Rapper 50 Cent is meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Wednesday as part of a campaign to increase Black representation in the liquor industry.
He will be joined by civil rights attorney Ben Crump, known for his representation of Black Americans in high-profile violent encounters with law enforcement, to support boosting Black ownership in the industry. It wasn’t immediately clear if the push would be tied to any specific legislation; Crump and 50 Cent met with members of the Congressional Black Caucus while on the Hill.
Studies have found that Black Americans participate as consumers at far higher rates in the liquor industry than they do as business owners or employees. A 2022 study found that Black people make up just two per cent of executives in the liquor industry, compared to 12 per cent of the industry’s consumer base.
“I am pleased to join the legal team representing Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson, as he is one of the most successful Black entrepreneurs in America, and even he is not immune to the bias treatment that faces minority business owners everyday,” Crump said in a press release.
“We are committed to helping Mr. Jackson demonstrate the true “power” of not just his television acumen, but also the power of the consumers to make corporate America allow a seat at the table for hard-working Black entrepreneurs.”
Jackson, who owns the brand Sire Spirits, has been embroiled in a legal fight with Beam Suntory, owner of Jim Beam whiskey, and has alleged that the company is involved in an embezzlement scheme. Beam Suntory denies the allegations.
