Names and faces

After battling with his longtime record label for years, 50 Cent has decided to become an independent artist. The rapper announced Thursday that he’s leaving Universal Music Group’s Interscope Records and Eminem’s imprint, Shady/Aftermath. The Grammy winner and his G-Unit Records have signed a distribution agreement with Caroline, the independent label at Capitol Music Group. Capitol is one of the many labels that make up Universal Music Group. 50 Cent launched a successful, six-times platinum debut with Get Rich or Die Tryin’ in 2003, when he burst on the music scene with Eminem as his mentor. His sophomore album, 2005’s The Massacre, was almost as successful, but other albums didn’t match his previous efforts and he expressed his unhappiness with his label. His last album was 2009’s Before I Self Destruct. The rapper, born Curtis Jackson, also has been a success outside of music, from film roles to fashion to books. 50 Cent’s new album, Animal Ambition, will be released June 3.

A man who says he was punched in the face by singer Chris Brown and his bodyguard during an altercation outside a Washington hotel is suing. The civil lawsuit filed Tuesday in Superior Court in Washington seeks $1.5 million from each man. The lawsuit filed by lawyers for Parker Isaac Adams says Adams’ nose was fractured and he had other injuries on his head and face as a result of being punched. Adams said in a telephone interview Thursday that he is seeking to recover money for his medical bills, which include visits to a plastic surgeon and a breathing specialist. The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages from each man.Brown and his bodyguard, Christopher Hollosy, were arrested in October after Adams said both punched him in the face outside the hotel. Lawyers for Brown and Hollosy declined to comment Thursday on the civil lawsuit.