G-Unit frontman 50 Cent’s dislike of Taco Bell entered a new phase with a new lawsuit against the fast food giant. According to Reuters, the suit was filed Wednesday (July 23) in Manhattan federal court.
50 Cent (born Curtis Jackson) accuses Taco Bell of "diluting the value of his good name" as well as employing a guerrilla advertising campaign to fool consumers into thinking he had endorsed the restaurant chain.
"Without seeking or obtaining Jackson's authorization, defendant Taco Bell made him the star and focus of its nation-wide advertising campaign by using his name, persona and trademark to promote Taco Bell's business and products," according to court papers.
The lawsuit is the latest chapter involving Jackson and Taco Bell.
In June, the Mexican-style fast food chain sent what the suit called a disseminating letter to the rapper, asking him to help promote its Hip-Hop-themed "79-89-99 Cent Why Pay More" ad campaign by changing his name to "79 Cent," "89 Cent" or "99 Cent."
The request did not sit well with Jackson, whose representative labeled the letter as "a sleazy and ill-conceived publicity stunt by Taco Bell's president, Greg Creed."
"When my legal team is finished with them, Taco Bell is going to have a new corporate slogan: 'We messed with the bull and got the horns,'" Jackson told AllHipHop.com last month in a statement.
The rapper’s suit further accuses Taco Bell of using Jackson’s rap alias for the promotion without his permission as well as avoiding the multimillion dollar fee the rapper might have charged to use his name.
In addition, allegations in the lawsuit note how Taco Bell’s letter was sent to Jackson after it was circulated to reporters.
"As Taco Bell intended, many customers believed that 50 Cent had agreed to endorse Taco Bell's products. Indeed, postings on numerous Internet 'blogs' castigated 50 Cent for 'selling out' by his apparent endorsement of Taco Bell," the lawsuit stated.
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