50 Cent Keeps Name, Settles Taco Bell Lawsuit

Yesterday, in an effort to avoid becoming a synonym for cheap Mexican food, rapper 50 Cent settled the lawsuit he filed against the Taco Bell fast food chain, claiming the restaurant used his name to sell tacos and burritos without his permission.

The rapper, whose real name is Curtis James Jackson III, initially asked for $4 million in damages in response to the marketing campaign undertaken by Yum! Brands' Taco Bell, the New York Post reports.

In a recent national advertising campaign, Taco Bell asked 50 Cent in a letter to change his name to 79 Cent, 89 Cent or 99 Cent to promote foods on their menu which were sold for prices indicated by the suggested monikers.

The chain also sent the letter, addressed to the rapper, to various national news outlets.

According to the lawsuit, Taco Bell enjoyed the benefits of the rappers "mega-star publicity" without having to pay him a fee.

Peter Raymond, 50 Cent's lawyer told the news source, "As is often the case in these situations, the parties have agreed not to discuss anything about the settlement except to say that both sides are satisfied."

The rapper 50 Cent rose to fame earlier this decade with his hit albums Get Rich or Die Tryin' and The Massacre.