iHipHop Admin
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson V. WorldStarHipHop.com
50 has revealed that he is suing the popular rap video site WorldStarHipHop.com. He explains to ATL’s V103 that he chose to pursue legal action against the site because they continually used his image without permission. 50 says:
“I gotta lawsuit against WorldStar for utilizing my likeness. A lot of people felt like that was my site because they saw my face on the cover of [the website] for a long time. I have lawyers on retainers and I have to pay them so much money anyway, so we’ll go back and forth to court until [they] can’t afford a subway sandwich. It’s already too late for [them].”
50 sounds like he means business. I hope he doesn’t get WorldStar shut down, it’s definitely one of the most entertaining video sites out there, but who knows what’s going to happen with this one.
In other 50 news, Before I Self Destruct hit #1 on iTunes and is in stores next Tuesday, November 16th.
Freeway Talks Beans & The Big Homie
Another former Roc-A-Fella family member has spoken out about the Jay & Beanie saga that still continues…This time it was Philly Freeway, but he’s taking the Dame Dash route and staying neutral. Freeway spoke to XXL about his opinion of the situation and his own relationship with Jay, saying:
“Oh, no, that’s the big homie and it’s still all love with Jay-Z. We still communicate. When I need him, I definitely can reach out and I know he will be there for me. Right now, I’m just trying to do my thing, show that I can do my thing on my own without him. But when I need him, I think the big homie will definitely be there…[My Cash Money Records deal] is not official yet, but we’re working it out, probably at the top of the year after we drop “The Stimulus Package”…We all family. Beans is on the album, Young Chris, Omilio Sparks. It’s still all love. In the future, we’ll definitely do another State Property album. We just got to find a nice situation for it and we’ll make it happen.”
I think everyone learned their lesson the first time around and learned that it’s best not to take sides when these things go down. Freeway, Bleek and Dash are all taking the neutral route which is the smartest thing to do, but I think if a side had to be chosen, we all know who it would be…
Beanie also has teamed up with 50 Cent in a new song “I Go Off”, which debuts Friday, but you can check out the snippet here.
Why Can’t Rappers Just Pay Their Taxes?
In Why Can’t Rappers Just Pay Their Taxes news, the government has added another rapper to their sh*t list. This time the IRS is going after Flavor Flav a.k.a William Drayton, who owns the state of California $183,000. The state of California filed an $183,810 lien against Drayton on Sept. 17 in Sacramento County Court.
Flav isn’t alone in the “I’m a rapper who makes tons of money, but I forgot to get my accountant to file my taxes” group. The IRS and NY state are after DMX for about $1.5 million. The IRS filed a $442,869 lien against DMX and his wife on Jan. 2 in the New York City Register’s office.
The IRS also filed a $663,554 lien against DMX on Sept. 10, 2007, in the Maricopa County (Ariz.) Recorder’s office. According to the lien, he owes income taxes from 2002, 2003 and 2005. The state of New York filed an $8,343 tax warrant against the couple on Feb. 15, 2007, in the New York County Clerk’s office. The New York State Tax Commission filed a $44,357 tax warrant against the couple on March 6, 2006, in New York and the IRS filed a $370,460 lien against the couple on Sept. 20, 2005, in New York.
Other rappers who made news for not paying the government include Nas, who had a federal tax lien filed against him last month for $2,584,206.31.
Also Method Man, who turned himself in to police after failing to pay nearly $33,000 in back personal taxes.
Advice to all the rappers out there, use that jewelry money to hire yourself an accountant because the government is coming for you…
