Kentucky Derby betting is famously difficult and there are plenty of big losers on the race every year. There might be another ‘loser added to the list–rapper ‘The Game’ is being sued by Kentucky Derby Festival organizers.
First, a little backstory–the City of Louisville and other relevant entities have tried to make the Kentucky Derby more of a city wide event. For many years, it was perceived as somewhat ‘elitist’ due to the high cost of owning race horses, the fancy ladies in hats, etc. Since then Derby Week has become more of a city wide festival with parties, concerts, entertainment and the like.
B-list L.A. based rapper ‘The Game’ was scheduled to perform at the 2014 Kentucky Derby Festival and was wired a $35,000 deposit in advance after a contract was signed in mid-April. At the last minute, however, representatives for ‘The Game’ contacted organizers to inform them that their client would no show the event unless he was bumped up to headliner. That didn’t happen, ‘The Game’ didn’t show nor did he return the $35k he was advanced. Festival promoters are seeking $75,000 in damages for breech of contract and conversion. So far, no comment from ‘The Game’ or his legal representatives.
‘The Game’ has had a hard time staying out of the courtroom. Since 2012 he’s been sued for skipping out on concerts, falsely accusing a babysitter of fondling his kids, and by a gentleman named ’40Glocc’ who filed a $4.5 million suit in response to some sort of ‘dis’ that he’d suffered. ‘The Game’ has sued several record companies and was arrested in 2013 after his entourage came to blows with some shopping mall rent-a-cops. The police that responded to the incident smelled an easy payday and sued ‘The Game’ for slander and libel but that case was ultimately dismissed.
The Kentucky Derby Festival is the organizer for a variety of events in the Louisville area including numerous concerts, a marathon race, fireworks and events for kids. At this point there’s no information on the schedule for the 2015 Festival but one can assume that ‘The Game’ won’t be on the entertainment agenda which might be the best plan for everyone concerned.