For some, the gloves worn by Curtis Jackson as he pummels artist after actress after rapper with his lyrical attacks may read marketing and promotion. Flanked in his corner by the most dynamic training duo in history (Dr. Dre and Eminem) 50 Cent has ensured his constant presence on the gossip sites and Hip Hop webzines with his verbal attacks on the innocent, the not-so-innocent and those looking for a free PR campaign.
Right or wrong, 50 Cent has encouraged some of the most talked about tirades in the last five years, giving former label mates a harsh dose of reality, (Young Buck) and the fuel to rage their own campaign against the notorious one (The Game), but as we all know, all is not fair in love and war and there have been casualties that have never really gotten over the knocks they have taken and some, even though they tug at the ropes, probably never will.
This piece is here to break it down – the tried, the tested, the totally annihilated and the ones who failed to drop to the floor when the Queens fighter came into the ring.
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ROUND ONE: Ja Rule
First up into the ring is fellow Queens’s rapper Ja Rule. This battle started back in 1999 with both rappers vying for the attention of their native borough. The Murder Inc. front man spotted 50 with a man who stole his jewelry and it has been on ever since. From the involvement of Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff in the attempted murder of 50 Cent the hate between Irv Gotti’s Murder Inc. and all those aligned continues to ferment.
“Lil’ nigga named Ja think he live like me/Talkin’ about he left the hospital took nine like me/You livin’ fantasies nigga, I been checkin’ deposit/When your lil’ sweet ass gon’ come out of the closet?” 50 Cent, “Hail Mary,” 2003.
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Ja made a slight come back in 2006 with the Cool & Dre-produced “New York,” which featured an assortment of other ‘so-called’ 50 victims. But by then damage had been done and the constant barrage of jabs thrown by 50 Cent has never allowed Jeffrey Atkins to run or record solo successfully again.
“You’re print distrified, you’re no longer desired/So take off them silly chains, put back on your wire.” – Ja Rule “New York,” 2006.
ROUND TWO: Fat Joe
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Joey Crack, another local fatality. This battle has been on/off since “Piggy Back” took direct shots at the Bronx emcee. The Terror Squad captain wasn’t impressed that 50 was coming at him that way as he couldn’t figure out just what he had done to deserve it really. So he reacted with “My Fo Fo,” taking shots at Curtis about his obvious weight increase and implying that steroids were the cause.
“But he don’t care, he’s still locked up in his house and shit/Steroid up and he wont come about that bitch/Is it me or does candy shop sound like magic stick?/In the video, this nigga 50 bout to strip.” – Fat Joe “My Fo’ Fo’,” 2006
Yet needless to say, salt was added to an open wound for Fat Joe when his former leading lady hit the stage with Fif in Joe’s own borough. Remy Ma up on stage in the old Jimmy’s Bronx Café as 50 promoted Curtis back in August 2007 didn’t really do much for morale in the Boogie Down.
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“That fat nigga thought ‘Lean Back’ was ‘In Da Club’/My shit sold 11 mill, his shit was a dud.” – 50 Cent “Piggy Bank,” 2005.
ROUND THREE: The Game
You could start thinking Hot 97 has the monopoly on 50 beefs as they always seem to get a mention in the most major of 50 Cent‘s drama. This was one that had Hip Hop on the edge of its seat as the ‘elders’ of the culture feared a new east coast/west coast war after Curtis declared The Game was no longer down with G-Unit on air in 2005. Loyalty is apparently what G-Unit prides themselves on; but betrayal is what G-Unit was escalated upon, resulting in the legendary G-Unot campaign that in a real world would have had Game indicted as a serial stalker.
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The back and forth on wax between the label king and his former subject that continued through 2006 and 2007 had The Game putting out freestyle after freestyle. Many thought that after “100 Bars – The Funeral” and “300 Bars And Running,” it would be hard for the Compton rapper to come out with something he hadn’t already said and the majority hoped we wouldn’t have to be subjected to “500 Bars (and Sleeping)” but the two continue to bicker and bitch, but just not using as many bars as they once did.
