50 Cent and JAY-Z’s long-running rivalry is explored in the latest episode of HipHopDX’s “Deep Dive” series — watch it below.
The 21-minute video delves into the tension that has simmered between the two rap icons for over 20 years, from jostling for Hip Hop supremacy in the early 2000s to their competitive nature in the world of business.
As highlighted in the episode, 50 and Hov’s relationship got off to a rocky start. On his provocative 1999 song “How to Rob,” a then up-and-coming Fif famously rapped about sticking up his rap peers — including JAY-Z.
“What, Jigga just sold, like four milli? He got something to live for/ Don’t want a n-gga putting four through that Bentley Coupe door,” he spit.
The Roc-A-Fella co-founder fired back during his performance at Hot 97’s Summer Jam that year by debuting “It’s Hot (Some Like It Hot),” on which he rapped: “Go against Jigga yo ass is dense/ I’m about a dollar — what the fuck is 50 cents?”
Years later, JAY-Z revealed in an interview with Angie Martinez that he had spoken to 50 backstage at the festival and it was all love. 50 even credited Hov’s rebuttal with elevating his burgeoning career.
“When he responded, I was complimented,” he told Rolling Stone in 2003. “He wouldn’t say nothing back to somebody he didn’t think was hot. I never went to radio until after he said that about me. I don’t know if my career would be where it’s at if he didn’t respond.”
By ’03, 50 Cent and JAY-Z’s rivalry had morphed from undisputed champion versus up-and-coming challenger to what felt more like two equals after the Queens, New York native dropped his smash hit “In Da Club” and blockbuster debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin,’ catapulting him to global stardom.
The Dr. Dre-produced anthem, which topped the Billboard 200 and has since been certified 9x platinum, was enough to make Jigga put his entire Roc-A-Fella roster on notice.
“Bleek, Beans, everybody was in [the studio] and I was like, ‘I’m telling you, man, y’all got a chance right now, just flood it, put out a lot of music. Because 50 Cent is coming,'” Jay recalled in a 2013 interview with The Breakfast Club. “Four months later, ‘In Da Club’ hit and it was over. It was like, okay, now everybody gotta sit on the sidelines and wait this tidal wave out.”
Ever the strategist, JAY-Z seemingly decided to keep his enemies closer by hitting the road with 50 Cent on the Rock The Mic Tour in 2003. The pair even freestyled together in a Reebok commercial to promote their respective sneaker collaborations with the sports giant.
Yet repping the same brand didn’t appear to snuff out the competitive fire as 50 later bragged about his G-Unit Reebok shoes outselling Jay’s S. Carter kicks “six to one.” Hov also dropped out of the extended run of their joint tour, which coincided with his retirement plans at the time.
The pair’s only other musical collaboration came four years later when JAY-Z jumped on the remix of 50 Cent’s 2007 hit “I Get Money” alongside Diddy, but once again, the shots continued to ring out as Hov reminded 50 that the Big Apple still belongs to him.
Although both men have stepped back from music over the years — 50 reinventing himself as a TV mogul and Jay becoming a multi-billionaire who occasionally still blesses the mic — jabs have continued to be exchanged between the New York giants.
In an interview with DJ Envy after Lil Mama crashed his and Alicia Keys’ performance at the 2009 MTV VMAs, Fif took a dig at Hov by claiming it was because he’s no longer intimidating.
“He’s way more approachable,” he said. “It’s the Beyoncé and, I don’t know, the Sinatra vibe he’s trying to put on that’s making people comfortable enough to walk on his stage.”
50’s more recent comments about Jay are also highlighted in the episode, including his brutal assessment of his 2017 LP 4:44.
“I thought the shit was aiight, but I’ma keep it a hunnit: the shit was too smart,” he said. “I felt like I was supposed to be wearing glasses and shit, and a tie, and a fucking sweater around my waist. It was Ivy League shit … That shit was like golf course music.”
While their rivalry never escalated like their respective beefs with Ja Rule and Nas did, the tension between 50 Cent and JAY-Z has produced some truly memorable moments over the years while long keeping fans intrigued.
To hear 50 tell it, though, Hov never posed any real competition to him when he was at the height of his powers.
“There ain’t never been no 50 Cent-JAY-Z conversations questioning whether there was a competition between the two of them,” he told Tim Westwood in 2009. “It’s a huge difference in energy internationally in 50 Cent and JAY-Z. His largest selling record sold 430-something thousand copies; my largest selling records — plural, two of them — sold five million. That’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’ and The Massacre.
