Alright, let’s see if we can sort through this. On Friday October 26th, 2002, at the Powerhouse in Philadelphia, audience members witnessed what could be considered a MAJOR incident in the beef-filled world of big label Hip Hop. The venue ticket featured major Roc-A-Fella artists; Jay-Z, Freeway, Beanie Sigel, Cam’ron and The Diplomats.
Apparently, the mainly South Philly audience wasn’t feeling Killa Cam’s performance at the beginning of the concert. Midway through Cam’s set, someone from the audience hurled a bottle up on the stage, narrowly missing Jim Jones and Cam, according to HHDX’s man on the ground, Tim Thomas aka Big Tim.
At which time, “Jim Jones jumps off the stage and punches a member of the audience, who was with a group who were sporting Affiliated Records jackets” reported Big Tim, evidently this was a big mistake on Jim’s part”cause them boyz in Philly just love to throw them thangs” Jim Jones was swarmed by fists, ‘bows and boots.’ Freekey Zeekey jumped from the stage to save his label-mate another wrong move for Freekey was then swarmed by more of dem southside boyz, who weren’t havin’it.
Cam, apparently the less spontaneous of those on the stage, attempted to tag a few of those bringing the beat-down to his Diplomat brothers with his mic stand. After Jim and Freekey were rescued by venue security and a brief intermission, the show went on without another problem with Beanie Sigel and Busta Rhymes taking the stage.
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Now you say, what could have started such a heated battle and beat-down? Flashback to late August 2002 two Affiliated Records street-team members get into a melee with members of the Young Gunz outside a local Philly Black Rock clothing store that distributes Roc-A-Wear. During this same time Beanie Sigel and Shortyo of Affiliated Records enter into an alleged bet for an on-air $10,000 all or nothing MC battle on Philly’s Power 99 radio. Beanie never showed for the battle and Shortyo gives an on-air diss to Mr. Sigel.
According to Shortyo, who I spoke to after the Oct 26th incident, “This shit started with a little bullshit thing outside a Roc-A-Wear store with the Gunz disrespecting some of our people then the shit with Beanie and the battle now, this shit with Cam’ron coming out at the Powerhouse to the music for the cut called ‘I’ll Show You How To Do This Shorty.’ I mean it don’t take a genius to see that little jab” said rather pissed-off sounding Shortyo.
“I mean about a year and a half ago, me and my Affiliated peoples kicked it with Cam, here in Philly, this was waaay before he signed with the Roc that’s was back then when he was known to us as that ‘nigga that rolled with Mase,’ you know? Cam was busy back then talkin’ shit about the Roc and how he couldn’t be down with a label like that and now, look at him!?! This nigga and his crew done put themselves into something that was between me, my peeps, Beanie and the Gunz I mean, we doing this recording and music shit because this is it, this is all we got! If, me and mine weren’t doing this, we would be about some straight gangsta shit! We from the section 8, fuckin’ welfare, first of the fuckin’ month lifestyle we ain’t had the opportunity like Beanie to live in the burbs and go to a private fuckin’ school like Damon Dash. We putting in as much work for ours as they are even more. And a muthafucka ain’t gonna come up in here and say one thing at one time plus try to snuff our people, then come to our faces, say one thing and then do another like Beanie with the battle. And then Cam with his taking sides in a thing that he wasn’t even involved in, just because he’s with Roc-A-Fella now! What we supposed to pay them respect, but we gets none I don’t think so!”
Shortyo continued to elaborate his frustration regarding how Affiliated might be seen as the bad guy in all this. “I mean look, we a little record company, we handle our business we support our peoplewe give our word and when we say we gonna do something, we do it! That’s that Philly frame of mind if a dude tries to snuff someone from our crew he gets snuffed! See, we can throw them thangs on the street level but, them niggas from the Roc want to try and get somebody back with shady business shit because of all this shit going on now, I got DJ’s who got mixtape contracts with the Roc, tellin’ me now that they can’t use our mixtapes. Ain’t that a bitch!?! Now, because we showing them the same type of respect that they been showing us they trying to snuff us on the business end. But, I ain’t worried about them shady-ass muthafuckas We got a new album with collabs with the Eastside Boys, The Clipse, Mystikal, Snoop so, go ahead and try to play us like we some knuckle-heads we’ll handle business one way or the other Fuck the haters! The Affiliated Records stance is ‘if the shoe fits wear it’s not pointing any fingers or engaging in any unnecessary wordplay just if you come to Philly come correct, or not at all. ‘Nuff said!”
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When contacted, representatives for Roc-A-Fella were not able to comment by press time. We at HHDX will keep you abreast of developing info on this story.
