50 gets his Taco Bell rung

Thursday, November 20th 2008, 4:00 AM In unusually nasty court filings, Taco Bell called Fitty a common street thug who's trying to look tough. Loccisano/FilmMagic In unusually nasty court filings, Taco Bell called Fitty a common street thug who's trying to look tough. Taco Bell is going gangsta on 50 Cent. Lawyers for the fast-food chain filed a scathing response to a $4 million federal lawsuit the rap star filed in July when Taco Bell used his name to sell tacos. In unusually nasty court filings, Taco Bell called Fitty a common street thug who's trying to look tough. The rapper is a "self-described former drug dealer and hustler" whose "gangsta rap" is associated with violent criminals, Taco Bell wrote to Manhattan Federal Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald. The 13-time Grammy nominee, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, was shot outside his grandmother's Queens home in 2000. "Jackson has used his colorful past to cultivate a public image of belligerence and arrogance and has a well-publicized track record of making threats, starting feuds and filing lawsuits," Taco Bell lawyer Robert Lehrburger wrote in September. "At the same time, Jackson holds himself out as a giver to charity and one who wants to give back to his community. This lawsuit is another of Jackson's attempts to burnish his gangsta rapper persona by distorting beyond all recognition a bona fide, good faith offer that Taco Bell made to Jackson." In June, Taco Bell President Greg Creed wrote an open letter to Jackson, urging him to change his name to 79 Cent, 89 Cent or 99 Cent for one day. If Jackson showed up at a drive-thru window and rapped his order, Creed promised to send $10,000 to Jackson's favorite charity. Jackson sued for trademark infringement, accusing Taco Bell of trying to generate publicity by using his name. Fans slammed him for "selling out," believing he was in on the stunt, the lawsuit adds. Lehrburger denies Jackson's claims and says Taco Bell is covered by free speech protections in the First Amendment. He said the offer for Jackson to change his name is still on the table. But that's unlikely. When the lawsuit was filed, Jackson promised that when his legal team was through with Taco Bell, they'd change their logo to "We messed with the bull and got the horns." "Jackson could have responded to Taco Bell's offer with a simple yes or no," Lehrburger wrote. "Had he accepted the offer, Jackson, Taco Bell and the public all would have gained." Last year, Jackson sued an Internet ad company for using him image as a target in a game called "Shoot the Rapper." Jackson's attorney Peter Raymond said the comments were unusual for a response to a lawsuit. "It makes me wonder why they would decide to use his name in their ad campaign if they think he's such a bad character," Raymond said.