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50 Cent Sued for Promoting "Gangsta Lifestyle"
By Alexander Toldt
April 10th 2008
50 Cent Sued for Promoting "Gangsta Lifestyle"
A 14-year-old boy and his mother sued 50 Cent, Universal Music Group and several of its record labels on Wednesday for encouraging a "gangsta lifestyle".
James Rosemond and his mother, Cynthia Reed, filled a multimillion-dollar suit accusing Universal Music Group and its labels Interscope Records, G-Unit Records and Shady Records of being responsible for an assault which happened last year.
In the incident which occurred March 2007, the 14-year-old boy was attacked by several rappers including Tony Yayo, member of 50 Cent's G-Unit group and Lowell Fletcher, Yayo’s employee.
(Dude, what kind of man beats up on a 14-year-old boy just for wearing a freaking shirt of someone that is your rival? And what kind of man condones that and encourages it? The loser kind! The idiot thug kind! GAH!)
According to court records, the rappers assaulted Rosemond because he was wearing a T-shirt by Czar Entertainment, who represents The Game, currently a rival rapper of the G-Unit. Yayo (real name Marvin Bernard) and Fletcher both pleaded guilty. The first was sentenced to ten days of community service for harassment, while the latter got 9 months in prison for endangering the welfare of a child.
At the time of the assault, 50Cent was out of town and wasn’t formally charged in that case.
The lawsuit filed by Rosemond and his mother includes 50 Cent (real name Curtis Jackson), Violator Management, Violator CEO Chris Lighty, Tony Yayo and Lowell Fletcher. The amount Rosemond and Ms. Reed are seeking in the lawsuit wasn’t made public.
"The members of G-Unit, including defendants Yayo and 50 Cent, encouraged, sanctioned, approved and condoned its members threatening violence, and or engaging in violent acts in furtherance of its business," the lawsuit said.
(This is just so totally fucked up. I'm disgusted. Thoroughly disgusted.)
The rappers assaulted the 14-year-old boy with the intention to "promote and maintain Yayo and 50 Cent's 'gangsta' image," which was "promoted, marketed and advertised" by record labels.
Ms. Reed is looking for a "quick payday," said 50 Cent’s lawyer Benjamin Brafman for the New York Daily News.
Although Cynthia Reed, mother to an assaulted child, claims that she just wants an apology, she may have some trouble selling that.
(Know what? I'd sue their ass too. Not for the gangsta stuff but for assaulting a minor, whatever gang-related charges the cops can find to fit the crime, and it's just too bad being a total idiot isn't a crime, because this guy'd be locked up for a long damn time. The kid was an innocent. He has a right to like The Game if he wants to like The Game. He is not part of the rivalry and to involve him... well, I certainly hope that the punishment fits the crime... not including the law suit.)
