50 Cent Testifies About Finances in Sex-Tape Lawsuit

50 Cent testifies his lifestyle is an illusion: 'I take the jewelry and cars back to the stores'

After filing for bankruptcy last week, 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, appeared in a Manhattan Supreme Court on Tuesday morning to testify that he is not as wealthy as his flashy lifestyle makes him appear to be.

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While Forbes estimated the rapper's fortune to be about $155 million in May, Jackson's lawyer said in court Tuesday that his client's worth is $4.4 million, which presents a problem after he was hit last week with a $5 million verdict for publishing a sex tape starring rival Rick Ross' ex-girlfriend.

Jackson explained in court that while his social-media accounts may be filled with flashy photos, "I take the jewelry and the cars back to the stores," according to the New York Daily News.

When the judge asked the rapper about his 38 million record sales, Jackson said, "I make 10 cents a record."

Jackson also said he made $100,000 for the two movies he's currently in, "Spy" and "Southpaw." For his current role on Starz's hit series "Power," which he also executive-produces, Jackson said he's pocketed only $150,000 from each of its first two seasons.

Starz50 Cent on season 1 of Starz's "Power."

Despite the filing, Jackson did admit that he recently threw cash around at a Florida strip club and bought a Rolls Royce on July 4, but added "I took two others back" to buy it, according to NYDN.

During his testimony, Jackson said he was worried that his "brand" had been tarnished since the bankruptcy filing last week, saying, "Now that I filed for bankruptcy, I’m not as cool as I was last week."

Jackson did manage to say a minor apology to Lastonia Leviston, who was awarded $5 million after he allegedly published a sex tape in which she is featured without her consent: "I'm sorry if you feel like I hurt you."

50 Cent arrives in court on Tuesday.

Since the bankruptcy filing last week, 50 Cent has been vocal about trying to get out of paying Leviston.

"I need protection," 50 Cent explained while appearing on TBS' "Conan." "You get a bull's-eye painted on your back when you’re successful, and it’s public. You become the ideal person for lawsuits.

50 Cent is testifying in a New York City courtroom about his finances, his business deals and the media attention surrounding his recent bankruptcy filing.

The artist behind the album Get Rich or Die Tryin' appeared Tuesday (July 21) in Manhattan state Supreme Court in a proceeding to decide possible additional punitive damages in an invasion-of-privacy lawsuit. A jury already ordered the multiplatinum-selling rapper to pay $5 million in damages.

Lastonia Leviston's lawsuit says 50 Cent didn't have her permission but released a sex tape that she made with a boyfriend. She says the rapper added crude comments to taunt rival Rick Ross, who fathered one of her daughters.

The rapper, born Curtis Jackson III, filed for bankruptcy protection in Connecticut after the judgment.

Forbes has listed him as one of hip-hop's five wealthiest artists.

Russell Simmons' Art For Life Gala Gathers the Fine Art World's Finest

For a select group, the Art For Life gala, held in Water Mill, announces the real start of the summer. 

Russell Simmons' annual charity benefit -- this year celebrating the 20th anniversary of Rush Philanthropic Art Foundation -- is a rousing occasion for those in the music and entertainment industries to simultaneously air kiss and wallet open, all under Simmons' instruction.

This year, on Saturday night, 900 supporters dressed in 1920's garb gathered together with Simmons and his brother Danny, along with the event's honorary chairs, Dave Chapelle, fine art auctioneer Simon de Pury, Ava DuVernay, featured artist Wangechi Mutu, and presenter Bombay Sapphire Gin, to raise money to benefit the Foundation's signature arts education and gallery programs, which help over 3,000 inner-city youth every year.

Kimora Lee Simmons (not in attendance) donated $150,000 for RUSH teens, and the evening, which served as the official kick off to the 6th Annual Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series program, will continue to raise additional funds through an online auction which includes items like taking over Russell Simmons twitter account for a day ($15,000) or a Fender Squier Bullet Guitar signed by the members of Maroon 5 ($2,500). 

