BBC
Rapper 50 Cent has issued an apology after he posted a video of an autistic airport custodian saying that the employee was high on drugs.
In the video, the “I’m The Man” rapper discusses today’s youth at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Heavy reports the rapper was in Cincinnati to promote his liquor line, Effen Vodka.
“Listen, the new generation is crazy,” he says to the camera. “They crazy.” As he turns the camera towards the airport worker, he asks, “What’s your name?”
As he turns the camera toward the airport worker, he asks, “What’s your name?”
When the white male shakes his head and doesn’t respond, 50 says, “Look at him. What kind of s— you think he took before he got to work today? He high as a m———— right here in the airport. Pupils dilated everything, lookin’ like the… the new generation is f—— crazy.”
The video was later deleted from 50’s Instagram page.
Before then, Rusty Stone responded on his own Instagram account. He said the custodian’s name is Andrew Farrell, a former classmate of his at Conner High School in Hebron, Kentucky.
After Farrell’s parents heard about the video, they demanded an apology from the rapper.
“Everything he said about him is not true. He gets up. He goes to work. He does his job. He goes home. He doesn’t bother anybody,” Farrell’s mom Amanda Kramer said to Cincinatti.com.
Stepdad Ken Kramer added that the 19-year-old high school graduate “doesn’t talk to people very often. He’s got a social anxiety disorder. He also has a hearing impairment.”
Farrell accuses the rapper of getting “all up in my face” and tells the website he “was just starting work. Pushing my cart, minding my own business.”
50 Cent, real name is Curtis Jackson, issued a statement apologizing to Farrell and his parents.
“While the incident at the airport resulted from an unfortunate misunderstanding, please accept my sincere apologies for offending you. It was certainly not my intent to insult you and I wish you and your family well.”
The family accepted the apology and responded with a statement of their own to WKRC. It read in part, “as requested we have received a letter apologizing for 50 cent’s behavior and we have chosen to accept it, along with a request that a donation be made to Autism Speaks. Though a letter of apology will not undo what 50 cent has put our family through, we are choosing to forgive.”
This is the newest controversy for the rapper. It comes just days after fellow MC Jay Electronica apologized to 50 for dissing him earlier this year.
