
However, Royce wasn’t prepared to give Iovine a pass. “This guy made millions off The Game and has sat court side at games with him,” he replied. “As far as loyalty to Dre, did he side with Dre when him and Suge fell out? No.. He dealt with both while they were at war.
“Y’all don’t hold these people to any standard and that’s why they do what they do.. I don’t even know game but at least I can see what his talent is.. I don’t know what Iovine does .. Respectfully.”
Celebrity jewelry/music executive Ben Baller also chimed in, commenting, “Royce. I was Vice President of A&R for Aftermath and Jimmy Iovine helped me get my job with Dre even tho I knew Dre. Real talk? He did this to me 2x at a lakers game and now we work together again! He’s old bro. He probably didn’t even know Game.”
The Game has yet to address the video himself, although it appears the Compton rapper’s attention is firmly on finishing his new album Drillmatic. On Thursday night, he hit the studio with 2 Chainz to record what could be his next single.
Jimmy Iovine is a legendary engineer so he makes records and songs sound “like the radio” – basically once you prove you can do that and back it up with sales you can do what you like in the business. game is a grown man and at a certain point independent means no friends up top. they don’t want to acknowledge game because they want to act like since he’s no on a major label he doesn’t exist. So Game doing it all right to get this reaction
Or watch again and see he didnt even notice him. His face is covered.
No way he ain’t know that was game. cmon now. He saw from 10 feet away who it was and wanted to keep it moving
Jimmy ain’t ever fucked with Game.
Hell yeah h town
Royce and his IG Memes and Post. 40+ year old man worried if Jimmy Ivoine the mastermind behind his best friends Eminem’s success gives AF about Game? At a game? Who tf cares? Bro had No problem with Jimmy I when he signed that Bad Meets Evil deal. Hell he was supposed to BE SIGNED to Shady/Interscope but betrayed Em instead. Now this. I dunno even know how Em is friends is Royce at this point with all his bipolar antics, siding with his enemies and dissing his friends. This is why I believe Crook over Roy and Joe. Because Nickel to a video like THIS and made it a race thing stfu
Totally agree
What I don’t understand is why he keeps claiming he’s the best but every chance he gets he goes on IG besides the studio. Plenty of shit to speak on but he’s a disgrace for even attempting to speak on something that has zero to do with him. What happened to this hip hop world. I remember a time where rappers actually responded on the mic and not online lmfao I hate how soft hip hop has gotten or should I say how soft Royce has gotten.
DETROIT STAND UP! FUCK THESE HOW ASS NINJAS
The Game looked up to Dre. I believe that was a big dream of his, to work with Dre, on a true, Dre-produced album (like Eazy E Eazy Duz it, or Snoop Dog’s Doggystyle), but he had the falling out with 50 and dre took 50’s side, blah blah blah.
On another note, The Game can walk on his own, he just needs to separate himself from Dre and move accordingly in another direction, he’ll be just fine
Dre had a lot of input on Documentary 2. Fact is that Dre never keeps working with anybody. Eminem is probably the only artist that got his attention over multiple projects, and he barely does shit for him now. Just because Game is a wierdo stalker groupie doesn’t mean that it’s going to change how Dre moves with music.
What you’re saying is true. But what I said about The Game is able to walk without Dre is also true. He just needs to distance himself and stop talking about Dre. He has the talent, skills, and bars.
I don’t think he can help himself. It’s part of his persona. He came in the game name dropping and mixing real stories with fantasies. He’s a good rapper though, but the name dropping shit has always been beyond corny. Funny part is that I never associate hi with Dre outside of him saying it 50 million times every time he gives an interview or raps.
Kendrick got multiple from Dre.
royce be doin too much online talk recently, shut the fukk up and put out yo muzik
You are right man…when these rappers become extremely opinionated on social media like that, it starts taking away from the image.
Dude has just been bumping his gums lately….never thought he was the type
Call me crazy but it was this evil dude who split up NWA so he could monetize it!! Divide and conquer I guess damn
You’re not crazy just blatantly incorrect
Yep he did
I believe you mean Jerry Heller.