The impressive line-up of honorary chairs was a badge of pride to Simmons. "It is not that easy to get people of his caliber in the fine art world to show up," he explained of de Pury, and waxed extensively to the crowd of his live of movie producer DuVernay's work, particularly Selma. "I went to them and said, 'You're going to get a black woman to make this script? They're going to hang her," he declared, saying she 'transformed the script into such a beautiful film."

As passionately as Simmons speaks of others, they speak of him, which may explain his ability for such a powerful turn-out and extraordinary donations. 

DuVernay, example, said on their initial meeting Simmons convinced her to do yoga. Kevin Liles, the former president of Def Jam Records who worked directly with Simmons, also reminisced about how the Def Jam co-founder and business magnate has inspired him. "When I was an intern at Def Jam I saw Russell, for lack of a better term, as a God-like figure who came from the street corner to the corner suite. And he was somebody that I admired and loved and felt I could help build an empire." Now, Liles serves on the board of Rush Philanthropic. "If I can make money with him, I want to be able to give money with him," he said. "We live to give." 

Support came further than the private residence in Water Mill where the fete was held, however. President Obama sent a personal letter supporting the foundation, which was read by producer and journalist Soledad O'Brien. 

"For two decades the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation has empowered young Americans with opportunities to explore their creativity and express themselves through art. Our nation's daughters are future doers and change makers and your efforts are helping them unlock their greatest potential so they can reach for bold ideas and bright futures," O'Brien read on behalf of President Obama. 

Despite the impactful letter all the way from the White House, and live musical performances from Elle Varner, Bell Biv DeBoe and DJ Mos, Dave Chapelle's warm and off-the-cuff speech may have stolen the evening.

"I went to an arts high school when shit was awful: there was a crack epidemic and AIDS, and all kinds of shit was happening, and the National Guard was policing [Washington] DC and I found out about this arts program, and it turned changed my life in ways I couldn't even imagine," he explained. "And now look at me today! Here I am with the 'Winner's Circle" in the Hamptons. And I have a 'Great Gatsby hat on. And I feel like I'm hungry but I'm satisfied. I'm one of those weird guys who is as well-known for what he didn't do as for what he did. I can say honestly that I'm happy. I can stay home on Tuesday nights and watch (Keegan Michael) Key and (Jordan) Peele do my show. And it doesn't hurt me at all. It doesn't hurt me at all! I'm just joking, ya'll!" 

Wale Will Perform at The White House As Part of Michelle Obama’s “Reach Higher” Initiative

Wale to join the First Lady in push for better education

Michelle Obama has relentlessly made the country aware of her commitment making quality education ubiquitous, and on Thursday, D.C. native Wale will join her in those valiant efforts.

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According to an official White House press release, FLOTUS will join Wale and several scholars on a panel at a White House summit, where they will address over 100 students that “have overcome substantial obstacles to persist through high school and make it to college.”

Wale had this to say about the huge opportunity:

I’m beyond honored & grateful to be involved in the First Lady’s “Reach Higher” initiative & to have the opportunity to sit down with her, as well as perform for the kids of D.C. I believe that the youth are the first step in creating a better country, so to be involved in a program that aims to enrich their lives is truly the greatest reward,” says Wale. “Having grown up in Washington, D.C., being invited to the White House by the First Lady is a dream come true.

Thank you to Mrs. Obama & her entire staff for this opportunity.

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On Thursday afternoon, following the panel discussion, Wale will perform, which will undoubtedly be a huge moment for him. 

DMX Sentenced To Six Months In Prison For Unpaid Child Support

In Prison For Unpaid Child Support

Rapper DMX was arrested on multiple outstanding warrants including unpaid child support and jumping bail

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On June 26th, rapper DMX was arrested on multiple outstanding warrants. He has been sentenced to six months for failing to pay $400,000 in child support. The rapper has been placed in the Erie County holding center in Buffalo, New York since Tuesday, July 14th, according to the Erie County sheriff’s office.

