Shaniqua Tompkins, the former partner of hip-hop mogul 50 Cent, is vigorously fighting a lawsuit from G-Unit Books, alleging she was coerced into signing a "Life Rights Agreement" under threats and extreme financial pressure. This legal battle centers on Tompkins’ public statements regarding her past relationship with Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, which G-Unit Books claims violate the 2007 agreement.
G-Unit Books, Jackson’s publishing company, filed suit in July 2025 targeting Tompkins’ 2023 and 2025 videos. In these videos, Tompkins recounted alleged details of their relationship, which began before 50 Cent’s rise to fame in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
A June 2025 YouTube video drew significant attention, where Tompkins accused Jackson of physical and verbal abuse during her pregnancy with their son, Marquise, and throughout their relationship. She also alluded to Jackson’s possible involvement in a 2008 fire that destroyed her Long Island home, a property she claims he was trying to evict her from.
Tompkins Cites "Extreme Duress"
Tompkins contends in a sworn affidavit obtained by AllHipHop that the 2007 Life Rights Agreement, which granted G-Unit Books exclusive control over her life story, name, and likeness, was never entered into freely. She stated she was "entirely financially dependent on [50 Cent]," alleging he forced her out of a real estate investment business to ensure her dependence and pressure her into signing the deal.
According to Tompkins, the late music executive Chris Lighty, Jackson’s manager until his death in 2012, acted as "an intermediary and enforcer on behalf of [50 Cent]." She claims Lighty appeared at her Las Vegas hotel room with a man she believed to be a bodyguard and told her the agreement was "non-negotiable."
"During this encounter, Mr. Lighty told me that I would suffer severe consequences if I did not sign the agreement," Tompkins’ filing claims. She added, "Fearing for my life and for my children’s lives, I signed the agreement under extreme duress." Lighty allegedly warned that Jackson would use his "power, wealth, and public platform" against her, leaving her with "no meaningful choice" and intimidating her "to extract rights that I would never have surrendered freely."
Financial Discrepancies and G-Unit's Stance
The agreement allegedly promised Tompkins $80,000, though she claims she received only $35,000. She asserts that G-Unit Books "did not honor the agreement it now claims to enforce."
In December 2025, G-Unit Books’ attorneys sought a default judgment in New York federal court after Tompkins initially failed to respond by the September 10 deadline, requesting a permanent injunction and a damages inquiry. The publisher is seeking $1 million in damages, plus interest and legal fees.
Jackson’s attorney, Reena Jain, stated, "Jackson purchased these rights to preserve them for use in future biographical or autobiographical projects, but also in part because he was concerned that Tompkins would attempt to monetize their history and his name. His concerns were ultimately proven correct."
The Ethical Minefield of Life Rights in Entertainment
This ongoing legal battle between Shaniqua Tompkins and G-Unit Books highlights the complex and often ethically challenging landscape of "life rights" agreements within the entertainment industry. When significant power imbalances exist between parties, as Tompkins alleges with her financial dependence on 50 Cent, the voluntariness of such agreements can be severely questioned.
For an artist of 50 Cent’s stature, whose brand is intricately tied to his personal narrative and tough persona, these allegations introduce a layer of personal scrutiny that could reverberate through his various ventures, from music to television production. The involvement of the late Chris Lighty adds a tragic and unresolvable dimension, as a key intermediary's perspective can no longer be obtained. This case could influence how future life rights deals are approached, emphasizing the critical need for independent counsel and clear, uncoerced consent, potentially setting precedents for protecting individuals whose stories are sought for commercial exploitation.
