50 Cent has seized on an awkward courtroom exchange involving longtime rival Rick Ross after a Miami judge said she had no idea who the rapper was.
Ross appeared before Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Mindy S. Glazer on Thursday, October 1, after surrendering to Miami Beach police in connection with domestic-violence allegations. He faces one felony count of battery by strangulation and one misdemeanor battery charge.
During the bond hearing, Ross’ attorney, Bradley Horenstein, highlighted his client’s celebrity status while asking whether his release could be expedited.
“Mr. Roberts is a celebrity,” Horenstein told the court.
Glazer responded by asking what that meant, before telling Ross that she had no idea who he was apart from being a person appearing before her court who would be treated fairly like everyone else.
The exchange quickly spread online, giving 50 Cent another opportunity to take a shot at his longtime rap rival.
Sharing footage of the hearing on Instagram, 50 Cent wrote: “The judge don’t know that fool 😂 LOL BOOK HIS STUPID ASS!”
The post adds another chapter to the long-running public rivalry between the two rappers, who have repeatedly exchanged insults and taunts over the years.
Ross, whose legal name is William Leonard Roberts II, voluntarily surrendered to Miami Beach police early Thursday and was subsequently booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. According to the arrest report, the charges stem from an alleged August 28 incident at Ross’ Miami Beach residence.
Police allege that a woman who was in a relationship with Ross reported that he struck her several times and restricted her breathing during an argument. The allegations remain unproven, and Ross has denied wrongdoing.
Horenstein entered a not-guilty plea on Ross’ behalf and said the allegations were false. Ross also told reporters after leaving jail that he was “totally innocent” and described the allegations as fabricated.
Glazer set Ross’ bond at $5,000 and ordered him to have no direct or indirect contact with the alleged victim, including through social media or third parties. His arraignment is scheduled for October 22.
For 50 Cent, the courtroom exchange provided fresh material for a rivalry that has played out publicly for years. While Ross’ legal case will now move through the Miami-Dade court system, the judge’s blunt response to the celebrity-status argument has already become one of the most widely circulated moments from Thursday’s hearing.
