AceShowbiz -

Tuesday May 31, 2005, rapper 50 Cent has filed in lawsuit in U.S. District Court against three video production companies, accusing them of using footage from one of his interviews without honoring their agreement in the "The Original 50 Cent" DVD. According to the lawsuit, 50 Cent has agreed to do an interview with Czar Entertainment Inc. about Kelvin Martin, a 1980s criminal who went by the street name 50 Cent. Further 50 Cent explains the free interview was to be used for a video series to be called "Infamous Times."

In return, the company agreed to make a donation either to Martin's family or to 50 Cent's charity, the G-Unity Foundation. Despite all, the rapper insists he never inked any deal agreeing the footage to be used in a for-profit venture. In fact, Czar never made the donation. Rather, in early March, the company associated with Vision Plant Pictures and Premo Pictures to release a DVD titled "The Original 50 Cent: The True Story of the Legend Who Inspired the Biggest Name in Rap." In his further complaints 50 Cent says the DVD box cover features his name, his permission, and the interview.

Based on those evidences, 50 Cent is now seeking unspecified damages, profits from the DVD and a court order barring the defendants from selling "The Original 50 Cent." For its part, Czar says in a statement Wednesday, claiming the lawsuit was "without merit" and would "prevent us from fulfilling our commitment to the Martin family."