Month: October 2021

Ben Simmons is back in Philadelphia after he reported to camp late once it became clear that his efforts at a holdout weren’t going to get him traded before the season started and he found himself missing out on a lot of money.

Simmons was back with the team starting on Sunday, with practice footage of him going through the motions with the team emerging on Monday when reporters were allowed in. The All-Star has yet to speak with the media since arriving in Philadelphia (which happened suddenly last week and even caught the Sixers by surprise) but was scheduled to do so on Tuesday after practice. That is, until a release got sent out by the team that Simmons had been suspended for the season opener due to “conduct detrimental to the team.”

Per numerous reports, Simmons refusal to be engaged in practice led to Doc Rivers kicking him out at the end of practice and, ultimately, the one-game suspension.

Rivers confirmed that he felt Simmons became “a distraction” in practice when he met with the media shortly after the suspension was announced.

It’s not a major surprise that this is happening, given Simmons has made clear he doesn’t want to play in Philly anymore but the team won’t trade him for pennies on the dollar, which has led to a stalemate. It figures to only get uglier from here, as it seems unlikely that Simmons or the Sixers suddenly change course until things get considerably worse. Who breaks first will be interesting to watch from afar, as Simmons getting suspended constantly and losing out on checks will test his resolve, while having a star disrupting practice will likewise test how uncomfortable the Sixers are willing to get while remaining adamant about their asking price.

Part of the NBA’s 75th anniversary celebration includes a quintet of the greatest players in league history being named ambassadors. Clyde Drexler, Magic Johnson, Dirk Nowitzki, Bob Pettit, and Oscar Robertson will represent the NBA throughout the various festivities that happen this year, with the group coming together during All-Star Weekend in Cleveland next February.

Ahead of the start of the 2021-22 season on Tuesday evening, Dime sat down with Pettit to discuss the various things he’ll do in this role, the people who were instrumental in getting the league to this milestone, why he thinks Bill Russell is the greatest basketball player of all time, and more.

I’d love to start by just getting, you know, your broad general thoughts on the NBA reaching its 75th anniversary milestone.

Well, I’m very excited to be one of the five ambassadors that have been selected to be a part of this, representing the NBA. And it’s going to be an exciting time. I’m looking forward to it in February in Cleveland, there are five of us that are going to be doing this. And I know, some of the others, certainly know of all of them. And I know that starting Tuesday, they’ll start to unveil the 75 players, that should be an exciting announcement to make. I think a lot of people and players and things are watching to see who’s going to be included.

It’s a special time in the history of the NBA, it’s amazing. I came into the NBA in 1954, which was about eight years that the league was founded, is when I came in. And then today is going to be the 75th. So, I’ve chosen to live long enough to see that. I’ve been very fortunate with my health and what have you to be able to be around and be a part of this 75th. So I’m excited and looking forward to it.

And what is it about the NBA that you think has kept people captivated for 75 years?

Well, I think the NBA has done an excellent job of continuing to expand and grow, including other areas and other countries. I’ve said this before, I get a lot of letters from kids asking me to sign something. And quite a few of them are from Germany or France, I get some from Japan and Taiwan, and some from Korea, some from China. The NBA has done a great job of marketing itself. They’ve continued to expand and grow and, and have done a lot in communities. We never did that when I was playing. So, the growth of the NBA has been fueled, I think, by the management and the way that they have continued to include new groups of fans, and new ways of looking at the game and watching it, being a part of it. I think the NBA has done an excellent job as far as continuing to grow, and continuing to expand, and finding ways to keep people interested.

Yeah, and I’ve always believed, at the end of the day, if you just show someone the highest quality of basketball, it’s going to be very hard for them to not love it.

Yes, and the thing of it is, today, there’s so many teams and so many great players, I mean, wonderful players, that each team has them, and any game you go and watch, you’re going to see outstanding players and a great game of basketball. There’s not any teams that you wouldn’t want to see.

And you mentioned it a little bit, but what will you be doing in your role as an ambassador?

Today is my first day meeting with the media about the games, but my role is going to continue to expand, I think, and as we go into this, I feel like I’m feeling my way along, and want to continue to grow and improve and be real be a real part of the 75th anniversary. And so, my role will be to represent the NBA in certain things like with the media, and on television, and what have you as we get closer to the 75th anniversary. I’m one of five, the others are Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson, Clyde Drexler, and Dirk Nowitzki. I haven’t met with them yet, but I think as we go closer, that will happen, and we’ll have an opportunity to discuss and develop and expand our role, and I’m certainly willing to do that. I’m excited to be a part of it. I’ve been involved in NBA for, I’m gonna say, 68 of the 75 years. So I’ve got a history with it.

