LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- 50 Cent has sued three video production companies, alleging they used footage from an interview without honoring an agreement to make a charitable donation.
The 28-year-old rapper, whose real name is Curtis James Jackson III, alleges that he agreed to do an interview with Czar Entertainment Inc. about Kelvin Martin, a 1980s criminal who went by the street name 50 Cent. He says the free interview was to be used for a video series to be called "Infamous Times."
In return, the company agreed to make a donation to Martin's family or to 50 Cent's charity, the G-Unity Foundation, according to the lawsuit, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court.
The lawsuit contends that Czar Entertainment failed to make the donation and instead used the footage for a DVD called "The Original 50 Cent: The True Story of the Legend Who Inspired the Biggest Name in Rap."
Representatives at Czar Entertainment couldn't be reached for comment early Wednesday.
50 Cent is seeking a court order barring Czar Entertainment and co-defendants Vision Plant Pictures and Premo Pictures from selling the DVD. The lawsuit also seeks unspecified damages and any profits from the video.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/06/01/showbuzz/index.html#0
The 28-year-old rapper, whose real name is Curtis James Jackson III, alleges that he agreed to do an interview with Czar Entertainment Inc. about Kelvin Martin, a 1980s criminal who went by the street name 50 Cent. He says the free interview was to be used for a video series to be called "Infamous Times."
In return, the company agreed to make a donation to Martin's family or to 50 Cent's charity, the G-Unity Foundation, according to the lawsuit, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court.
The lawsuit contends that Czar Entertainment failed to make the donation and instead used the footage for a DVD called "The Original 50 Cent: The True Story of the Legend Who Inspired the Biggest Name in Rap."
Representatives at Czar Entertainment couldn't be reached for comment early Wednesday.
50 Cent is seeking a court order barring Czar Entertainment and co-defendants Vision Plant Pictures and Premo Pictures from selling the DVD. The lawsuit also seeks unspecified damages and any profits from the video.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/06/01/showbuzz/index.html#0