Embattled hip-hop superstar 50 Cent dodged violence-prone rivals yesterday – as a member of his posse was busted with a knife outside CBS’s studios on Manhattan’s wild West Side.
The rapper was making a series of secret appearances around the city to promote his new album, “The Massacre” – expected to top the charts this week – when the arrest took place.
Law-enforcement sources said that while “Fitty” was inside the building chatting with actors Vin Diesel and Jennifer Lopez on a BET talk show, members of the NYPD gang unit collared his hanger-on shortly before 5 p.m. outside the studio on West 57th Street.
Jean Bernard, 28, of 140-16 159th St., Springfield Gardens, Queens, was charged with weapons possession. Police said they found a gravity knife on him, adding he may have been present during a shooting earlier this week outside the Hot 97 radio station.
Cops were looking at surveillance video taken during the shootout and suspect one of 50 Cent’s cohorts shot and wounded a member of rival rapper The Game’s posse.
Sources said the shooter was clear on the video, but cops had yet to identify him. The footage showed “Fitty” arriving with his “G Unit” posse, then showed his five hangers-on outside. Moments later, three members of the posse are seen running into the building.
Cops said they had found a .24-caliber slug and a .40-caliber slug and believe more than one shooter was involved. The victim, identified as 20-year-old Kevin Reed, remains in NYPD custody pending extradition to California.
Law-enforcement sources said the NYPD was intent on sending a clear message to hip-hoppers.
“They’re going to have to take their gun-toting ways out of New York,” said one source. “There will be no gunplay on our streets.”
Cops were out in force at the CBS studios during Fitty’s appearance there. The police contingent included two squad cars, four motorcycle cops, six detectives in plainclothes, an Emergency Services Unit team in an armored truck and a helicopter overhead.
The rapper’s bodyguards were also there – but the focus on security didn’t prevent the bullet-riddled star from posing for a Post photographer.
“Let him get his shot,” 50 Cent told his crew.
The Connecticut resident had canceled an appearance at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square earlier after store officials cited security concerns. Fans who were there to pick up the CD said the latest violence would only help the rapper’s sales.
Meanwhile, life imitated art as a brutal new video game showing 50 Cent beating up a crew of “Sopranos”-style mobsters was posted on the Internet.
The video game, “50 Cent: Bulletproof,” shows the rapper taking on the Mafia and rampaging through New York’s drug underworld.
Additional reporting by Dan Kadison, Robert Miller and Thomas Hinton