New York appeals court rejects 50 Cent over lawsuit against ex-girlfriend
50 Cent has lost in a New York appeals court after suing his ex-girlfriend.
The G-Unit rapper filed a $1 million lawsuit against Shaniqua Tompkins in July 2025 for allegedly violating a 2007 agreement to sell her life rights.
According to Billboard, a ruling on July 9th denied 50’s request to win the suit by default after she took several months to respond.
The ruling read, “Defendant’s excuse for the delay in responding – that she did not receive the summons and complaint – was reasonable given that plaintiff failed to provide evidence that defendant lived at any of the addresses where service was attempted.”
In his lawsuit, 50 claimed Tompkins “irrevocably and exclusively” sold the rights to her life through his publishing company, G-Unit Books, and that she agreed to “not publicly disclose, exploit, or otherwise commercialise any aspect of her life story or related rights.”
The mother of his child posted various videos on Instagram, speaking about 50’s beef with Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and his 2000 shooting. 50 allegedly paid her $80,000 in 2007 to protect his reputation.
Tompkins claimed she feared for her and her children’s lives, signing the agreement under “extreme duress.”
At the time the lawsuit was filed, 50’s attorney, Reena Jain, said, “Tompkins’ behaviour was intentional – she explicitly referenced the very agreement she breached while she actively breached it, stating it was something that was ‘going to have to be worked out legally.’”
She continued, “[50] purchased these rights to preserve them for use in future biographical or autobiographical projects, but also in part because he was concerned that Tompkins would attempt to monetise their history and his name. His concerns were ultimately proven correct.”