Of course The Game has put in his two cents on the Young Buck situation, showing support for another fallen soldier from the Unit army.
ROUND FOUR: The L.O.X.
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50 really got his teeth into Yonkers hard knock Styles P. He was allegedly the reason why “The Ghost’s” Time Is Money album was pushed back time and time again, earning him the moniker Curtis “Interscope” Jackson. With The L.O.X. having that street support, it was hard for many fans of both factions to watch Styles be mauled and subjected to the aftermath that ensued. But Styles and Fif laid their beef to rest, where else…but of course on air on Hot 97 when Styles called in to the Angie Martinez show in February 2007 and had grown man talk with the man who had openly insulted his business decisions.
But this was, of course, after 50 had also attacked Jadakiss, caricaturing him as a Ninja Turtle in the video for “Piggybank,” obviously being guilty by affiliation is just as serious in the wars raged by 50 Cent. These attacks sure were good for music as artists like ‘Kiss were armed and ready for battle.
“Picture ‘Kiss not come out swingin’/It’s like going to see 50 at a show and he don’t come out singin’/Yeah, you got a felony, but you ain’t a predicate/Never the King of New York, you live in Connecticut/You don’t be in the hood, you be in the woods/Fuckin’ wit’ me, is where you really gon’ be for good.” – Jadakiss “Checkmate,” 2005
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ROUND FIVE: Cam’ron
This legendary conversation followed on from the previous installment/conversation with Styles P. Everyone and their mothers was already listening into Angie Mar’s show when Cam decided to call in and speak to “Curtissss.” For a radio station that has been warned about trouble in parking lots and retaliation attacks, they sure know how to keep their name out of the media. What came out of this were back and forth videos, which encouraged online video hosting site YouTube to freeze from extensive hits from G-Unit/Dipset lovers and haters. 50 and Young Buck dropped “Hold On” and “Funeral Music” which proved that the problem 50 had was only with Cam’ron.
“Dipset! Cam stay up! I’m not gonna destroy DipSet… /Just gotta make changes, from now on, Jimmy’s the boss, of DipSet/And Juelz is the Capo (He’s gone) Cam’s demoted to soldier… /We like Jimmy better anyway!! Ballin’! Come on man.” – 50 Cent “Funeral Music,” 2007.
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After Cam appeared by a pool in his boxers, his ass seemed to disappear in a puff of purple haze and has to this day yet to fully resurface, but not without dropping some classic lyrics.
“See my squad done wait right behind them bars that’s gated/Hopped out the casket bastard, reincarnated/Yep, so have a seat, this ‘gon be a masterpiece/I have to beef, he look like a gorilla, with rabbit teeth.” – Cam’ron “Curtis,” 2007.
ROUND SIX: Young Buck
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50 likes to teach those to whom he welcomed into his fold with harsh doses of reality and Young Buck is walking proof of that. Call it natural defense mechanism or what you will, but when 50 Cent feels like someone is trying to get one over on him by running their mouths, he sure as hell goes in for the kill. This time he dealt a low blow by recording a phone call between himself and Buck no signs of southern hospitality with this move. A simple “fuck G-Unit” from Buck saw that audio on the web immediately and the back and forth began. This whole incident has possibly been the most embarrassing in 50 history and has a cringe factor of at least a nine when it comes to the emotions displayed by Buck. But surely people know that when you deal with someone with a track record like 50 there is no clause in your relationship that makes you untouchable.
“It’s crazy. When I see people showing me so many different things within their character, I don’t value them anymore…He needs to go to a program and get some real help. Then maybe we can talk to each other.” – 50 Cent.
ROUND SEVEN: Kanye West
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Possibly the most fabricated of all 50 Cent wars was the one that took place leading up to the release of Curtis. This was all about the numbers and beyond making a declaration of retirement as he and Kanye went head to head on September 11th, 2007 releasing their third albums respectively, if the “Louis Vuitton Don” was to outsell him, 50 Cent pretty much ate his words and cut his losses by working on the sophomore album from the Unit, Terminate On Sight.
