NobleMag

Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson sued Taco Bell Corp. Wednesday for "diluting the value of his good name" with a guerilla ad campaign that he says was intended to fool the chalupa-craving masses into thinking he had endorsed the fast-food chain. Last month, Fiddy's camp called the gimmick a "sleazy and ill-conceived publicity stunt." "Without seeking or obtaining Jackson's authorization, defendant Taco Bell made him the star and focus of its nationwide advertising campaign by using his name, persona and trademark to promote Taco Bell's business and products," stated the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.

Fiddy's beef originated with the restaurant's "Why Pay More" campaign, a part of which involved Taco Bell suggesting in writing that the hip-hop star, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, change his name to 79, 89 or 99 Cent to help promote its penny-saving deals. "We know that you adopted the name 50 Cent years ago as a metaphor for change," the letter read. "We at Taco Bell are also huge advocates for change. We encourage you to 'Think Outside the Bun' and hope you accept our offer." Meanwhile, the lawsuit alleges that Taco Bell skirted 50 Cent's usual multimillion-dollar fee for promotional deals and, although h eventually received a copy of the name-change letter, the communiqué was first distributed to the media. "As Taco Bell intended, many customers believed that 50 Cent had agreed to endorse Taco Bell's products. Indeed, postings on numerous Internet 'blogs' castigated 50 Cent for 'selling out' by his apparent endorsement of Taco Bell," the complaint continued. 50 Cent's attorney said that his client is seeking about $4 million in damages. Yum! Brands Inc., which owns the Taco Bell brand, along with KFC, Pizza Hut and several other familiar drive-thru-type establishments, has not commented on the suit. A Taco Bell spokesman said he had not yet seen the documents. [source]

New Jersey, USA...Move over Pharrell. There's a new wunderkind producer in the studio. He may be just 15 years old, but Miguel "Migs" Baeza has already worked on tracks featuring such superstar artists as chart-topping, Grammy award-winning R&B singer Ashanti and hip-hop sensation Flo-Rida. That track, "Let's Do Something Crazy," will be the first single from The Vault. The debut album release from AJM Records, The Vaultfeatures 13 tracks of un-released Ashanti material. Migs was handpicked to produce "Let's Do Something Crazy." "It was incredible being the producer for the Ashanti song," says New York-based Migs. "It was challenging, but I wanted to be inventive and create a hot track." To say Migs knows his way around the studio would be an understatement. Music is in his heart--and his genes. His parents, Della Britton-Baeza and Mario Baeza, own and founded AJM Records, which has had collaborations with everyone from Irv Gotti of The Inc. to Island Def Jam Recordings to Universal Records. From the age of 13, Migs knew music was his calling. "I had gotten my first keyboard set and I was just hooked," says Migs, who also plays guitar and drums. For a while, Migs led a rock band made up of other teens before he decided to expand his musical reach by producing. It didn't take long for Miguel to become known for his unique beats. His production skills have already started to create a serious buzz on the musical landscape. Migs has the unique ability to hear an artist and produce a track that fits seamlessly with their style and their voice, while adding just the right twist to turn it into a hit. "I like to create songs that have both the artist and my sound combined," says Migs. "I want the music that I create to be a true collaboration between myself and the artist." What makes Migs' story even more amazing is that along with creating some of today's hottest tracks, he is an excellent student in school and a talented musician. "I think it's important to be well-rounded. Music is my passion but getting an education is top of the list," says Migs, who aims to follow either the footsteps of his father, grandfather and two sisters by attending Cornell University or maybe he will attend Princeton, his mother's alma mater. To get it all done, Migs sticks to a strict daily routine with three to four hours of scholastic studies but Migs admits when the musical muse hits him, it's uncontrollable. "Sometimes I just have to lay down a beat and put everything else aside," says the producer, who's looking to put is own stamp on the music world. "I like a lot of different kinds of music, from Rock to Rap to R&B and Pop to Latin Rhythms," says Migs, who is of Cuban descent. "I want to create music that bridges all these sounds and to eliminate labels. Good music is good music"
Migs also wants to create a new kind of image for young men in the music business. "I want to show you can be educated, articulate, clean cut, yet still create crazy beats and produce good songs," he explains.

Miguel "Migs" Baeza: A young man on a musical mission. Check out his latest creation, "Let's Do Something Crazy" by Ashanti featuring Flo-Rida.