And you mentioned those other ambassadors — I think if we put you Magic, Dirk, Clyde and Oscar out there, I don’t know if there are many starting fives in history that can match it up with y’all.

That be that would be a pretty good starting five. I’d have to get my crutch out [laughs]. My tiptoes is about as high as I can jump, on my tiptoes. But yes, if you’ve got them in their prime, that would be a really nice team, I’d think.

When you look back on 75 years of the NBA, who were the people who were the most important and the most prominent, in your eyes, in turning into what it is today and why?

Obviously, I think the main thing to make it what it is was David Stern, who was commissioner for I don’t know how many years, but he watched the NBA come from its infancy and take it to where it continues to grow and develop today. So, I think he would be the most influential person in the history in the growth of the NBA.

You could go back and you start naming names, and you could come out with, I mean, I can’t tell you the number of names and some of the pioneers and owners. I played for a man named Ben Kerner. That was his whole life, was basketball, the Milwaukee Hawks and the St. Louis Hawks. He had nothing, no other interest. And, you know, you had Les Harrison in Rochester, and you had Eddie Gottlieb in Philadelphia, these guys, that was their whole existence. It’s different today. The company’s own, I guess, by corporations and very, very, very wealthy individuals. And it is expanded a role in that way.

Those those early pioneers — as I said, the Eddie Gottliebs and Les Harrisons and Ben Kerners — are very important to keeping the league going in the very difficult days. I mean, in our team in St. Louis, we’d be down to eight players during the season. Why? Because two players, he could get rid of, he didn’t have to pay the salaries. And money was that tight for some of these owners, difficult. They were, I think, very instrumental in keeping the NBA going to work and it can expand.

So, I could keep naming names, but that would be two groups I’d mention, early owners and David Stern.

Are there any moments, whether they are on the court or off the court, that you think helped push basketball into the big cultural phenomenon that it is today?

Well, I’d have to think about that a while. I don’t know that I’d be able to sit down and come up with any one or two things. But I think maybe one of the things would be the three point shot, and a lot of people love it and watch it, and a lot of people don’t like it. But it’s been very instrumental in changing the game of basketball to where the fans can really get involved. And I guess that, to me, in my humble opinion, that would probably be as important as any others.

Who are the teams and who were the players that you enjoy watching the most right now?

I enjoy watching Kevin Durant. That would be the one person that I enjoy watching, because I fancied myself forward and I love to watch him move and shoot — he’s a great shooter. And I enjoy watching, in San Francisco, Steph Curry, I love watching him shoot when he shoots from way out. It doesn’t even look like he’s looking, and he turns and fires, and it’s more likely that not that it goes in.

I know that you were a guy who was able to shoot a jumper and play a little bit farther away from the hoop, and you are a bigger guy. Is that why you like watching a guy like Kevin Durant?

I like watching him play because he’s so good. And he plays forward, and I enjoy watching what he does, the way he plays. But yes, I was, I would think, one of the bigger guys that stepped away from the basket. In fact, when I first reported to the Hawks training camp, they were the Milwaukee Hawks, and our coach was Red Holzman. And Red took one look at me and he says, “You’re a forward, get outside,” and that was my instructions. And we had a center, Charlie Share, who was a big, strong guy, and he played, and I had to learn to play forward. I never played that ,had no instructions, no anything, just get out and play by trial and error and learn. So, I was fortunate enough to learn to hang on. But maybe that’s one of the reasons that I enjoy watching him play.

What are your thoughts on this upcoming season, whether it is related to the anniversary or just a general basketball watching thing? What are you excited about, what are you curious about?

Well living in New Orleans, I’m a Pelicans fan, and I have season tickets, so I go down and watch them play when I can. I don’t see every game, but I try to. But I watch the Pelicans and pull for them, and hopefully they continue to grow, to continue to improve, they’ve got two great players and they need to find another one or two somewhere.

