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Rapper and entrepreneur Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson is making the most of his Indianapolis ties during NBA All-Star Weekend.
Jackson’s participation in Friday’s Ruffles All-Star Celebrity Game in the role of assistant coach was announced last week. His schedule now includes a Friday signing appearance at a Kroger store in Fishers and a party-hosting gig Friday night at a downtown nightclub.
Synonymous with the New York City borough of Queens during the rise of his hip-hop career, Jackson formed an official alliance with the Indiana Pacers in October 2022.
His wine and spirits company, Sire Spirits, sells Branson Cognac and Le Chemin du Roi Champagne at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Meanwhile, the Pacers and Jackson’s not-for-profit, G-Unity Foundation, made a commitment to invest in Indianapolis youth initiatives.
At the Kroger store, 11700 Olio Road, Jackson will greet customers and sign bottles of his Branson product from 2-4 p.m. Friday. The purchase of a bottle, priced at about $100, is required.
After the 7 p.m. celebrity game, Jackson will serve as the host of a 9 p.m. party at Invy music venue, 225 S. Meridian St. Admission is $150.
Jackson is one of a flurry of entertainers who are newly attached to events planned during NBA All-Star Weekend.
Rapper Common joined a Saturday night party at Newfields in the role of host. For more information, visit discovernewfields.org.
Indianapolis native and rising R&B star Maeta is a new addition to the lineup of Saturday’s “Songs for You” party at Cinderwood Event Center, 601 S. Meridian St. For more information, visit blackfuturehaus.com.
Producer Sonny Digital, whose resume includes work for Drake and Future, will present a DJ set Saturday at a special edition of the Chreece hip-hop festival billed as “Nap City: The Basement” at 10 W. Washington St. Admission is free. For more information, visit eventbrite.com.
On Sunday, Invy will present a party hosted by rapper Fat Joe. Admission to the 9 p.m. event is $75.
For more information about the Invy events, visit invynightclub.com.
Meanwhile, Invy co-owners Jason Jenkins and his wife, Tawny Jenkins, recently opened an event space named Meridian Room. Rappers Twista and Petey Pablo are scheduled to host a party Friday at Meridian Room, 231 S. Meridian St., and rapper Waka Flocka Flame is scheduled to perform Sunday at the event space. For more information about Meridian Room events, visit eventbrite.com.
Meridian Room operates in the space formerly occupied by Tiki Bob’s Cantina, a nightclub that closed in February 2023 before a scheduled liquor license renewal hearing. The nightclub had been under scrutiny because of a large volume of police runs to the location to respond to fights and other incidents.
“We have finally decided to hang it up,” Tiki Bob’s co-owner Jason Stellema wrote in a Facebook post.
Although Jason Jenkins co-owned the Tiki Bob’s business with Stellema, Meridian Room is not using the Tiki Bob’s liquor license and Stellema is not part of Meridian Room’s ownership.
Jenkins told the IBJ he owns the building that houses both Invy, which opened in January 2020, and Meridian Room. He said a new floor plan that shows Meridian Room as an extension of Invy allows the use of the Invy liquor license at Meridian Room.
“It’s as if you were a strip-center bar and the space next door became available and you expanded your dining room,” he said. “That’s all we did. [Meridian Room] is an extension of Invy that can be rented.”
A Jan. 27 concert by country artist Clayton Anderson served as the first public event at Meridian Room. Jenkins said he wants the 400-capacity venue to do a strong corporate rental business, and he said the venue should not be perceived as a nightclub.
Jason Jenkins, Jason Stellema and Cebronica Luft operated the Pavilion at Pan Am event venue, which closed to make way for redevelopment of Pan Am Plaza. Jenkins said Indy Pavilion Event Group lives on as an audio visual production company.
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