Pras Michele is not backing down when it comes to being labeled an FBI informant. The Fugees member is sending off legal letters with plans to sue 50 Cent, Kyrie Irving, and Rolling Stone.
On May 10, Pras’ attorney fired off a round of legal notifications to 50, Irving, and Rolling Stone for mislabeling him as an FBI informant, The Los Angeles Times reports. The defamation
lawsuit is in response to a Rolling Stone article that referred to Pras as an “FBI informant,” and social media posts where 50 called him a “rat” and Irving echoed the “informant” claims.Last month, the “Ghetto Superstar” rapper was convicted in federal court on 10 counts related to charges of conspiracy, witness tampering, and failing to register
as an agent of China, NPR reported. Following the conviction, Rolling Stone posted an article on April 18 referring to Pras as “an informal FBI informant.” The article was later changed to say he “voluntarily met with FBI agents,” according to Hip Hop DX.Pras’ representative, Jonathan Noah Schwartz, sent letters telling Rolling Stone that the article caused Pras to lose business deals that hurt his music revenue.
“It is and was absolutely and demonstrably false for You to publish that Michel was a ‘government informant,’” Schwartz wrote to Rolling Stone.
“Labeling a Hip Hop artist such as Michel, the reputation of whom is dependent upon ‘street credibility’ and not being a ‘snitch,’ a ‘government informant’ most certainly tends to subject said Hip Hop (sic) artist to hatred, distrust, ridicule, contempt, and/or disgrace, along with injury in their trade or profession.”
On April 24, 50 Cent shared a screenshot of a headline naming Pras as an FBI informant in a since-deleted Instagram post, saying, “I knew this fool was a Rat! I’m glad I never fvck with this guy.”
The following day, Irving referred to Pras in a tweet, saying, “A whole FBI informant was in the Fugees for that long??”
And that’s why a rapper, NBA star, and media outlet may have to pay up.
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