50 Cent appeared in court virtually Tuesday as part of his legal battle against Tia Kemp, the former partner of rapper Rick Ross.
The hearing concerned a temporary injunction the rapper sought over comments Kemp allegedly made about his 14-year-old son, Sire, on social media. The rapper appeared by Zoom and briefly addressed the judge. Kemp did not attend the hearing, and little progress was made because she reportedly has not yet been formally served with the injunction.
Until Kemp receives the legal documents, the court cannot move forward with considering whether to issue a permanent injunction. According to 50 Cent’s legal team, Kemp may be intentionally avoiding service.
50 Cent previously filed the case on behalf of Sire, accusing Kemp of repeatedly targeting the teenager online. The rapper alleges that Kemp called his son “slow” and claimed that he is on the autism spectrum.
He also accused Kemp of posting a photo of Sire alongside sexually explicit material involving a woman whom his filing identified as allegedly being the boy’s mother, Daphne Joy.
50 Cent has argued that the alleged posts caused Sire humiliation, embarrassment, and emotional distress. He asked the court to restrict Kemp from contacting the teenager directly or indirectly, including through social media or other people.
A judge previously granted a temporary injunction requiring Kemp to stay at least 500 feet away from Sire. The order also prohibited her from contacting him and required her to surrender any firearms or ammunition in her possession.
However, the order cannot be extended permanently until Kemp is properly served and given an opportunity to respond.
During Tuesday’s hearing, 50 Cent reportedly told the judge that he did not really want to continue pursuing the matter. However, he said he felt he had little choice because of the alleged online comments involving his son.
The dispute has unfolded publicly amid a long-running feud involving 50 Cent, Rick Ross, and people connected to both rappers. The latest case, however, focuses specifically on alleged statements about Sire, who is a minor.
Because Kemp did not appear and has reportedly not been served, the court was unable to resolve the underlying request. The next hearing is scheduled for December 7, when the judge may address whether Kemp has been served and determine how the case will proceed.
The allegations remain disputed, and no final ruling has been issued on whether Kemp violated the law or whether a permanent injunction should be entered.