The Game -- My Joke About Murdering Someone Didn't Go Over So Well (VIDEO)

The Game was joking this morning when he suggested he might have been involved in the murder of a Blood gang member who claimed to have kicked his ass in a LA mall 4 years ago. Bad joke?

Game called into "TMZ Live" ... saying people were twisting his words because he never copped to being involved in the killing when he was on "The Breakfast Club" earlier in the day.

The guy was killed 40 days after the shopping mall confrontation.

Game says when he made reference to the 40 days, he was yakking with Charlamagne Tha God, it was in no way bragging about a killing.

Game then gave us the real life expectancy on anyone threatening his kids ... and it's a lot shorter than 40 days.