Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation is reportedly in talks for a $300m deal to bring US rapper 50 Cent aboard its MySpace Records label.
The deal, if completed, would give Murdoch's company control over 50 Cent's tours, books, and film projects as well as future albums released by the rapper, whose given name is Curtis Jackson.
The branding agreement would also dwarf the size of the $120m offer that in October enticed Madonna to leave her longtime Warner Brothers record label for concert promoting company Live Nation.
Under the terms of the deal, first reported by the hip-hop news website MediaTakeOut, 50 Cent and recording artists in his G-Unit stable would tour and release albums under the MySpace aegis.
Signing 50 Cent could be a major boost to the fledgling MySpace label, which launched in 2005 but has yet to partner with an A-list artist. The popular social networking site would also give the rapper a multimedia platform to promote future albums.
50 Cent demonstrated a keen business sense three years ago by investing in Glaceau, the company that produces Vitamin Water drinks in the US.
When Coca-Cola bought the company last year, 50 Cent netted an estimated $400m — and got to continue promoting the "Formula 50" grape-flavoured beverage that bears his name.
Neither News Corporation nor 50 Cent were commenting publicly today on the possible deal. The rapper and fellow G-Unit artists would first need to complete their obligations under a soon-to-expire deal with Interscope Records.