It continues to be enjoyable. You’re watching some of the players that were the great players in the past, and starting maybe to lose a few of their skills. And there’s a number of young ones coming on. The problem I have, in my day, you played if you could walk. I broke my arm in one game, and three nights later, I’m playing with a broken arm. We didn’t have anybody else, so I’d go in for brief times on jump balls or what have you. And then eventually, when the pain went out of my left arm where I broke it, then I was able to play with a cast on it very effectively. It didn’t bother me.

Today, I see these players, so many of them got a month off because they have a sprained ankle. I played the next night with a sprained ankle so bad I couldn’t walk on it. It’s different in that way, I think, we had no way to set out a game or two unless you had a serious injury. But they live with that, it’s part of the game today. And I think some of that is they don’t want to ever be thought pushing an injured player into playing.

That’s one my things about the game today, but the game today, other than that one little little area, is exciting. I enjoy watching it. I think the NBA is doing a great job, they built the league to where it’s expanded worldwide now. It doesn’t have teams yet in London or Paris or wherever, but they got fans there. And I’m sure that’s going to be in the future somewhere. So, this is an exciting time for basketball.

I need to ask, what are your thoughts on getting to watch Zion Williamson every night?

I love to watch him. You know, he’s a 6’6 point guard so many times. He’s out front handling the ball. He’s a wonderful player to watch and I thoroughly enjoy it. He’s got a future ahead of him that’s very, very bright. There’s no telling how good a player he can be.

And my last question, I’m not going to ask you, “who do you think the greatest basketball player of all time is,” because everyone…

Bill Russell. I’m gonna answer that. I think Bill Russell is the greatest player that ever played.

Well, then let me ask you this. As someone who has seen so much basketball over the years, what qualities or attributes or accomplishments define the term “greatest” to the point that you can name Bill Russell is the greatest?

People say the name of the game is to win. You go out there to win. When you compete, you want to win, and he was the greatest winner that ever played. He won 11 championships in Boston, and without him, they were very good. They were good team. But they weren’t a championship team until Bill Russell joined them. His defense was incredible. Shot blocking, he played hard every minute that he played that I saw, and he was a team player. He didn’t worry about how many points he scored, he wanted to win and he wanted to rebound and block shots. And it was sensational.

The Chicago Sky won the first championship in franchise history on Sunday, storming back from 14 down in the second half to beat the Phoenix Mercury in Game 4, winning the WNBA Finals by a 3-1 margin.

It was a thrilling end to an entertaining series in which Chicago looked the part of the better team. Finals MVP Kahleah Copper got a chance to shine on the biggest stage, while veterans like Courtney Vandersloot, Allie Quigley, and Candace Parker all showed they are still championship caliber stars. After Game 4, the Mercury were left to wonder what if after blowing a big lead late and losing out on the opportunity to force a decisive Game 5 back in Phoenix. That frustration led to Diana Taurasi taking some anger out on the locker room door in the Wintrust Arena, breaking it in the process.

On Tuesday, the Sky held their championship parade, a chance to celebrate their accomplishments with their fans, sure, but also a chance to be a little bit petty about taking out the GOAT and Phoenix in the process. All of the expected parties were at the parade, from players to coaches to staffers, but a surprise guest made an appearance, as the broken door got a spot on stage.

It really is some all-world petty behavior and Sky fans absolutely loved it. Some of the most memorable championship parade moments are teams taking cracks at the opponents they beat along the way, and this absolutely falls right in line with the best. I just hope the door gets a spot on one of the buses and gets the full parade route treatment.

There ain’t no royal drama like The Great does royal drama. Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult are back in costumed action in this Season 2 trailer from Hulu, and yes, they hate the hell out of each other. That hasn’t changed, and Hoult’s depraved Peter III is a pain-in-the-ass as always, and kind-of how you’d imagine Kim Jong-un as a sexy, hard-partying Russian. The comedy stays bitingly dark, too, with Fanning’s Catherine the Great wondering about her likelihood of staying alive, and of course, there’s a beheading joke in there as well as some newfound Gillian Anderson.

