50 sues over DVD footage
Rapper 50 Cent has filed a lawsuit against three video production companies to stop them selling an interview he gave for free as part of a DVD - because they failed to make a promised charity donation in return.
The hip-hop star, real name Curtis Jackson, was interviewed by Czar Entertainment Inc boss Jimmy Rosemond about Kelvin Martin, a New York criminal who also went by the moniker 50 Cent.
And he alleges he waived his fee for the interview because Czar Entertainment agreed to make a donation to either Martin's family or his charity, the G-Unity Foundation, which helps boost inner city schools.
But he is furious Czar Entertainment and co-defendants Vision Plant Pictures and Premo Pictures reneged on the agreement and used the footage for a DVD called The Original 50 Cent: The True Story Of The Legend Who Inspired The Biggest Name In Rap as part of their popular biographical DVD series The Infamous Times.
The Candy Shop star consequently filed the lawsuit on Tuesday, barring the companies from selling the DVD, and demanding unspecified damages and any profits from its sale.
But Rosemond claims 50 Cent is suing the companies because he erroneously told a reporter the rapper had agreed to pay for Martin's tombstone, and the star was subsequently forced to foot the $7,500 (€6,100) bill.
Rosemond tells website Allhiphop.com: "This lawsuit has no merit. The only reason that 50 Cent is filing this is because I had told a reporter how he agreed to pay for Martin's tombstone (which is featured in the DVD) and he never did. He ducked me for two months over the $7,500 (€6,100) bill.
"I never agreed to make and I never will make a donation to 50 Cent's charity.
“Obviously, 50 Cent is clueless to our involvement with Martin's family. We are in touch with the family and they will definitely be compensated."
