50 Cent scored a legal win in Los Angeles after a federal judge rejected a motion to force him into arbitration over his involvement in the horror film Skillhouse.
The dispute centers on whether the Hip-Hop mogul ever signed an agreement to star in and promote the movie.
Film producer Ryan Kavanaugh and his associates claimed that a contract was executed in August 2022, which included an arbitration clause.
But 50 Cent insisted he never signed any such deal. The rap mogul went straight to court and filed a $5 million lawsuit against Kavanaugh, attempting to block the release.
“They can’t release this MOVIE SKILL HOUSE without my signature which they do not have. What kinda business are they doing?” 50 Cent said before the movie was released. “This guy Ryan Kavanaugh is doing everything in his power to make me kill this movie. This one is going in the trash can.”
The court reviewed conflicting statements and documents from both parties, but neither side could produce a signed version of the contract.
Text messages and emails submitted to the court revealed continued tension over the proposed agreement, particularly the arbitration clause.
Fif’s legal team maintained that no binding contract existed. They pointed to repeated objections raised by 50 Cent’s agents and attorneys regarding the terms, particularly the idea of resolving disputes privately rather than in court.
The judge concluded there wasn’t enough credible evidence to prove both sides had agreed to arbitration. As a result, the court denied the motion to compel arbitration, keeping the case in the public legal system.
The ruling means 50 Cent and his company, NYC Vibe, will continue to face the lawsuit in open court rather than behind closed doors.
Skillhouse ultimately had a limited theatrical release in July, despite 50 Cent’s attempt to halt the release.