This brings me to the subject of history, and accuracy. Catherine overthrew her husband, whom she did in fact detest, six months into their marriage. Whether or not this show will stick to any semblance of accuracy in the aftermath, well, that remains to be seen. HBO’s relatively recent Catherine The Great dealt a serious treatment of the subject, but Hulu’s take is very much of a different vibe. We’re seeing the darkest of humor, and if the powers that be decide to simply take everyone’s heads off, it actually wouldn’t be too terribly out-of-character with the show’s vibe. I’d be alright with it, as opposed to that horrible horse myth of the time about Catherine and the mystery surrounding Peter’s death. From the synopsis:

In season two of “The Great,” Catherine finally takes the Russian throne for her own — but if she thought coup-ing her husband was difficult, it’s nothing compared to the realities of ‘liberating’ a country that doesn’t want to be. She’ll battle her court, her team, even her own mother in a bid to bring the enlightenment to Russia. Meanwhile she’ll also battle her heart as Peter slowly transitions from much-hated husband, to prisoner? Ally? Lover? Ultimately Catherine will learn that to change a country, you must let it change you, that there is a fine line between idealism and delusion, and that becoming ‘Great’, will ask more of her than she could have imagined.

The Great returns to Hulu on November 19.

As the NBA season approaches and the preseason coming to an end, we’ll be taking a look at the player on each team that holds the key to unlocking their potential, and for the New Orleans Pelicans, the attention turns to Devonte’ Graham.

The Pelicans turned over a large portion of their roster during the 2021 offseason, with Lonzo Ball, Steven Adams, Eric Bledsoe and others exiting New Orleans. While the specter of Zion Williamson’s recovery from foot surgery looms over everything with the franchise, the Pelicans do have reasons for optimism with their new additions. Graham is at the center of that positivity, with New Orleans hoping he can recapture his 2019-20 form in a different locale.

Graham, a former second-round pick, enjoyed a breakout in 2019-20 when he averaged 18.2 points and 7.5 assists per game for Charlotte. The 6’1 guard connected on 37.3 percent of his three-pointers (on huge volume) and, even after a 2020-21 season that saw some statistical regression for Graham, he is appealing for any offense.

For one, Graham is a very willing pull-up shooter that opposing defenses have to respect when he has the ball within 30 feet of the rim. His career three-point percentage (36.3 percent) doesn’t necessarily paint the full picture, as Graham takes difficult attempts at high volume. In fact, he has buried more than 42 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes over the last two years and, on a team with Williamson and Brandon Ingram, he should be freed up to work off the ball with impunity. Graham is also a quality passer, and he has real gravity that should work well on a team with play finishers all over the roster.

With that said, Graham does have real pressure to be efficient and productive. The Pelicans are certainly weighing pressures, both internal and external, as they attempt to build a winner around Williamson, and New Orleans used a real chip to land Graham in a sign-and-trade scenario. The Pelicans do have young guards like Kira Lewis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker behind him, but it is clear that New Orleans fancies Graham as their primary starting point guard. Graham isn’t exactly known for his defensive excellence either, and his two-way performance could go a long way toward illustrating the team’s ceiling.

Williamson’s health and performance is the No. 1 factor in New Orleans, and both Ingram and Valanciunas have more star power at this stage. However, Graham’s performance could swing a lot for the Pelicans. His defensive concerns could be magnified if the Pelicans don’t receive better effort and performance on that end from their stars. Then, Graham is a career 39.5 percent two-point shooter, and if the three-point shooting and passing don’t jump off the screen, the door could be open for more playing time for Lewis, Alexander-Walker or others. That isn’t exactly what the Pelicans were hoping for when they acquired Graham, and there may be a spotlight on the team’s starting point guard from the opening tip.

Jay-Z’s raps used to play out like scenes from Goodfellas or Casino, but now, his money moves look a lot more like an episode of Succession than The Wire. Now, instead of menacing, mob-related hitmen, he’s hiring retired police officers to bring down business rivals, according to Rolling Stone. A breach of contract lawsuit against the rapper-turned-mogul apparently prompted him to turn to a private investigator to dig up dirt on the plaintiff, who had supposedly been avoiding a trial ever since Jay-Z countersued.

The lawsuit stems from 2016, when fragrance brand Parlux sued Jay, accusing him of failing to promote a branded cologne named after him, despite being paid $2 million in royalties since 2012. The former CEO of Parlux, Donald Loftus, said in a sworn statement that Jay “never once personally appeared” to promote the cologne, didn’t help develop “flankers,” product-line extensions to help sell the main product, and never returned a $20,000 prototype bottle after rejecting the design. Parlux said its overall losses amounted to $18 million.

