50 Cent

We all react to bad news in different ways and while it’s generally acknowledged that folks are allowed to process grief anyway they can, some of those coping mechanisms just aren’t socially acceptable. Over the long weekend, fans of The Wire and Lovecraft Country were dismayed to learn that actor Michael K. Williams — who starred in both shows, as well as many more beloved films and television series — had passed away, found dead at home at the age of 54. While many shared their distress at the news, offering loving tributes to the well-respected actor, one celebrity’s post instantly sparked a backlash.

50 Cent, the former rapper and current Starz production powerhouse responsible for such series as Raising Kanan and BMF, is well-known for using his platform to troll his enemies (or just about anyone in the news, really) on social media, then use the attention to promote his various business endeavors. This time, however, his usual strategy backfired as he underestimated just how well-liked Michael K. Williams really was. “Damn if you didn’t see Raising Kanan check it out that fentanyl is no joke, killing the clientele,” he captioned the post. “RIP michael k. williams.” The accompanying photo was a screenshot of a New York Post headline — since-deleted — attributing Williams’ death to a suspected overdose.

Fans weren’t pleased with the post, using the opportunity to censure 50 for his near-relentless trolling and the tasteless decision to use someone’s death to advertise his show. Some attributed 50’s reaction to pettiness over a three-year-old disagreement between 50 and music executive James Rosemond, Jr., a.k.a. Jimmy Henchman, who is serving a life sentence for commissioning a hit on one of 50’s friends. When Williams shared a video defending Rosemond from a rumor that he was attacked in prison, 50 seemingly decided to add Wiliams to his long, long list of enemies.

50 has since deleted the offending posts, but screenshots are forever. Check out some of the responses to his petty post below.