50 Cent's Sex Worker Comments About Diddy Spark Fury

Rapper 50 Cent has been very vocal about Sean "Diddy" Combs' legal woes—and sex workers aren't happy about it.

The "In Da Club" hip hop star— whose given name is Curtis Jackson— has used social media to take multiple shots at Combs after his house was raided by federal authorities, and over a civil lawsuit that his ex-girlfriend, Daphne Joy, was also named in. Joy was identified in the lawsuit against Combs as someone he had allegedly paid for sex.

Jackson has since referred to Joy as a "little sex worker" on multiple occasions, including in a photo of her with Combs. He then confirmed he would seek sole custody of their son, Sire, 11, based on the allegations.

Now, a sex worker advocate is speaking out about Jackson's comments, saying they further stigmatize the industry and could bring harm to those working in it. Phoenix Calida, the communications director at advocacy group Sex Workers Outreach Project-USA (SWOP-USA), said sex workers and their advocates are dismayed by the star's social media posts.

"It's very disappointing... Particularly because a lot of people are assuming the worst about her," said Calida. "It seems it's more fun for people to mock her for being a sex worker, or being perceived or alleged to be a sex worker, [but] there's so many more serious conversations that should be happening that aren't because of the sort of stigma around sex work, and I find that very, very frustrating."

Homeland Security raided Combs' homes in Miami and Los Angeles in March in a large-scale operation that the Associated Press reported was part of a sex-trafficking investigation. On the same day music producer, Rodney 'Lil Rod' Jones filed an amended lawsuit against Combs, accusing him of sexual assault, fraud, sex-trafficking and grooming, among other things. Combs has denied any wrongdoing.

But in Jones' lawsuits he claimed Combs had bragged to him about paying a "monthly stipend" to three women, including Jackson's ex, Joy, for sexual services. Joy denied the allegations in a post on Instagram.

"I am deeply hurt by the lies in Rodney Jones' lawsuit. The claim that I'm a sex worker is 100% false and character assassination. I am retaining an attorney to explore all legal remedies against both Rodney and his attorney," the model and business owner's post read.

Newsweek contacted representatives for Jackson and Combs by email and Joy's swimwear company by email for comment.

Calida explained to Newsweek that Jackson's comments are problematic for a number of reasons, including the fact that he is using the accusations against Joy to assert he deserves custody of their son.

"Being a sex worker does not mean that you are incapable of being a good parent," they said. "Furthermore, regardless of your stance on sex work, a person with as a high a profile and influence as Jackson can do a lot of harm to people in the industry.

"I think a lot of times people lean into celebrity gossip because they think 'those are just rich celebrities, it doesn't matter what they do,' except that it does because if someone is comfortable saying those things about her, they're going to be even more comfortable saying those things about somebody who has less of an audience, less money, less resources in society," Calida explains.

"And so if you're willing to treat her like that, how are you going to treat a sex worker who's maybe, homeless and working outdoors or struggling with addiction or living in poverty.

"If you're willing to punch up to somebody who's sort of that high in status and money and celebrity and fame you're only going to treat somebody who doesn't have those things even worse."

Calida added that "even if you don't like the idea that someone is doing sex work or you don't like the sex work industry that doesn't justify harming that person," or that a person should be punished or hurt for it.

"The biggest reason" to help destigmatize sex work, and even decriminalize it in the U.S., is to encourage harm reduction, according to Calida, because it is "incredibly common" for sex workers to face violence and murder.

It's one of the most dangerous professions in the country and according to 2021 statistics, the death rate is 204 out of every 100,000 sex workers. One of the other most dangerous professions in the country, being a fisherman in Alaska, has a death rate of 129 out of every 100,000, to give context.

Sex workers face physical abuse at least once a month, according to legal information site, HG.Law.

Calida also pointed out that Jackson has been accused of bad behavior over the years, including by Joy. She accused him of rape and physical abuse when they were together, which he has denied.

Calida stresses it's important "to be mindful of how much of a platform you have.

"Try to be mindful of real life consequences of your actions and how they may not just be affecting you or the people that you're involved with, it can have a trickle down impact to people that you've never been heard of, and can have real life consequences for them as well."