However, Jay issued a lawsuit of his own, saying that Parlux never provided business plans, accounting reports, royalty payments, or promotional resources promised under its own deal. Loftus, who had requested to testify remotely, claimed health problems and fear of COVID-19 kept him from wanting to testify in person, but Jay-Z’s P.I. photographed him maskless hanging out all over New York, including at a crowded parade, in an indoor restaurant, and at the grocery store, at times taking buses to get around.

Naturally, undermining Loftus’ claims on this is probably key to establishing early on in the case that he’s an untrustworthy witness as the trial finally gets underway.

Kacey Musgraves delivered her shimmering album Star-Crossed last month, an album that featured both woozy reflections on her self-worth and kiss-off tunes about her ex-husband. Her track “Breadwinner” falls into the latter category and it recently saw an uptick in popularity thanks to some of today’s biggest TikTok stars using audio from the track’s empowering chorus. Now, Musgraves brings the hit track to a captivating performance on late-night TV.

Appearing on The Show With Stephen Colbert, Musgraves takes the stage in a black beanie and oversized bomber jacket. Backed by a full band and mounds of cash falling from the ceiling, the singer delivers cutting lyrics about giving a relationship her all and getting nothing in return. The song also warns other women to not make the same mistake with verses like, “He wants your shimmer / To make him feel bigger / Until he starts feeling insecure / I wish somebody would’ve told me the truth.”

Ahead of taking the Colbert stage, Musgraves found out her Star-Crossed isn’t eligible for any Grammys in the country music genre. The singer seemingly responded with a throwback photo of her in a hot pink cowboy hat posted to social media with the caption, “You can take the girl out of the country (genre) but you can’t take the country out of the girl.”

Watch Musgraves’ “Breadwinner” performance on Colbert above.

Star-Crossed is out now via Interscope/MCA Nashville. Get it here.

Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.

Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week we got the new album from Coldplay, Kevin Morby and Hamilton Leithauser’s first official studio collaboration, and another great post-punk track from Swedish outfit Makthaverskan. Check out the rest of the best new indie music below.

While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.

Coldplay – Music Of The Spheres

Coldplay, a band that we recently named one of the biggest bands of the 21st century in an episode of Indiecast, is back with their ninth studio album. Music Of The Spheres is what Caitlin White calls for Uproxx “dramatically a pop album, with features from massive pop artists like BTS and Selena Gomez positioned front and center.” If you’ve been waiting to hear Chris Martin at his most maximalist, this is your chance.

Blackstarkids – Puppies Forever

It’s been almost exactly a year to the day since I spoke with Blackstarkids about their debut release with new label Dirty Hit. Now, the Kansas City trio is back with a full-length album, Puppies Forever, which continues down the path of showcasing all of their diverse musical interests to culminate in something truly unique and remarkable.

Another Michael – Unplugged Music And Big Sessions

Another Michael’s New Music And Big Pop is one of the best indie albums of the year, and the band isn’t letting up any of the momentum. The new compilation release Unplugged Music And Big Sessions brings together demos, outtakes, and live sessions that document the band’s full creative process and provide a good insight into the many iterations of this batch of songs.

Damon Albarn – “The Tower Of Montevideo”

After spending the last few years digging in with his band Gorillaz, Damon Albarn is now turning his attention to solo music, gearing up to share a new album titled The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows in November. To tide us over until the full release, Albarn has shared “The Tower Of Montevideo,” which features a basic drum-machine beat that Derrick Rossignol notes for Uproxx “is rounded out by a lush arrangement of synths, horns, and piano.”

Sunflower Bean – “Baby Don’t Cry”

After a series of stellar releases throughout the late 2010’s, Sunflower Bean are kicking of the 2020’s with “Baby Don’t Cry,” a brand new track that Adrian Spinelli describes for Uproxx as “a distinct callback to 50’s doo-wop trios on the song, but with a decidedly modern take.” Although the new song isn’t officially part of a new album just yet, here’s to hoping that there is more new music from the New York trio coming soon.

Black Country, New Road – “Chaos Space Marine”

London seven-piece outfit Black Country, New Road are back with a much-anticipated new album, called Ants From Up There. Along with the album’s announcement comes “Chaos Space Marine,” an exciting and unpredictable new single that Adrian Spinelli describes for Uproxx as opening “with a cacophonously controlled saxophone, before unfurling into a thrilling blitz of violin, piano, and drums.”

