50 Cent Files Defamation Suit Against Ex Following House Blaze

You'd think that after a mysterious fire burned the $4.2 million house occupied by an ex-girlfriend he was feuding with and his son, 50 Cent would try to keep his name out of papers, or at least take measures to ease suspicions. But Fiddy has always been unconventional, as evidenced by a defamation suit the rapper filed against his baby mama. The lawsuit comes after Shaniqua Tompkins, 50's ex, made comments saying "He tried to kill me and his own child" following the blaze. 50's lawyer claims Tompkins is "spreading falsehoods" along with not allowing the rapper to see or communicate with his son Marquise, thus violating a custody agreement. Lawyers for both sides are due in court tomorrow, but 50 won't be in attendance, as the rapper is in New Orleans filming Microwave Park with Val Kilmer and Sharon Stone.

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Song Stories

“Help Me”

Joni Mitchell | 1974

Joni Mitchell wrote and recorded this song for her album Court and Spark, but she had to switch from her regular band to make the song sound exactly the way she wanted. "I had attempted to play my music with rock & roll players," she told Rolling Stone. "They’d laugh, 'Awww, isn't that cute? She's trying to teach us how to play.'" Mitchell switched to a jazz band, Tom Scott’s L.A. Express, and scored the biggest hit of her career in the process.

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