However the Southside native had already in his eyes achieved a K.O. with Kanye back in 2004, proof below taken from an excerpt from an interview he did with MTV.
“I feel like Kanye West is successful because of me. After 50 Cent, [Hip Hop fans] was looking for something non-confrontational, and they went after first thing that came along. That was Kanye West, and his record took off.“- 50 Cent.
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ROUND EIGHT: Nas
Nas gave 50 a chance by having him on the Nastradamus Tour back in 1999 as “Escobar” saw the potential in 50’s “How to Rob,” and wanted to give his fellow borough comrade some shine. This is yet another of those relationships that forever has 50 on his soap box when Nas is doing either something or nothing. Word is that this started because Nasir shared a joint with Bronx beauty Jennifer Lopez, “I’m Gonna Be Alright,” back in 2004 which Curtis had recorded in 2002. 50 Cent thought that was not a good look and, as in so many situations, totally voiced that opinion and also that he thought Nas was trying to outdo him by jumping on a track that he had already done. But there have been plenty other bad looks for Nas, according to 50, which he is vocal about including his marriage to Kelis in 2005, signing to Jay-Z in 2006 while president of Def Jam and by stating Hip Hop was dead in his first album signed to the label. There really is no pleasing everybody. But Nas, lashed back.
“And y’all wanna know why I ain’t gotta answer niggas / Cause I truly understand these niggas / Scared of me so they talk about family members / Like I can’t point out your grandma, nigga.” – Nas “MC Burial,” 2006.
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ROUND NINE: Hillary Clinton
Even politicians need to get their armor on; no one is spared the wrath of Curtis Jackson. Okay, so Fif was behind Hillary all the way, totally supported the woman who then went and destroyed everything her and her team had built up in a matter of words. But it was the speech that the now Democratic candidate Barack Obama on race that had 50 punching the air and showering the Chicago statesman with his nod after public endorsing Hillary only a couple of months earlier.
ROUND TEN: Shaniqua Thompson
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Baby mama drama has never been more rampant for 50 since he hit the big time. A recent restraining order issued by Ms. Thompson against the rapper has many people wondering WTF, as the only times they are seen in the same room more often than not is in court as she fought over alimony. Now with a house burned to the ground and her screaming neglect, the only place for this ongoing feud is family court. But with her literally saying 50 was the mastermind behind the fire, 50 and his team of legal professionals are taking her to court to have her mouth legally shut.
ROUND ELEVEN: Bang Em Smurf
Having allegedly tossed his once -homie to the side when the Gangsta Flip Label boss caught a case in New York City, relationships between one of the alleged founding members of G-Unit soured seriously. 50’s once boy took aim at his now nemesis with a chair during Summer Jam in 2004. Taunted by Lloyd Banks who “made it rain” on Smurf and his crew who had premier seats, three rows from the front, bottles and chairs were flying, but Smurf and crew managed to get out before cops arrived to calm it all down, or make it worse given that it was New Jersey cops in the place.
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ROUND TWELVE: Vivica Fox
Nothing worse than seeing an older (and should be wiser I hasten to add) lady who has a pretty decent resume get caught up in grade school shit. Wasn’t that what all that was? Fifty came out and proved a point that all is really not fair in love and war when he had Vivica on his arm at the 2003 MTV Movie Awards; dumped her a week later and left Viv hanging with no ‘closure’ on their time spent together and her feeling the need to defend her actions and pretty much light a match to her career in Hollywood.
“50 Cent likes to think he made me sexy. I just had to get that out in the universe and let him know that no, he did not. I did Tae Bo three to five times a week all the time and watched what I put in my mouth. I been holding my tongue not saying nothing, letting him talk all kinds of shit. All of a sudden I’m exploiting him? How long I been here, y’all? I don’t got to exploit nobody. My films have grossed over $1 billion worldwide.” – Vivica Fox.
