Misunderstood

Misunderstood, originally named Non Fiction, is the unreleased debut studio album from American professional basketball player Allen Iverson, who performed under the name Jewelz. It marks his first foray into hip-hop.

The album’s first single, “40 Bars,” was released in 2000 and generated controversy for its use of misogynistic, homophobic, and profanity-laced lyrics. Iverson planned on releasing the album in 2001, but David Stern, the NBA commissioner at the time, was not pleased with its explicit content.

Iverson and Stern met with civil rights leaders in October 2000 to discuss the album’s release, and Iverson agreed to cut out any offensive lyrics prior to its release. He also changed the title from Non-Fiction to Misunderstood, and issued a statement to warn listeners of potentially offensive content.

Eventually, Iverson scrapped Misunderstood in October 2001 and gave up on his rap career as a whole. Although the album’s official release never saw the light of day, in May 2010, a partial leak of the album was released to the public. However, there is no confirmation on whether this is the actual album or merely a mock-up with vocals from Iverson added in.