The NYPD is investigating 50 Cent after he chimed in via Instagram Thursday on the recent controversy surrounding Deputy Inspector Emmanuel Gonzalez and his alleged criminal shakedown of Brooklyn’s Love & Lust club owner Imram Jairam. The post seems to have been taken down as a result of the police getting involved. According to Page Six, however, it ended with 50’s popular “get the strap” statement which has authorities concerned—and Gonzalez filing a criminal complaint against the rapper.
Gonzalez “is annoyed, alarmed, and is in fear of his own safety,” the complaint, which labels the inspector as a “complaining victim” claims. “Comments included, but are not limited to, ‘Get the strap’ multiple times, [and] ‘F—ck this commander has to get the strap ASAP.’”
In case you missed it, Jairam filed a $125 million notice of claim asserting that the NYPD and State Liquor Authority unfairly targeted his club for inspections for the past four years—even while he was allegedly being extorted by Gonzalez for free items including round-trip airfare to Puerto Rico and a generator in the wake of Hurricane Maria. The police, of course, claimed behind its thin blue line that Jairam is simply running “a crooked club looking to shift focus from their bad conduct by making spurious allegations.”
50, who has 18.1 million Instagram followers and a loyal worldwide fanbase, certainly has the power to create a mob ready to do his bidding. For anyone who knows 50’s social media persona, business savvy, and general demeanor, though, it seems unlikely that he was posting anything but his personal stance on the matter. We’ll have to wait and see if 50 faces any punitive retribution here, but it seems unlikely.
