*An ex-drug lord from New York City is suing 50 Cent, claiming the rapper stole his life story and turned it into the hit “Power” series on Starz.
Cory “Ghost” Holland Sr. filed the ten-figure lawsuit against 50 Cent, showrunner Courtney Kemp, and Starz, claiming “Power” is based on his life as a New York drug kingpin.
According to FanSided, Holland is representing himself in the court battle against 50 Cent, Kemp, Starz, and Lionsgate. He is seeking a motion for a preliminary injunction that could halt the promotion of the forthcoming spinoff, “Power: Origins.”
“Holland fears that the spinoff’s relentless marketing campaign could taint potential jurors, compromising his right to a fair trial,” FanSided writes, noting that “50 Cent’s legal team vehemently opposes the motion, citing its potential impact on the “Power” universe and the network’s bottom line.”
Holland claims he created a cautionary tale about his life as a drug lord in 2007, burned it onto CDs, and distributed them to at-risk children. He also asserts that he met with Courtney Kemp’s father in the early 1990s to discuss his life story as he sought to leave the drug trade. He claims 50 Cent ultimately received a copy of the CD and turned his life story into a scripted drama series.
READ MORE: 50 Cent Blasts Bootleg DVDs of ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’
“This is not one of those lawsuits from a deranged fan or some somebody trying capitalize-off someone else’s success,” Holland said, AllHipHop reported. “This is about the actual theft of my life, and the damages that it has done as well the profits that the defendants have made from the of stealing and telling my life story without my consent.”
50 Cent and his legal team want Holland’s complaint dismissed.
“[Holland] fails to state any claim upon which relief can be granted. More specifically, [Holland] fails to identify any defamatory statements made about him in connection with the fictional television series ‘Power,’” 50 Cent’s lawyer, Joanna M. Hill, previously explained.
“He fails to allege that his name, portrait or picture was used in connection with Power, or that any such use was a prohibited advertising use,” Hill added, noting that Holland filed his lawsuit too late.
“It is evident that the characters in ‘Power’ are entirely fictionalized and therefore, no reasonable person could rationally believe any character in the series is based on [Holland] or his life,” Hill concluded.
READ MORE: 50 Cent Hits Back at Ex Drug Lord’s Billion-Dollar ‘Power’ Lawsuit
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