Yahoo News 50 Cent Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Ex Daphne Joy Over Rape and Abuse Claims
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson is suing his ex-girlfriend and the mother of his son, Daphne Joy Narvaez, for defamation following her public accusation in March that he raped her while the two were in a relationship more than a decade ago.
The rapper/actor/producer filed the suit in Texas on May 6 after Narvaez posted a statement that he had raped her on Instagram on March 28. That was prompted by Jackson’s reported attempts to gain sole custody of their 11-year-old son, Sire, following the bombshell lawsuit filed by producer Ronnie “Lil Rod” Jones Jr. against Sean “Diddy” Combs, which among many explosive allegations of sex trafficking and grooming, named Narvaez as a sex worker alongside Combs’ ex-girlfriend, Yung Miami.
More from The Hollywood Reporter
Sean "Diddy" Combs, Jonathan Majors Appear on Ballot to Pick BET Award Nominees (Exclusive)
Life After Diddy: Revolt CEO on Forging New Path Amid Mogul's Departure
“I am tired of upholding and protecting an image to our son that you have never even earned. Let’s put the real focus on your true evil actions of raping me and physically abusing me,” Narvaez wrote in her Instragram post, after stating that Jackson saw Sire 10 times over the two years since they had moved to New York to be closer to Jackson and “give [him] the opportunity to be a father.”
Jackson has previously denied any accusation of rape or abuse toward his ex, and Narvaez denies the claim that she is a sex worker, writing in a March 28 post on Instagram, “I am deeply hurt by the lies in Rodney Jones’ lawsuit. The claim that I am a sex worker is 100% false and character assassination.”
In the suit filed this week, as reported by People, Jackson claims that Narvaez subjected him to “extensive public ridicule, hatred and contempt” with her accusation, which the rapper says was a “purposeful attempt” to damage his reputation.
It goes on to allege that Narvaez “retaliated” against Jackson after he had filed for custody of Sire. This involved, according to the suit, “multiple defamatory statements” to Instagram, which “falsely and publicly accuse Jackson of rape and physical abuse during their prior relationship, in a purposeful attempt to… destroy his personal and business reputation, harm Jackson’s commercial and business interests, negatively affect his custody case, and prevent him from seeing his minor son. Narvaez’s claims are false.”
A statement from Jackson’s attorney Reena Jain sent to THR on Wednesday doubles down on the suit’s claims while accusing Narvaez of being in cahoots with Combs, who has a longstanding rivalry with Jackson.
“Despite being given ample opportunity to retract a false and malicious retaliatory accusation, Ms. Narvaez has shamefully chosen to interfere with her 11-year-old son’s relationship with his loving father by falsely calling him a ‘rapist,'” Jain wrote in the statement on her client’s behalf. “The motivation behind this appears to be Ms. Narvaez’s unfortunate entanglement and misguided loyalty to Mr. Combs, who we believe to be underwriting this attack and whom Mr. Jackson has been warning Ms. Narvaez and others about for many years.”
In Jackson’s suit, he also claims he is attempting to “vindicate his rights and protect his reputation.”
This follows Narvaez declining to retract her statements after she was given “multiple opportunities” to do so.
An attorney for Narvaez did not immediately respond to calls from THR on Wednesday.
Best of The Hollywood Reporter
Meet the World Builders: Hollywood's Top Physical Production Executives of 2023
Men in Blazers, Hollywood’s Favorite Soccer Podcast, Aims for a Global Empire
