Controversial rapper 50 Cent always finds a way, and his latest pickle sees him in a legal dispute with a plastic surgeon for reportedly suggesting that he'd had his lollipop enhanced at her candy shop.
As per the document obtained by Billboard, the artist born Curtis Jackson filed a lawsuit in federal court last Friday (September 16), accusing Miami-based practitioner Angela Kogan of using a seemingly innocuous fan photo he had "graciously agreed" to pose for two years ago to promote her plastic surgery practice. Jackson alleged that the "unscrupulous business owner" engineered a since-removed article published on gossip website The Shade Room that "shockingly" made the "false insinuation" that he had undergone penile enlargement surgery.
"Jackson never had such a sexual enhancement procedure, he has never received plastic surgery from defendants, and he never consented to the commercialization and publication of the Photo," the rapper's legal representation wrote in the suit. "Defendants' actions have exposed Jackson to ridicule, caused substantial damage to his professional and personal reputation, and violated his right to control his name and image." They claim Kogan and Perfection Plastic Surgery & MedSpa violated the star's right of publicity, which they also allege has amounted to an invasion of privacy and violated federal law barring false endorsement.
The article titled "Penis Enhancements Are More Popular Than Ever & BBLs Are Dying Out: Cosmetic Surgery CEO Angela Kogan Speaks on It" did not directly claim that Jackson had received the surgery. But it did allegedly refer to him as a "client" of Kogan's, while repeatedly using the image of the two of them — and the artist's lawyers allege the "implication was clear": "The photo is juxtaposed with an image of a faceless male obtaining a penile enhancement procedure, with a euphemistic eggplant emoji covering his exposed groin area."
The claimant's representation added: "Kogan … should have known that this could lead to vulgar and sexually charged comments about Jackson and his body, particularly in light of the ways that Black men in US history have been, and continue to be, sexualized and fetishized."
Jackson is seeking to ban Kogan from continuing to use the image, as well as "millions of dollars" in damages for her "malicious" conduct.
As per the document obtained by Billboard, the artist born Curtis Jackson filed a lawsuit in federal court last Friday (September 16), accusing Miami-based practitioner Angela Kogan of using a seemingly innocuous fan photo he had "graciously agreed" to pose for two years ago to promote her plastic surgery practice. Jackson alleged that the "unscrupulous business owner" engineered a since-removed article published on gossip website The Shade Room that "shockingly" made the "false insinuation" that he had undergone penile enlargement surgery.
"Jackson never had such a sexual enhancement procedure, he has never received plastic surgery from defendants, and he never consented to the commercialization and publication of the Photo," the rapper's legal representation wrote in the suit. "Defendants' actions have exposed Jackson to ridicule, caused substantial damage to his professional and personal reputation, and violated his right to control his name and image." They claim Kogan and Perfection Plastic Surgery & MedSpa violated the star's right of publicity, which they also allege has amounted to an invasion of privacy and violated federal law barring false endorsement.
The article titled "Penis Enhancements Are More Popular Than Ever & BBLs Are Dying Out: Cosmetic Surgery CEO Angela Kogan Speaks on It" did not directly claim that Jackson had received the surgery. But it did allegedly refer to him as a "client" of Kogan's, while repeatedly using the image of the two of them — and the artist's lawyers allege the "implication was clear": "The photo is juxtaposed with an image of a faceless male obtaining a penile enhancement procedure, with a euphemistic eggplant emoji covering his exposed groin area."
The claimant's representation added: "Kogan … should have known that this could lead to vulgar and sexually charged comments about Jackson and his body, particularly in light of the ways that Black men in US history have been, and continue to be, sexualized and fetishized."
Jackson is seeking to ban Kogan from continuing to use the image, as well as "millions of dollars" in damages for her "malicious" conduct.
