50 Cent Sues Rick Ross Over Sex Tape

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

50 Cent Sues Rick Ross Over Sex Tape

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Sex tapes are the most effective way to shame and blackmail in the 21st century — which is probably why I’m so proud of Kim Kardashian for turning her former shame into a multi-million-dollar empire. But I digress. This sex tape story is a much sadder tale involving 50 Cent (aka Curtis Jackson), Rick Ross (aka William Leonard Roberts II), and Ross’ baby mama Lastonia Leviston. It’s a little convoluted, so if you weren’t aware that 50 and Ross have been beefing for quite some time now, try to keep up.

Mid-beef in 2009, 50 allegedly posted a video of Leviston having sex with her former boyfriend Maurice Murray. The New York Daily News reports that court papers indicate Murray gave the tape to 50, who altered it by inserting himself into the footage and then posting it online as a weird form of revenge porn against Ross. It quickly racked up over 3 million views, and Leviston claims that her emotional distress over the situation led to suicidal thoughts. She filed an emotional distress suit against 50 in 2010. The suit has finally come to trial; jury selection begins next Tuesday, 5/26 and will run for two weeks.

Today TMZ reported that 50 has filed a lawsuit of his own against Ross. He’s essentially deflecting blame from himself by pointing a finger at Ross. His legal documents reportedly state that if he loses in court to Leviston, Ross should be the one to pay that lawsuit too. According to 50, Ross was the one who posted the tape — all 50 did was link to a tape Ross had already posted. 50’s basis for this claim is an interview Ross gave the day before the tape was uploaded stating that he was going to put it online.

Recap: Ross’ baby mama is suing 50 Cent for uploading a sex tape that features her. He supposedly uploaded it to get back at Ross because they were beefing. 50 Cent now claims that he only linked to a tape that Ross uploaded, absolving himself of blame. And that’s all we know until the trial starts in a few days.

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