The Queens emcee claims an arbitration judge handling a 2013 case discriminated against him because of his race.
Earlier this year, 50 Cent sued an audio electronics company called Sleek Audio, claiming they owed him over $261,000 in long-standing debt. But Sleek disagreed and claimed the contrary, arguing that 50 actually tried to cut them out of a previous business arrangement involving a new line of headphones. The ugly dispute ended up going to arbitration, a legal process which requires an impartial adjudicator (in this case a judge) review the case and hand down a legally binding resolution.
The judge ultimately sided with Sleek, demanding 50 pay the audio company a settlement that was not disclosed to the public.
But today, according to TMZ, 50 Cent is firing back, filing a federal lawsuit citing that the arbitration judge in the case discriminated against him chiefly because he is Black. The musician turned mogul is also allegedly claiming the bias stemmed from his affiliation with controversial Black figures, and because he happens to be a rapper.
50 claims that the judge barred him from cross-examining witnesses and actually refused to examine evidence he presented. The rapper is hoping the award from the initial resolution be vacated, and for investigation to be made into his claims of bias.
Sleek Audio has also responded, dismissing 50’s newest legal endeavor as a desperate attempt to avoid paying up.
–Ese Olumhense (@140LetterEssay)