Appreciate it!
No, that was Jerry Heller. The other one.
You’re getting your white guys whose name starts with J mixed up. That was Jerry Heller, and he died some years ago.
Jerry Heller wasn’t white. He was a small hat.
TRUTH BE TOLD I WOULDNT WANT TO BE SEEN OR ASSOCIATED WITH A TROUBLEMAKING LIABILITY THAT CAUSED SO MUCH IN HOUSE DRAMA EITHER.
Kind of a bitch move to ignore Game like that.
Game cap too
Royce is just a grumpy ol guy who is a product of the separation of America due to “racial issues”. Do you think for a min that Jimmy Iovine gives half a f**k about the game? He didnt even notice him. Royce, stop dividing the people and go make yourself happy for Christ’s sake.
Royce is an ICON BRO. AGE IS NOTHING BUT A NUMBER. His bar game is far superior than MOST ARTIS IN THE INDUSTRY. The Game is hands DOWN ONE OF THE TOP LYRICIST OF ALL TIMES. Jimmy didn’t Wright NOT ONE SONG FOR THE GAME NOT ONE..YET THE GAME IS MOST DEFINITELY ONE OF THE BEST MC’S ALIVE AND IN THE TOP 7 WITHOUT A DOUBT.
People would take you more seriously if you didn’t write like a third grader.you
USING CAPS THE WHOLE TIME DOESN’T MAKE YOU RIGHT IT MAKESYOU LOOK STUPID,STUPID ??? FOH
ain’t he signed to interscope?? what are you doing
no he left over a decade ago
HE LEFT A DECADE AGO AFTER THAT FECES PIECE ALBUM
Oh the drama that is about to happen. I can’t wait to hear all these bars coming from everyone mentioned by game. Especially waiting to see what em does. Everyone always says nobody wants to beef with em but now he has a actual opponent that can some what keep up. I can’t wait for game to be handled the way a bitter has been gets handled. Nobody would know the name game without Dre. Em wouldn’t be as big snoop ECT. Dre is hip hop he is the guy who says who stays and goes. That’s power not some guy that is mad because he wasn’t invited to the super bowl.
away with you beggar.
Always was a big Royce fan but the man is getting cornier by the day. It’s a sin really
Game needs to shut up, stop d**k riding Kanye and let his music speak for itself. He is a spent force.
Weird how it’s Jimmy who was supposed to recognize Game. Even the dude Game pounded didn’t recognize Game. This lame talk about Game making Jimmy money is garbage. They made each other money. Deal over. No one owes anyone anything. Otherwise they would have been in court.
Iovine didn’t recognise him, who tf gonna recognise someone after years of not seeing face to face then having a mask on?? Only someone who’s on social media all the time following mfers
The fact Game calls his next album Drillmatic is reason enough to not listen to it.
It’s BEEN a wrap 4 this dude.”Drillmatic” lmmfao I can tell already he gon serve up another batch of ass. Especially if Kanye has been helping him more than Dre. Rather listen 2 sand settle. Gotdamn shame.
Jimmy gets money with Dre, game is talking shit about Dre,wtf would he stop and talk to him? He owes him nothing at all. Game has no loyalty to the people that put him on but the people that put him on are supposed to stay loyal to him and act like it’s cool? Royce becoming a fucking clown??
Did this bozo really try to compare Game to Suge? Smfh! Lmao… Sugne Night was a label head/CEO. The Game is a signed Rapper. Of course Jimmy is going to deal with him and NOT deal with a clown that was once signed to him and continues to bight the hands that fed him. Royce needs to delete his social media because he’s showing how much of a clown he really is now.
Royce thinks he’s smarter than everyone. Jimmy didn’t even notice the dude that was 2 feet taller than him walk by on his way to the bathroom. Nontroversy. Shut up Royce. #overrated
Moist da 5’9 deleted his post lol
Drillmatic….the album title’s just as lame as Game.
Get it? It’s a play on drill music and Nas’s Illmatic, super clever right?/s