Kevin Morby & Hamilton Leithauser – “Virginia Beach”

After covering each other’s songs and announcing a co-headlining tour together, Kevin Morby and Hamilton Leithauser have just released their first original studio collaboration in the form of “Virginia Beach.” Described by Adrian Spinelli for Uproxx as “a welcome union for fans of both artists,” the track showcases the best of both artists, though Morby’s Kansas City twang certainly takes the front seat here.

Makthaverskan – “Closer”

With their fourth LP För Allting due next month, Swedish post-punk outfit Makthaverskan have shared another single in the form of “Closer.” Like the tracks that preceded it, “Closer” once again finds the band “[moving] into more of an atmospheric, melodic direction,” writes Caitlin White for Uproxx, which sets a high bar for perfect fall listening.

Snarls – “I’ll Follow You”

Over the last year or so, Columbus, OH indie rockers Snarls have been holed up in the studio with Death Cab For Cutie’s Chris Walla, crafting their new EP What About Flowers? Now, the quartet is ready to give us a peek of the resulting music, and “I’ll Follow You” follows through on the lofty expectations. Chock full of heart and shimmering guitars, “I’ll Follow You” is about being scared to love someone because of past relationship trauma.

Jim-E Stack – “FFBH”

For his new EP, Jim-E Stack decided to give away free copies of the CD inside vending machines. He also uploaded the glitchy, exciting new track “FFBH” to streaming services for those (like me) who weren’t able to pick up a copy of Promotional Only in person last week, an attempt to tide us over until the rest of the EP drops.

Keep For Cheap – “Segway
”

Minnesota quintet Keep For Cheap are proving that they’re here to stay on “Segway.” Complete with twangy guitars and beautiful vocal melodies, the track revolves around aspirations to embrace and examine all aspects of life, and cements Keep For Cheap as a band to watch as they prep a new effort.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

“Jill and I are deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend and a patriot of unmatched honor and dignity, General Colin Powell.”

That’s the beginning of President Joe Biden’s tribute to Colin Powell, who died on Monday at 84 years old from COVID-related complications. It continues, “Colin embodied the highest ideals of both warrior and diplomat. He was committed to our nation’s strength and security above all. Having fought in wars, he understood better than anyone that military might alone was not enough to maintain our peace and prosperity.” That’s a typical statement (even if it leaves out some key details about Powell’s legacy) for a president to make following the death of a respected general.

Meanwhile, here’s what former-president Donald Trump had to say about Powell:

“Wonderful to see Colin Powell, who made big mistakes on Iraq and famously, so-called weapons of mass destruction, be treated in death so beautifully by the Fake News Media. Hope that happens to me someday. He was a classic RINO, if even that, always being the first to attack other Republicans. He made plenty of mistakes, but anyway, may he rest in peace!”

“RINO” stands for “Republican In Name Only,” a term that Trump frequently used to disparage any Republicans who dared to not kiss the ring. Anyway, it shouldn’t be a surprise that this statement came from a man who thinks soldiers who died in combat are “losers” and “suckers,” and it’s not. But it is a reminder of Trump’s callousness — and all the gems we’ve missed since his Twitter account was taken away from him.

But anyway, may you all rest in peace.

Young Thug is suing his apartment’s owners after losing a bag full of money and unreleased music, according to Digital Music News. According to documents viewed by DMN, Thugger had been leasing an apartment at a high-end Atlanta building called Trace, where he accidentally left a $2,500 Louis Vuitton bag next to his car after returning from Los Angeles late last year. Apparently, the bag was turned into the building’s 24-hour concierge by a helpful neighbor and Thugger was contacted about the bag, which contained around $94,000 worth of jewelry and $40,000 in cash, as well as a hard drive containing around 200 unreleased songs.

Despite the concierge employee on-duty at the time leaving a clear note to contact her before releasing the bag to anyone else, another employee gave the bag to an unidentified third party, who unsurprisingly has yet to return any of the missing items. Thug’s lawsuit accuses the building’s ownership group of being “unreasonable and stubbornly litigious” and blames the group for “negligent supervision and failure to train” its concierge team members.

Meanwhile, despite losing the hard drive and the expensive items — which he says amounts to around $1 million — Thug’s not having all that bad of a year. His newly released album Punk is trending toward a top-three Billboard debut, according to Hits Daily Double, and has received positive chatter on social media.