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DMX is no stranger to the criminal justice system; a separate arrest warrant from White Plains, New York cited DMX with bail jumping, a warrant from Yonkers accused the rapper of aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and with an additional complaint has named DMX as a suspect in an April 5th robbery of a 21-year-old man at a New Jersey gas station.

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Rachel Dolezal is Still Claiming That She’s Black

Hold on wait a minute. Y’all thought she was finished?

Last month, Rachel Dolezal was outed–by her parents, no less–as a Caucasian woman, after approximately a decade of pretending to be Black. She almost immediately resigned from her position as the President of the Spokane Chapter of the NAACP.

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Since the days immediately following the initial reports, Ms. Dolezal has kept pretty quiet, her name only popping up in follow-up news reports or Sunday afternoon CNN debates pointing out the fact that she could’ve accomplished just as much as a NAACP prez had she remained true to her actual ethnicity.

That silence has ended, thanks to a new interview with Vanity Fair. (In case you’re wondering, the woman that interviewed Dolezal was Black). There are some pretty interesting soundbites, most notably, the not-so-surprising fact that Dolezal is continuing to identify not as an African-American woman, but a Black one.

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I just feel like I didn’t mislead anybody; I didn’t deceive anybody. If people feel misled or deceived, then sorry that they feel that way, but I believe that’s more due to their definition and construct of race in their own minds than it is to my integrity or honesty, because I wouldn’t say I’m African American, but I would say I’m black, and there’s a difference in those terms.

Okay…

A little deeper into the interview however, there’s an even more interesting bit, concerning where Dolezal is finding her main source of income since, according to her, the last check she received was in June for less than $2000.

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As she figures out where she’ll land next, Dolezal says she is surviving on one of the skills she perfected as she attempted to build a black identity. At Eastern Washington University, she lectured on the politics and history of black hair, and she says she developed a passion for taking care of and styling black hair while in college in Mississippi. That passion is now what brings in income in the home she shares with Franklin. She says she has appointments for braids and weaves about three times a week.

Miley Cyrus to Host MTV VMAs

The pop star revealed the news Monday.

Miley Cyrus is set to host this year's MTV Video Music Awards, it was announced Monday.

The pop star revealed the news on social media, posting a photo of herself in a campy alien costume and wearing a sandwich sign saying, "MTV won't let me perform" and "So I'm hosting this year's VMAs."

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Cyrus' rep and MTV both confirmed the news.

Expect at least one joke about Cyrus' 2013 Video Music Awards performance that caused controversy for her risque dancing with Robin Thicke and brought about a national obsession with twerking.

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At last year's award show, she made headlines in a different way, sending a homeless 22-years-old onstage to accept her video of the year award for her song "Wrecking Ball" as part of a campaign to raise awareness of and money for homeless youth.

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The Video Music Awards will air Aug. 30 at 9 p.m. on MTV.

Spotify Is Making You a Weekly Mixtape

Spotify is upping its mixtape game by introducing a new automated playlist that will be tailored to each listeners’ taste and released every Monday morning. 

Discover Weekly, which begins rolling out today to all platforms, is essentially a two-hour mixtape inspired by your favorite music along with the tastes of people listening to similar songs.

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The playlist will be located atop your regular playlist folder and refreshed every week. The more songs you listen to during the week, the better the Monday-morning mixtape will be, Spotify explains.

Spotify Gets Dumped for Apple Music in This Video -- And It All Comes Down to Taylor Swift: Watch

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"High Fidelity’s Rob Gordon had it right — the making of a mixtape is a very subtle art. That’s why we created Discover Weekly," says Gustav Söderström, Spotify’s vp of product. "There’s never been a simpler, more personalized way to discover music, with every playlist tuned just to you every single week."

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Discover Weekly is Spotify’s latest feature to foster music discovery on the leading streaming service. It follows the launch of Apple Music and its human-powered Beats1 radio station and collection of programmed playlists. Apple also has a “For You” section that, like Spotify’s Discover Weekly, promises to deliver better recommendations the more the user listens.