50 Cent once filed a staggering $4 million lawsuit against Taco Bell, alleging it used his ‘persona’ to promote low-cost items.
In early 2008, Taco Bell introduced a divisive subset of its offerings called the Why Pay More!? Value Menu.
The offer aimed to deliver customers signature burritos and nachos for the measly price of 79¢, 89¢, or 99¢.
In honor of the low-cost prices, the brand suggested rapper 50 Cent, 49, change his name to 79 Cent, 89 Cent or 99 Cent.
But the campaign backfired and caused the ‘Candy Shop’ rapper to file a lawsuit against the Yum! Brands, Inc. subsidiary.
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It’s understood that 50 Cent - whose real name is Curtis James Jackson III - was less than impressed with the advertising campaign and alleged the fast food chain had been using his name to promote the menu without his permission
"Without seeking or obtaining Jackson's authorisation, defendant Taco Bell made him the star and focus of its nationwide advertising campaign by using his name, persona and trademark to promote Taco Bell's business and products,” the lawsuit stated at the time, as per The Guardian.
"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 filing continued.
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However, Rob Poetsch, a spokesperson for the grab-and-go eatery at the time, claimed the suggestion for 50 Cent to change his name was made in ‘good faith’.
"We made a good faith, charitable offer to 50 Cent to change his name to either 79, 89 or 99 Cent for one day by rapping his order at a Taco Bell, and we would have been very pleased to make the $10,000 donation to the charity of his choice,” he stated.
The following year it was revealed that the rapper won the lawsuit, but terms of the settlement were never published.
The only information shared was that both parities paid for their own respective legal fees as part of the deal.
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"As is often the case in these situations, the parties have agreed not to discuss anything about the settlement except to say both sides are satisfied," 50 Cent's lawyer said at the time.
Surprisingly, it’s not actually uncommon for celebrities to find themselves in legal battles with huge brands - something which John Cena knows all too well about.
In 2017, the WWE favorite was slapped with a $500,000 lawsuit from Ford after he sold his brand-new GT without the car manufacturer's permission.
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12 months later they settled the suit out of court and Cena was forced to issue a public apology to the automobile giants.
Ella Scott