The one mishap that made 50 Cent fire his entire audio team: “I know that stuff happens”
50 Cent has earned enough success as a musician and businessman that he can do whatever he wants, and that includes firing his collaborators at the last minute. While the rapper has been mostly stagnant in music over the past decade, albums like Get Rich or Die Tryin’ and The Massacre will forever solidify his position as one of the best rappers. For this reason, he doesn’t take anything less than perfect when it comes to those he’s associated with.
During a show at the Crypto.com Arena, the home of the Los Angeles Lakers, in 2023, 50 was set to bring out Lil Wayne alongside Nas, Chris Brown, and YG. All was going well until moments before Wayne was about to walk on stage, when a staff member allegedly pushed him and forced him to quit the show entirely.
The same issues carried into 50’s performance, with the rapper tossing his mic into the crowd due to frustrations with his audio team. Just days later, he revealed he had sacked the entire department, claiming that functional microphones are the bare minimum to be employed by him.
“Damn only thing left is Taylor Swift show,” he wrote on social media. “I fired everyone involved in the audio department, if the mic don’t work your ass don’t work here.” His comments came after it was reported Wayne faced his own mic issues while supporting Beyoncé on tour.
While many people supported 50’s decision, others criticised him for throwing a tantrum on stage. “Being a sound engineer for over 10 years, I know that stuff happens,” one person wrote. “Anything can go wrong. [The] DJ can get fired when the MacBook freezes and the song won’t play; you just need to stay professional and not throw microphones.”
Unfortunately for 50, the incident resulted in him being sued. According to the Los Angeles Times, Bryhana Monegain, a radio host for Power 106, filed a lawsuit against him after claiming 50 threw his mic at her head. Filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the show on his Final Lap Tour allegedly saw him throw the mic “towards a crowded area” due to sound issues.
The complaint alleged his throw caused “the microphone to strike Plaintiff’s face and left wrist,” resulting in “severe and permanent” injuries. This left her needing care at the Los Angeles General Medical Center for a concussion.
Monegain claimed she suffered from “dizziness, headaches, light and sound sensitivity, and nausea,” as well as “emotional distress.” In a statement, law firm Morgan and Morgan said, “No matter who the assailant is, this alleged act of negligence and violence is unacceptable, and we will hold 50 Cent and his co-defendants accountable for their alleged actions.
“Mr Jackson has himself previously said that ‘If the talk ain’t [a]bout money, homie, I ain’t concerned,’ so we are confident our client will be fairly and justly compensated for the injuries she suffered.” 50’s attorney, Scott Leemon, said, “Let’s be very clear, my client Curtis would never intentionally strike anyone with a microphone. Anyone saying something different doesn’t have all the facts and is misinformed.”