50 Cent is back in the court system — this time as a plaintiff.
The rapper — real name: Curtis Jackson — has filed a lawsuit against a man who he claims wrongfully acted as a representative for himself and Jackson’s production company G-Unit, and damaged his reputation with a plan for a reality show that “appalled” Jackson.
The suit claims that G-Unit entered a consulting agreement with Andrew Jameson, paying him $270,000 for his services. When the arrangement didn’t produce results, the complaint says, Jameson continued to hold himself out as a representative for G-Unit anyway, and attempted to broker deals for projects that didn’t make sense for the company.
One of those projects, the suit says, was a reality show for E! titled “The Unit,” which would have depicted the day-to-day activities at G-Unit.
The rapper hated the idea, the suit says, particularly when he heard a proposed concept for the show.
“Jackson was appalled when he recently learned that Jameson suggested that they include a ‘young white girl’ in the show to make it more sellable and that that Jameson sent an inappropriate and highly offensive text to an officer of G-Unit in connection with that suggestion,” the lawsuit reads.
Jameson was told not to close the deal for the show, the suit alleges, but when Jackson told E! he didn’t want to do the show, he was told that Jameson and Jackson’s then-attorney had already closed the deal, the complaint says. Jackson’s ultimate refusal to go forward with the show left his relationship with E! and NBC Universal “severely damaged,” according to the suit.
Jackson is suing for alleged violation of the California Labor Code, claiming that Jameson was “performing the services of a talent agency” even though he didn’t hold a valid talent-agent license, and that he charged for talent representation services in advance, in violation of the law. The suit also alleges breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract.
Jackson, who recently filed for bankruptcy after being hit with millions of dollars in damages in a lawsuit involving a sex tape, is seeking unspecified damages.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.