50 CENT - 50 CENT'S MOVIE ADS DRAW CRITICISM

50 CENT's upcoming movie GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN' has sparked outrage among Los Angeles community leaders, who are repulsed by the gun theme in advertisements for the film.

Billboards, posters and other ads for the movie depict the rapper brandishing two handguns as a promotion for the movie, which is based loosely on the star's real-life rise to musical success from the streets of New York City.

Website AllHipHop.com reports the campaign has led to a call for a boycott from a number of organisations.

NAJEE ALI of Project Islamic HOPE, says, "Gun violence is one of the leading causes of death for young black males in South Central Los Angeles and across urban America. It's irresponsible for Paramount Pictures to promote and market a movie that glorifies carrying guns.

"Guns are weapons of mass destruction that are used to kill people. We demand that Paramount Pictures remove these negative images of death and destruction, images that our young children are influenced by."

The group is demanding that the ads showing weapons be immediately pulled from the marketplace.

Representatives for Paramount have yet to comment.