Rapper denies reports that he was involved in an on-set scuffle: ‘It was actually a fight scene in the film.’

Reports that rapper Curtis Jackson assaulted a co-star on the set of his new film “Righteous Kill” are untrue, he told MTV News — and for proof all anybody needs to do is check out his bottom line.

Look, he didn’t rename himself 50 Cent for nothing.

“You know how much that would cost?” he joked, dismissing reports that he came to blows with actor Frank John Hughes after being called out for not knowing his lines. “It was actually a fight scene in the film — so expand it, get a little bit of controversy going so people [will be] be interested.”
It’s an unusually self-aware answer for a controversial figure some may view as a loose cannon. But it’s precisely that hyper-awareness of his own public persona that helps him fit in so well on the set of “Righteous Kill,” he said. Consider that among the cast, co-stars Al Pacino and Robert De Niro have won three Oscars, while 50 has been in three movies. Ever.

But if his august co-stars had any initial bias toward his acting abilities, they don’t anymore, he grinned.

“I think they got a perception of hip-hop artists based on the things in the past — previous artists, they came through and had a different attitude. I’m not sure if those artists even had the opportunity to meet Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, but just [from] being on movie sets [they influence perception],” 50 said. “After interacting with me, they see something different.”

50 plays Spider, a nightclub owner who finds himself tangled up in the chase between two old detectives (De Niro and Pacino) and a serial killer who leaves poems about his crimes near his victims. And he has great scenes with both, Fif teased.

“I’ve worked with them,” he enthused. “It’s exciting. The whole thing is a great experience.”

But, more importantly perhaps, it’s been a learning experience as well. How could it not be with two acting legends hanging around on set?

“It was definitely cool just being around them, away from actually performing on camera,” 50 gushed. “De Niro, I’ve been to his house, met his wife. We’ve been to the firing range a couple times together.”

And Pacino? Turns out even the most self-aware of people can learn something about how to interact with their own image.

“For me, I just wanted to make sure that I was 100 percent comfortable with the actual scene — I’d look at myself,” 50 said of his acting process. “[But] he won’t look at himself after he does the scenes, Al Pacino won’t. He’s like, ‘I know how I look.’ ”

For news on how 50 looks, though, you’ll have to wait until the movie hits theaters next year, he said, a coy smile on his face.

“I feel good about my performance,” he said. “I want everybody to go see it and be excited.”

50 Cent–real name Curtis Jackson–has today (September 17) blamed Kanye West’s record label Def Jam for yesterday’s chart defeat, saying Def Jam had been “rigging” sales.

The two rivals were battling it out for number one in the charts–with West’s Graduation beating 50 Cent’s Curtis.

West’s single “Stronger” has also beaten 50 Cent’s “Ayo Technology” in the U.K.–charting at #3 and #5, respectively.

Sean Kingston’s “Beautiful Girls” remains at number one in the U.K. singles chart for a third week running.

Curtis Jackson had declared that he would quit making solo albums if he was beaten by his rival in the ongoing feud, prior to the records’ releases last week.

Jackson now insists that West’s label Def Jam must have doctored the sales figures, saying: “He’s never had a fraction of the sales 50 Cent has. They could have one scan and have it count four times. West’s entire career hasn’t sold half what I sold on my first album.”

Rapper 50 Cent and Lil’ Kim have been with a $2 million lawsuit by producer Carlos “Phantom of the Beats” Evans, who claims he was never paid royalties for producing the hit single “Magic Stick.”

The lawsuit was filed yesterday (September 11) in Manhattan State Supreme Court by Carols Evans, who claims he signed an agreement to produce and mix “Magic Stick,” featured on Lil Kim’s 2003 album La Bella Mafia.

Evans claims he was paid $7,500 for his production work on the single, which hit #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold over two million copies.

He hasn’t seen any royalties since the album’s release in 2003.

“It was one of the hottest tracks on that album, and I didn’t collect my royalties,” Evans told the Associated Press.

