50 Cent has launched a lawsuit against a plastic surgeon who used his likeness to advertise her services as well as implied that the rapper underwent a penile enhancement.
The musician originally filed the lawsuit in September 2022 against Dr. Angela Kogan. He claimed the surgeon used a photo that they took together to promote her business. The images was taken in February 2020 at Perfection Med Spa.
50 Cent said he took the photo with Dr. Kogan, as she’s a fan of his. But since then, the photo has circulated on social media and helped spread false rumors about 50 Cent.
“Thank you @50cent for stopping by the number one med spa,” Angela wrote on Instagram while sharing the image.
She used the hashtags #facial and #laser, but didn’t expand on what services the rapper underwent at the spa.
But a rumor quickly began spreading that 50 Cent had gotten a penile enhancement after The Shade Room published an article in August on men undergoing procedures for sexual enhancement. The Shade Room used the image of Dr. Kogan and 50 Cent in the article, but didn’t specify what procedure he underwent, if any.
50 Cent’s lawsuit is asking that Dr. Kogan and her practice stop using his image in any and all ways. He claims that she’s aware he never underwent surgery at her clinic. The rapper is also seeking financial compensation, as he argues that the distribution of the photo has hurt his reputation, both personally and professionally.
Dr. Kogan originally moved to have the case dismissed and is denying all of 50 Cent’s allegations. However, federal Judge Robert N. Scola, Jr. refused to dismiss the case on Monday, and it’s scheduled to move forward.
“As the proverbial saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words,” the judge stated in an explanation. “This one in particular depicts a worldwide celebrity next to Kogan with MedSpa’s name repeated all throughout the background. The promotional value is evident.”
He continued, “Read in the light most favorable to Jackson, the defendants’ ‘thanks’ serves as a humblebrag. It is self-promotion.”
The judge also denied Dr. Kogan’s claim that 50 Cent consent to her use of the photo.
“They weakly argue that Jackson consented to the photo’s being uploaded on to Instagram while making no mention of Jackson’s consent/non-consent as to the screen capture video and the promotional value it doubtlessly served,” Judge Scola explained.
“That omission is fatal,” he went on. “Because the defendants took it upon themselves to post the video onto their Instagram accounts, Jackson can plausibly argue that the defendants unauthorizedly used his likeness to promote their business regardless of whether the defendants had any role in TSR’s publication of either the Tweet or the article.”
The lawsuit will go to trail unless the parties reach a settlement beforehand.
Sources: Daily Mail, Billboard,
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