50 Cent filed a lawsuit against WorldStarHipHop.com back in 2009, after his image was used on the header of the website without his permission. Fif argued that the picture left visitors with the impression that the rapper owned or was affiliated with the site.
5 years later, a judge has ruled that 50 be given "summary judgment on copyright and right of publicity claims", as well as rejecting defenses of fair use of the image.
Hollywood reporter points to a quote from the ruling;
“Defendants provide no authority to support the fair use of a celebrity’s image or likeness. This is not surprising, as a celebrity’s image, standing alone, only evokes that celebrity’s persona. Jackson’s image does not, by itself, describe anything about Defendants’ website.”
You can read the full ruling here.
