New York Daily News: Lawyers for Taco Bell have filed a scathing response to rapper 50 Cent's $4 million federal lawsuit filed in July when Taco Bell used his name to sell tacos.
In unusually nasty court filings, Taco Bell called the rapper, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, a common street thug who's trying to look tough.
In June, Taco Bell president Greg Creed wrote an open letter to Jackson urging him to change his name to 79 Cent, 89 Cent or 99 Cent for one day, and if he rapped an order at a drive-thru window, Creed promised to send $10,000 to Jackson's favorite charity.
Jackson sued for trademark infringement, but Taco Bell says it is covered by free speech protections in the First Amendment.
Jackson's lawyers questioned why Taco Bell, if the company held such a low opinion of the rapper, was interested in using him in their marketing efforts.
Read also, 50 Cent sues Taco Bell over name use.
