50 Cent/Glaceau Ownership Figures to Remain Unresolved

Ok, all sorts of online sources are saying that Glaceau has denied that 50 Cent got $400 million and this is one version of the statement folks are reprinting saying it came from MSN, though I can't find that source at all:

While 50 Cent and many other world re-known celebrities have very lucrative and fruitful partnerships with our brand, any report stating personal figures of ownership in our company are erroneous at this time. Glaceau and Mr. Jackson have a deal in place that grants him partial ownership in his own brand. Both parties remain excited about the future of our relationship.

Assuming this is an accurate quote, they're not really saying anything.  This is the equivalent of saying, "he could have made more or less but we're not telling".

In fact, nobody's going to reveal that information in an official capacity, so the AllHipHop.com distributed rumor that 50 made $400 million will stand in the minds of the general public.  What will be interesting to see is how many MSM outlets pick this rumor up.  After seeing it on a newspaper blog and in a gossip column, the Guardian appears to be the first to run it in a news article as a straightforward statement of fact.

Thanks to Bruce Banner from Playahata for keeping me updated on developments.

Comments

[Slav]

Not sure if it qualifies as an MSM, but for what it's worth, Toure reported the rumor as fact on a BET news show yesterday.

[Jarrett]

Considering that Toure has been pegged by some pop culture journalists as a 50 groupie, I'm not surprised.

That, and the fact it came on BET.

[WallStreetNinja]

What it is saying is that he was owner of his own brand. Not the company, so in essence he's his own brand under the glaceau umbrella. A subsidiary if you will. I know that is difficult to grasp for some, but that's what it is.

[Clyde Smith]

"I know that is difficult to grasp for some, but that's what it is."

No need to be condescending when you're referring to one line in a source that no one can give me that appeared after most people had already moved on to other rumors.

He also doesn't say that's all 50 Cent has, only that he has that. Figures being wrong can be wrong larger or smaller.

I think it is significant that 50 could make that kind of deal. But apparently it was more important to float rumors to bolster 50's image at a time when his singles have tanked than to bother with marketing the real situation.

But I do apologize for not getting all excited because the supposedly real deal was revealed in one line in a source that [return to beginning].