“Let them be fooled in America and think there’s a competition there, because America can be purchased, we can buy all the marketing dollars. But the rest of the world, there’s not enough marketing dollars to go around to change the way the rest of the world feels.”
Watch the episode in full below:
They’re two NY rappers. No explanation needed. They all hate each other lmao.
GRODT is an average album. Overrated as fuck. The Massacre sounds better, but not a classic either. Everything 50 released after is below average. I can’t even understand how people can put him in their top 10 list. His body of work is very inconsistent. Hence comparing 50 to Jay-Z should not even be a debate. There is nothing to compare. 50’s success is the result of a huge marketing campaign pushed by Interscope and Aftermath/Shady Records. Jay’s success is the result of musical talent. The only rapper Jay must be compared to is Nas. That’s it.
Jay has dropped far more trash albums than classics
Any Jay trash album > any 50’s album.
Bro that’s halfway a lie….I do admit 50 doesn’t have the pure talent of rapping than Jay …no argument there. But to ignore 50 value and impact on hip-hop is misguided. 50 has great records and BARS…. period. He a 1st ballot HOFer, he may not be top 10 All Time, because that’s subjective…..50 is a living GOAT in his own right.
By great records you mean a hit single here and there?? Cause when it comes to a whole album, Fifty only have one good album out off a discography of six albums he dropped in 20 years. That’s pretty weak to me to call him a “GOAT” or someone who had a so called impact on the culture. And when it comes to his lyrical skills he ain’t that good either. I can name at least 20 rappers who can chew him up lyrically speaking. Come on son! Admit the guy had a good marketing team who knew how to sell him and promote his shit.
I’d say Jay Z only has 1 album better than Get Rich or Die Tryin (RD). None of that punk smooth shit he dropped year after year comes remotely close. Every bar, hook, and bridge was a moment on Get Rich and meant something. Master class shit.
“Every bar, hook and bridge was a moment on GRODT” ?? Try harder bro. Yall dickriding game is on some other league for real. It’s even getting hard for the drake and the weezy’s stans to compete with yall. Lmfao
Lol, you’re dick riding JayZ… idk why you care so much to argue about why other people should have the same opinions that you do about someone’s music. Music is art. Art is subjective. Something you might find worthless is loved by someone else. I used to be like you. Back in the day, I couldn’t stand Wayne. I was stuck in the old-school still. Over the years I learned all because it sounds horrible to me doesn’t mean it sounds horrible to others. Just like some people love raw sushi, others are disgusted by it.
@Jay
Roc nation employees going hard in the comments
@ Pussy Unit. You won’t find nothing as wack as “jump on the track like duh duh duh duh” on GRODT. I promise you that.
Really? Cause 50 was taking about how he has a bigger international presence….50 had an album that went Diamond and Jay-z still has sold more albums than him. Not only has he sold more albums than 50 but it’s not even close approx 140mil to 30mil. At times 50 is his own worst Eminem, instead of building bridges he always wants to be a troll. He will dissect how Jay runs his business but what about how G-Unit ended. Jay has way more classics than 50, has put way more people on than 50 and remains more relevant on the mic at 50 than 50.
GRODT dropped the same year as The Wack Album, and it was clearly the better and more memorable album. That alone puts it above 85% of his catalog.
Sean Price washes both of them
No comparison. One’s a GOAT. The other was a regular musician. Let’s normalize not GOATING every famous person. He was once a global star that’s all. Not a hiphop legend.
When hip hop heads say this site is trash- I overstand why.
You didn’t even bring up “be a gentleman”
By 50 cent. Bodied Jay-z. Still a classic diss track.
While we are on diss tracks Jay-z got bodied on, go listen to “my bitch” by game. Probably the best subliminal diss track of all time…if you say otherwise, it went over your head.
Not even a fan anymore, just spitting facts for the real hip hop heads.
This is the true , and real life drama power , Jay z is ghost and Kanan is 50 cent . Same way the dude in Cadillac want to be the dude in the Benz . Jay z not smart than 50 but 50 feild negro , and mentality cost him more in the long run
You couldn’t even put together a legible comment….how do u expect ANYBODY to take you seriously? Go back to school or invest in Rosetta Stone or something…..and for you other cats throwing shots @ Jigga…..you only get half a bar…” F *ck yall n*ggas” 🙌🏿