According to 50 Cent’s lawyer Theodore Sedlmayr, the issue is an accounting issue, because Evans used a sample in “Magic Stick.”

“Atlantic is trying to get it straightened out,” Sedlmayr said. “If after the accounting Mr. Evans is entitled to anything, he’ll get it then.”

50 Cent Joins Forces With Jim Jones, Covers Kanye At First Of Five NYC Shows

Crowd began night booing 50 — but rapper turned it around with barrage of hits.

By Jayson Rodriguez

NEW YORK — Everybody knows 50 Cent has made a career out of conflict — from his well-documented feuds with Ja Rule, Irv Gotti and Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff to his newer spats with Fat Joe and Cam’ron.

And although not as serious as the others, there’s his current (friendly?) competition with Kanye West (see “50 Cent And Kanye West: The Main Event Is Finally Here, In New Releases”).

But on Thursday night in Manhattan, depending on what side of the coin you looked at, Fif either poured gasoline on a fire or rebuilt a burned bridge.

The G-Unit leader, flanked by Tony Yayo and Lloyd Banks, invited Jim Jones and Juelz Santana to the stage during the kickoff to this 5 Borough Tour at Hammerstein Ballroom. The Diplomats duo got nothing but love from the crowd as they made their way to the stage.

Jim Jones and Tony Yayo on the same stage? Jones, after all, called Yayo a “little immigrant” in past interviews, and Yayo had mocked Jones during shows yelling out, “Booooorring!” as Jones’ track “We Fly High,” with its “Baaaalllin’!” ad-libs, played.

All must be forgiven. But somewhere Cam’ron, who’s been keeping an unusually low profile as of late, must be smarting. His enemy and his main man together? And for Cam, it only got worse.

Jones immediately launched into “We Fly High,” as 50 and Santana played hypemen (the rest of G-Unit exited momentarily), both taking turns putting up the basketball shot that accompanies the song’s memorable ad-lib.

Earlier in the week, Jones appeared on BET’s “Rap City” when 50 was serving as guest host. The two vaguely hinted that the Dipset Capo would be signing to G-Unit (although Jones already denied the rumor in this week’s Mixtape Monday).

But after Jones’ one track, there was no grand announcement, and he and Juelz exited stage right. Kind of anticlimactic.

The show, however, wasn’t done just yet. As LL Cool J watched from a balcony, Fif impressively tore into hit after hit. “I think these mother—-ers acting like I ain’t got no hits,” 50 said. “I want you to go home and tell people what I did when I got mad.”

“P.I.M.P.” — check.

“Just a Little Bit” — check.

“Window Shopper” — check.

“In Da Club” — check.

Even “Amusement Park” — from 50’s new album, Curtis (see “50 Cent Album Preview: Eminem, Dr. Dre Help Curtis ‘Keep It Funky’ “) — got a big reception.

Fif easily turned around the merciless crowd, which began the night booing him, and reminded the house just how many big records he’s amassed in just four years since his debut was released.

The night, however, wouldn’t be complete without his latest one, “I Get Money.” He performed it earlier in the night to calm the wolves, but now that he had them, and he knew it, he pulled it back out again.

“I’m gonna bring out Kanye West,” he told the crowd, who cheered, before 50 jokingly singing ‘Ye’s “Gold Digger.” Then the 50s (fake bills with 50’s face on them) started raining down on the audience.

And if folks still didn’t believe in his hits, the G-Unit captain made a major announcement before he left. He called the “I Get Money” remix the “Forbes 1, 2 and 3″ — after Jay-Z, 50 and Diddy’s rankings on Forbes magazine’s list of hip-hop’s cash kings, which 50 said will be released on Monday.

Now we see why he’s been laughing straight to the bank.

The rest of the Hot 97-sponsored event continues Friday (September 14) in Staten Island, Saturday in Brooklyn, and wraps up Sunday with shows in the Bronx and Queens.