Curtis 鈥50 Cent鈥 Jackson meets with House Speaker Mike Johnson to advance opportunities for minority business owners. (Courtesy photo via X)
Curtis 鈥50 Cent鈥 Jackson meets with House Speaker Mike Johnson to advance opportunities for minority business owners. (Courtesy photo via X)

Curtis Jackson, the rapper widely known as 鈥50 Cent鈥 visited the White House and Capitol Hill on Wednesday to open doors for minority small business owners in the spirits industry. 

鈥淗e wants all of the businesses whether Black, white or brown to have an opportunity in that industry,鈥 civil rights attorney Ben Crump shared as he accompanied Jackson on the Hill.

Not only a rapper, Jackson is a critically acclaimed screenwriter and actor who has made waves in the film industry through shows like 鈥淧ower鈥 and 鈥淏MF鈥 and has become an entrepreneur in music, media, spirits and fashion.

Last month, Jackson opened his own in-house production facility, 鈥淕-Unit鈥 at a location in Shreveport, Louisiana.聽

鈥淔rom the gritty narratives of the streets to the compelling stories that define our era, G-Unit has always been more than just entertainment; it鈥檚 a platform for voices that need to be heard, stories that need to be told,鈥 Jackson said in an interview with Billboard. 鈥淏ringing G-Unit Studios to Shreveport is not just a business decision; it鈥檚 a commitment to fostering talent, creating opportunities, and building a community that thrives through creativity and innovation. We see Shreveport as a beacon of inspiration and creativity.鈥

He shared that same perspective on June 5 with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle including House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R), Rep. Troy A. Carter (D) and Rep. Nikema Williams (D) while discussing his ventures in the liquor industry through trade company  

Jackson said he has faced discrimination in the luxury liquor industry and claims he was overcharged $6 million by supplier Suntory Global, formerly known as Beam Suntory.

“Changing the company name from Beam Suntory to [Suntory Global Spirits] without correcting what was done to my brands [Branson Cognac] and [Le Chemin Du Roi] doesn鈥檛 fix the problem and lacks honor,” Jackson posted on Instagram. “I attempted to resolve the matter, not once, but twice. Now the legal process will play out publicly for everyone to see what really happened and how [Suntory Global Spirits] would rather spend millions to protect and conceal criminal conduct instead of doing the right thing.”

Jackson鈥檚 attorney Craig Weiner claimed Suntory鈥檚 Chief Commercial Officer, Julious Grant, committed fraud causing Jackson to overpay on taxes, insurance, customs and commissions.

鈥淲e are committed to helping Mr. Jackson demonstrate the true power of not just his television acumen, but also the power of the consumers to make corporate America allow a seat at the table for hard-working Black entrepreneurs,鈥 Crump who is also representing Jackson released in a statement.

The celebrated civil rights attorney said the artist and businessman is working to open doors for entrepreneurs of color.

鈥淸Jackson] was here today trying to blaze trails, knock down barriers and say just like you want generational wealth for you children, we want generational wealth for our children,鈥 Crump later continued.

Black Americans represent 12% of alcohol consumers across categories, but they make up just 7.8% of the sector鈥檚 labor force, 2% of executives in the industry, and 0% of acquisitions, according to , an organization dedicated to increasing diversity within the spirits sector. 

Jackson and his team visited the Hill with hopes to help drastically improve statistics for minorities in the spirits business. He left feeling like that goal was successfully accomplished.

鈥淭his is exciting for me, I got to meet with both sides today,鈥 said Jackson. 鈥淭he response I got makes me feel like there are bright things ahead of us.鈥

Ashleigh Fields is an award-winning journalist specializing in coverage of lawmakers in the White House and Capitol Hill. Her reporting has earned recognition from the Society of Professional Journalists,...

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