50 Cent crew in scuffle

2004-12-07 07:35

Lagos - Bad boy US rapper 50 Cent cut short a Nigerian tour after his entourage got into a scuffle with a local hip-hop star over first-class seating on a chartered jet, a witness said on Monday.

Trouble broke out on Saturday when a Nigerian rapper took a seat reserved for 50 Cent on a jet which was due to fly his group G-Unit and local support acts from Lagos to Port Harcourt ahead of their next gig, he said.

"Idris Abdulkareem had his own seat, but deliberately went to the seats reserved for 50 cent and his crew, G-Unit," said a witness who was working with one of the tour organisers and who asked not to be identified.

"50 Cent's security asked him to move but he did not. Idris continued to abuse them, then 50 Cent's security hurt him," he said.

Shortly after the incident the US group cancelled the tour and made arrangements to return to the United States, he added. The rapper was still in his car on the airport tarmac during the brawl and was not directly involved.

Tour promoters Nigeria Breweries confirmed that the last two dates of the tour had been cancelled, and asked fans to contact them for refunds.

"You know the concert nearly ended up in a mess. For now, we are not prepared to talk about this messy affair. Be patient, we will talk at the appropriate time," said a spokesperson for Nigeria Breweries.

50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, became famous as a protege of hip-hop superstars Eminem and Dr Dre. Last year, he won worldwide chart success for his aggressive breakthrough album Get Rich or Die Trying.

Previously, the 28-year-old had been famous for an incident in New York in 2000 in which he was shot nine times and seriously injured and for having spent several stints in prison for minor drug-related offences.

50 Cent had played successful concerts in Lagos and Abuja but, according to sources close to the tour, his entourage had had previous backstage spats with Abdulkareem, a popular Nigerian performer.

- AFP