A New York appeals court has rejected rapper 50 Cent's request to automatically win a lawsuit against his ex-partner over her Instagram posts detailing details of their lives.
The rapper sued Shanikwa Tompkins last year, claiming that her posts violated a 2007 agreement, under which she allegedly permanently assigned him the rights to the story of her life.
Her lawyers countered in January by claiming that she was forced to sign the agreement under threats and intimidation.
50 Cent's lawyers had asked the court to rule in his favor because Tompkins had been months late in responding to the lawsuit. However, the court denied the request on Thursday.
Tompkins, the mother of 50 Cent's son Marquis Jackson, went viral thanks to a series of Instagram posts in which she commented on the criminal trial of Sean Diddy Combs, Billboard reports.
Speaking about the agreement that transferred the rights to her life story, Tompkins stated in an affidavit:
"I was given no opportunity to seek independent legal advice or negotiate any terms. Fearing for my life and the lives of my children, I signed the agreement under extreme duress."
With the judges now officially dismissing 50 Cent's appeal, the case will be sent back to a lower court for further proceedings, where Tompkins will have the opportunity to fully present his defense.
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