Months after rap star 50 Cent sued Taco Bell for their unauthorized usage of his name in their national campaign, the company has responded by attempting to use his persona against him.

According to New York's Daily News, attorneys for the restaurant franchise are striking back against the rapper's $4 million suit by bringing up 50's highly publicized past and claiming he is simply using this to add to his street cred.

"[He's a] self-described former drug dealer and huster," Taco Bell wrote to New York City Federal Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald.

"This lawsuit is another of Jackson's attempts to burnish his gangsta rapper persona by distorting beyond all recognition a bona fide, good faith offer that Taco Bell made to Jackson," Taco Bell lawyer Robert Lehrburger continued in a letter to the Daily News.

50's attorney, Peter Raymond, was curious about the restaurant's initial intention to work with the rapper despite knowing his corrupt past.

"It makes me wonder why they would decide to use his name in their ad campaign if they think he's such a bad character," Raymond told Daily News.

As previously reported, the G-Unit leader filed the lawsuit claiming the fast food chain presented a fake letter asking 50 to change his name to "79 Cent," "89 Cent" or "99 Cent" for their Why Pay More Value Menu to the media before it reached the rapper.

Damages to 50's reputation reportedly included his apperance of "selling out" due to consumers believing he may have, in fact, endorsed the campaign.