50 Cent Ex-Girlfriend Lawsuit, UMG v. Salt-N-Pepa, Sean Kingston Fraud Case & More Music Law News

THE BIG STORY: 50 Cent hasn’t released an album since 2014. Maybe he’s just been too busy with litigation?

In his latest legal battle, the rapper’s G-Unit Books is accusing ex-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins of violating a “life rights” agreement by posting a series of “tell-all” Instagram videos. The lawsuit, filed last week, says the company paid Tompkins $80,000 in 2007 in return for “all rights to exploit her life story” — a deal they explicitly say was meant to protect the rapper’s reputation.

“Jackson purchased these rights to preserve them for use in future biographical or autobiographical projects, but also in part because he was concerned that Tompkins would attempt to monetize their history and his name,” the rapper’s lawyers wrote. “His concerns were ultimately proven correct.”

To say that 50 Cent is familiar with the court system would be something of an understatement.

The rapper is currently embroiled in litigation with the producers of a horror movie in which he plays the starring role, and his liquor brand just won court approval to seize the Connecticut home of a former exec who stole money from the company. Last year, he sued another ex-girlfriend for defamation over her abuse accusations; before that, he spent years battling with Rémy Martin over accusations that his cognac brand copied the company’s bottle design.

Perhaps the most notable? A 2022 lawsuit in which he accused a Miami medical spa of falsely suggesting that he’d had penis surgery. In his court papers, the rapper said the owner of the spa exploited an innocent photo he’d “graciously agreed” to take with her to imply that he was a client — and, more startlingly, that he had received penile enhancement.

All that action doesn’t come cheap: Last year, 50 Cent claimed he’d spent an astronomical $24 million in legal fees during his career. But he also didn’t express regret about doing so: “When they agitate me, I’ll send the f–king lawyers.”

Stay with Billboard for all the updates on 50 Cent’s latest case against Tompkins — and for any new litigation that comes next.

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Other top stories this week…

TERMINATION BATTLE – Universal Music Group (UMG) fired back at a lawsuit from Salt-N-Pepa that seeks to win back control of their masters through copyright law’s termination right, arguing that the case is legally invalid because the pioneering hip-hop duo was not actually a party to its 1986 record deal. The motion cited a ruling that rejected an earlier class action against UMG that sought to terminate copyrights en masse — and pointedly noted that Salt-N-Pepa’s lawyers worked on that same earlier case.

JANE’S LITIGATION – Members of Jane’s Addiction sued frontman Perry Farrell for allegedly attacking guitarist Dave Navarro onstage at a Boston concert last year, claiming the assault cost them millions by forcing the cancellation of the rest of their reunion tour and derailing plans for a new album. Hours later, Farrell filed his own suit, claiming he was actually the victim in the viral scuffle after years of “bullying” by his bandmates.

ANTITRUST ARRAIGNMENT – Tim Leiweke, the live entertainment mogul and former CEO of Oak View Group, surrendered to authorities and pleaded not guilty to a federal criminal antitrust charge over allegations of bid-rigging. Prosecutors say Leiweke conspired to rig the bidding for the construction and management of the Moody Center Arena, a $338 million, 19,000-seat facility in Austin.

GO EASY ON ME – Rapper Sean Kingston’s mother (Janice Turner) pleaded with a federal judge for a light prison sentence following the mom-son duo’s convictions for running a fraudulent scheme to effectively steal high-end cars, jewelry and other luxury goods. A pre-sentencing report says she should spend at least five years in prison, but her lawyers argued that such a lengthy term was “wholly unnecessary” for a woman who was a “pillar in her community.”

BUFFETT ESTATE FIGHT – Jimmy Buffett’s widow Jane argued in new court filings that her late husband’s longtime business manager (Rick Mozenter) is improperly using her inheritance to bankroll his legal battle for control of the singer-songwriter’s $275 million estate. The filing came amid ongoing litigation in which each side is trying to oust the other from their roles as co-trustees of the star’s hefty estate, which includes a stake in his successful island-themed hospitality company, Margaritaville.

LIZZO LAWSUIT – Lawyers for Lizzo’s company asked a judge to dismiss a harassment and discrimination lawsuit filed by former tour wardrobe designer Asha Daniels, calling it an “absurd” case that “makes a mockery of true victims.” The motion comes months after a judge dismissed Lizzo herself from the case, which is separate from a more high-profile case filed by three backup dancers over similar accusations.

ABUSE SETTLEMENT – Shia LaBeouf reached a confidential settlement to end a lawsuit filed by FKA Twigs that accused the actor of subjecting her to a “living nightmare” of abuse during their romantic relationship. The former couple’s powerhouse lawyers — Bryan Freedman for Twigs and Shawn Holley for LaBeouf — confirmed the agreement in a joint statement: “Committed to forging a constructive path forward, we have agreed to settle our case out of court.”

BIGGIE BIGGIE BIGGIE – The Notorious B.I.G.’s estate reached a settlement with Target, Nordstrom and other retailers that allegedly sold unauthorized canvas prints of the famed “King of New York” photo snapped just days before the legendary rapper’s death.

NO CHARGES – U.K. police announced that Irish rap group Kneecap would not be criminally charged for shouting “Free Palestine” and “‘F— Keir Starmer” during its politically-charged set at the Glastonbury Festival last month. Local police said there was “insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence.”

BEACH BRAWL – Backstreet Boys member Brian Littrell filed a lawsuit against a Florida sheriff’s office for allegedly refusing to take action against trespassers at his oceanfront home’s private beach. The case cited body camera footage in which a police officer allegedly told a trespasser that he “doesn’t agree with private beaches” and called Littrell’s police reports “lunacy.”