Rapper 50 Cent appeared to throw two microphones offstage during a concert Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, and may have hit a woman in the audience while doing so.
The “In Da Club” rapper — whose legal name is Curtis James Jackson III — was performing at Crypto.com Arena on Aug. 30 when he threw a microphone at two separate times offstage during the concert. Fan videos circulating on social media platforms like TikTok appear to show both moments, one of which occurred when the rapper seemed to become agitated when his microphone failed to function.
Crypto.com Arena is an indoor arena located in Los Angeles, California.
The Grammy winner seemingly became irritated after bringing a guest, rapper YG — whose real name is Keenon Dequan Ray Jackson — on stage. In the footage, 50 Cent can be seen walking towards the left of the stage and extending his microphone away from himself as if to hand it over. Soon after, he appears to throw the microphone off the stage. In another clip, he is seen with a microphone once again. This time, when he realizes it is not working, the rapper vigorously hurls the phone offstage.
TMZ reports that in one of the of throwing incidents, he struck a woman.
Scott Leemon, the rapper’s attorney, provided a statement to TODAY.com via email, which reads, “Let’s be very clear, as I told LAPD this afternoon, my client Curtis would never intentionally strike anyone with a microphone. Anyone saying something different doesn’t have all the facts and is misinformed.”
Crypto.com Arena did not immediately respond to TODAY.com’s request for comment.
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department told TODAY.com via email that they could not identify any call placed from the arena at the time, nor were they able to provide a police report.
The incident took place as 50 Cent celebrates the 20th anniversary of his first studio album, “Get Rich or Die Tryin’,” as part of his “The Final Lap Tour.”
In an interview with TODAY, the rapper told Jenna Bush Hager and Justin Sylvester that the title is an acknowledgment that he won’t be able to “commit to this long of a tour” moving forward.
It also comes on the heels of a rise in heated exchanges this summer between musical artists and concertgoers.
Concerts have appeared to become a hotbed for poor etiquette with audience members throwing items on the stage, from the cremated remains of a parent to cell phones. In July, Cardi B seemed to strike back during a Las Vegas performance when a fan threw a drink at her.
In a video shared on social media pages, the “Jealousy” rapper could be seen being drenched with a drink and reacting in surprise before responding by throwing her microphone.
The concertgoer filed a battery report in response to the interaction. In a statement sent to TODAY.com, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department confirmed that Cardi B would not face criminal charges.
