50 Cent has emerged victorious in a $1 billion lawsuit filed by an ex-drug kingpin who claimed the entertainment mogul stole his life story to create the hit series Power.
The rap star defeated three legal actions brought against him by Cory “Ghost” Holland. In 2021, Holland filed a billion-dollar lawsuit against 50 Cent, Courtney Kemp, Starz and Lionsgate, asserting that Power unlawfully reflected his life without consent.
Holland alleged that the character “Ghost” in the series closely mirrored his own experiences, which he detailed in a 2007 CD titled Blasphemy.
Holland alleged that he sent this CD to the father of series co-creator Courtney Kemp as a plea for help to exit the drug trade legitimately. Holland accused 50 Cent and the show’s creators of exploiting his story for profit without his consent.
50 Cent denied the allegations. The Honorable Judge Analisa Torres sided with 50 and dismissed the claims in each case. In the first case, it was decided that the character “Ghost” in the show Power did not directly refer to Holland, as required for a defamation claim.
Despite similarities in family structure, the court found these to be mere coincidences. In the second lawsuit, Holland accused 50 Cent of sending goons to harass and threaten him.
He said 50 Cent showed up in his neighborhood with an entourage in a fleet of vans and SUVs, who went around the area looking for a man named “Ghost.”
In another incident, people associated with the rapper played a threatening song near his house, which Holland felt was an attempt to send a clear message to him.
The legal battle took a treacherous turn when Holland threatened violence against 50 Cent and his legal team.
In a letter obtained by AllHipHop, Holland warned of potentially fatal consequences if 50 Cent or anyone associated with him confronted him again.
50 Cent’s lawyers voiced grave concern over these threats, informed Judge Analisa Torres and notified local authorities. However, Judge Torres also tossed those claims against 50 Cent.
One of Holland’s claims was past the statute of limitations and the assertion that 50 Cent’s associates played a threatening song didn’t hold up in court.
“There is no indication that this conduct constituted a threat, much less an ‘imminent threat of harmful contact’ as required for an assault claim,” Judge Torres explained.
Holland’s third lawsuit claimed Lionsgate should pay $300 million for not controlling the G-Unit boss since the movie studio produces the Power franchise.
The negligent supervision claim against Lionsgate and Starz was booted as Holland failed to demonstrate a duty of care owed to him by the companies. The cases have been closed and judgment has been entered in favor of 50 Cent.
The legal battle has ended, with 50 Cent prevailing against all of the claims brought against him by Cory “Ghost” Holland.
