50 Cent prides himself on being a shrewd and successful businessman.
But his previously announced plans for the city of Shreveport, Louisiana, officially have gone up in smoke.
After the rapper, born Curtis Jackson, confirmed that he decided to pull out of a proposed deal set to bring millions of dollars into the area, the mayor of the city has now responded to the news.
Speaking to a local news affiliate, Mayor Tom Arceneaux shared his opinion on 50 Cent’s social media post announcing his withdrawal from the deal.
In an interview with KLFY, Arceneaux downplayed 50 Cent’s words and suggested that things could be worked out behind the scenes in order for the rapper’s vision and projects to move forward.
“Madame Chair, I’m not a mind reader, and the post that he made was ambiguous. I do not know what he meant or what was meant by it,” Mayor Arceneaux said at a recent city council meeting.
“We pushed to further answer questions about the future of 50 Cent’s business deals in Shreveport; the mayor said his administration is still committed to working with him “on a good-faith basis” to try to reach an agreement and address his concerns. “
“We have reached out to the team. I don’t think there is any reasonable prospect of him pulling out or doing anything like that with respect to the commitments he has made and we have made,” Arceneaux said during the meeting, per the outlet.
“We are going to honor those,” he continued. “There’s some other stuff we were discussing, and hopefully that will still pan out. If it doesn’t, sometimes deals don’t work.”
On Monday, July 13, 50 Cent shocked Shreveport residents when he took to Instagram to reveal that he was parting ways with the city, despite breaking ground on the G-Unit Dome just a few months ago.
“There are people in Shreveport that just don’t want things to get better,” his caption read. “I only make deals that make sense. I’m gonna have to pull back on The Red River ! peace”
Additionally, at the city council meeting, Mayor Arceneaux also acknowledged 50 Cent’s already deep financial and business ties to the city.
“Well, he has permits on the Dome, he has undertaken leases at Stageworks, he has undertaken a lease at Millennium, and he also has obtained $50 million from the state of Louisiana in connection with those three projects,” he said.
“Those are the projects and the filming he has committed to do, the events he has committed to do. And, I certainly expect he is a gentleman of good faith, and I’m sure he will carry out those commitments in good faith,” Arceneaux added.
Fans quickly sounded off about the news of 50 Cent’s abrupt change of heart — and they definitely didn’t hold back.
“Hmm.. He said 50 received state funds.. okay.. Sound like a Trump bait and switch move,” one user on X, formerly known as Twitter, wrote.
“MAGA 50 pennies,” a second person began their comment. “His initial plan stated he was building large apartment complex with added stores and an entertainment venue adding over 300 jobs. Now that’s scrapped he wants to build a big 50 arena to help himself.”
A third user noted that 50 Cent’s decision hurts the city of Shreveport overall.
“This is why the city and the state of Louisiana is in the condition it’s in now… hate to see this,” they wrote.
