50 Cent is suing a car dealer over advertisements that he said used his trademarked name without permission.
The rapper — born Curtis James Jackson III — describes himself in the lawsuit as “a hugely popular and extremely successful hip-hop music artist ... known for his good looks, ‘gangsta’ image and hard knocks success story.”
The lawsuit, filed in federal court Friday, seeks more than $1 million from Gary Barbera Enterprises, which used the slogan “Just Like 50 Says!” and the 29-year-old artist’s picture in a print advertisement for a Dodge Magnum.
A spokesman for Barbera wasn’t immediately available for comment Tuesday, the dealership said.
Barbera marketing director Eric Gerstein told Philadelphia newspapers, however, that 50 Cent had recorded a radio station spot promoting the station’s giveaway of a Barbera Magnum.
The print ad paraphrased the radio spot, Gerstein said. The dealership explained its position in a call with 50 Cent representatives in May and believed the matter was closed, he said.