Five years ago on September 11, 50 Cent and Kanye West, two of Hip Hop’s highest-selling stars, went at it on the SoundScan charts.
Both Fif and Yeezy released their albums on the same day. 50’s Curtis and Kanye’s Graduation were both highly-anticipated releases, with the former selling 691,000, and the latter moving 957,000 units.
Despite promises that he would retire if he lost, 50 remained in the game, and now reminisces on the “battle.”
“At the time, I had a stronger feel for the streets [than Kanye], prior to that competition and trying to compete with each other,” explained Fif in an interview with XXLMag.com.
50 explained, for those who hadn’t heard, that there had never been real beef between him and Kanye. “That was just to build energy because Kanye [and I]…we didn’t have no beef at all. You can’t stand that close to someone and take pictures for the cover of Rolling Stone with having beef.”
“That was something that we created,” added the Queens emcee. “Obviously, it riled the fans up in every way and the results are always bigger sales than usual. Both of the numbers were bigger than what they would have been [without the competition]. It was just great marketing.”
RELATED: 50 Cent Comes To Chief Keef’s Defense, Says He Likes “The Idea Of Chief Keef”
50 what up samideen nichols 215 showing luv wel support ,ithanx being my life peace 215
That was FIVE YEARS ago? Damn… time flies. I bought both albums though.
AND THAT WAS WHEN THE INDUSTRY CHANGED AND LABELS AND FANS STOPPED SUPPORTING GANGSTA RAP AND LET ALL THESE FAKE SOFT NIGGAS IN AND NOW LOOK WHAT WE HAVE SMH
Gangsta rap- how about fans supporting REAL hip hop, like Big Daddy Kane etc? It wasn’t all about the number of hoes you-claim- that you have…?
you do realize over 80% of Gangster rap is coming from guys that wont pull a trigger. Gangster rap has its place in hip hop but everyone isnt a gangster. Thats just the reality of it all. If everyone was then hip hop wouldve died a long time ago because it wouldve been boring cus everyone had the same story.
so shut the fuck up and think before you speak
I ain’t a thug, how much 2Pac in you you got? – Dr Dre
2pac was real
Why do you talk about a battle??? It was a set up between 50 and kanye. just to sell records. Talking about keeping it real.
50 Cent should have retire as promised. that was better for hiphop and his career
graduation album was dope
From Beginning to End…
You know hip hop has gone downhill when they have to fabricate a beef to get attetion. Fiddy, grow up.
thats the problem rappers dont grow up. They are 35 and acting like they 18.
Take a look at rock music the stop singing and doing somthing different in the industry or they mature. rappers think that they are the new pablo escobar
wow what a difference 5 years makes 50 is lucky to hit a 100k first week
50 employs fake beef as marketing strategy and yall have the nerve to call rick ross a fake gangsta. shit is crazy to me
to quote rocsi “his album is GA’BAGE, get that new kanye instead!”
Kanye murdered this guy.
The sheep certainly followed that marketing ploy. 15 years from now we are going to really find out 50 made a side deal with Jay Z to manufacture a “beef” with Rick Ross to get him buzzing. This stuff is as incestuous as hillbillies in Hudson Vally.
while the media was getting hyped up jay fif and diddy was recording the forbes remix it was done before the album was released
I bet 50 misses those days….HE WILL NEVER SELL CDS like that again.
lol, true. 2007 was really fif’s final year.
You stupid close-minded motherfuckers listen:
50 Cent is good for Hip-Hop. If you think otherwise you need to re-evaluate your shit …
If you would at least have a valid point and don’t babble nonsense all the time.
I’m tired of telling you suckas how things go.
…and yeah, the beef with the Fat officer was fabricated, but from the Officer side. Cause Ricky knew that Fif is all about the money and wouldn’t let an opportunity to make money slide.
Too bad y’all are just consumers who dont relate to “moral values” and let the media mold your opinion …
Ricky raps about another mans life. Fabricating shit until it’s too obvious.
go ask KRS ONE, fools.
Fif this Fif that. The entire industry uses this dumdfucks! Remember Pac vs. Biggie, east coast vs. west coast? Go and look what that did to album sales before and after their deaths. Every since then you just have a bunch of copycats emulating Pac or Big and creating fake beef that’s how the industry works now. Listen to Drake’s “Light Up” how hov predicted how niggas would be creating fake beef with Drake that’s why you gotta respect cats that just make good music and don’t need fake beef to sell records. Shame on you COMMON!
If you thought it was beef, you are a fucking retard
So 50 lied to the general public and that’s great marketing?
Apprantley it is if the public bought into it and it pushed both of their album sells. Say what you want about 50’s music but he knows how to make money.
look at this dude mentioning any old and/or irrelevant shit to get him in the news. just take the loss and retire with your millions.
when your next album does get released after 20 more delays, it’s going to do some embarrassing ass numbers.
Aight, let’s get some Ja Rule comments in here too.
Why are y’all sayin’ 2007 was 50’s last good year? 2003 was his last good year since Ja Rule killed him back then
Ja Rule killed this nigga back in 2003, why don’t he recall that?
Ja rule straight murdered this bitch along with eminem
Ja Rule killed busta rhymes, d-12, eminem, lil mo, dmx, dr.dre… 50 just didn’t have the chance.
Ja Rule murdered a whole lot of niggaz back in 2003.
Ja Rule straight caps niggaz… Hottest nigga in the industry.
Nah nigga, you reneged on the bet…Retire already playboy, you lost…..
Kanye won the battle as well as the war. 50 has been irrelevant every since.
Basically he’s saying that yall are suckas for buying into the manufactured hype.
This should read “50 Cent Recalls The Point Of No Return – Irrelevancy.”
lol word
You can definitely come back form being “irrelevant” it’s been done.
You can come back from irrelevancy, I agree. But not in 50’s case. The dudes done.
I’m not even a 50 fan but I think your letting your dislike of him cloud your judgement, come on you know how fans get just 1 big hit and they’ll be back on his dick.
none of you know the meaning of the word being relevant is talking about the subject at hand which is 50 cent so you guys just look stupid
irrelevant people do not have haters…
KJ has the realest comment here.
I have all of 50’s albums but I’m a realist, the same people the bought GROD or even The Massacre 80% won’t buy 50’s next album (I will). The dude is irrelevant and done if we’re talking numbers, which is what he dissed everyone else about.
1. New Day feat. Dr. Dre & Alicia Keys (Produced by Dr. Dre)
2. How Can It Be (Produced by Havoc, co. Magnedo7)
3. The One (Produced by Mr. Porter)
4. Long While (Produced by Just Blaze)
5. Cry Baby feat. Ciara (Produced by DJ Khalil)
6. Black Cream (The Negro Epidemic) feat. Pusha T (Produced by Buckwild)
7. Limelight (Produced by Boi-1da, add. Arthur McArthur)
8. Goodnight & Goodluck (Produced by Scott Storch)
9. U Know feat. Timbaland (Produced by Timbaland, co. Danja)
10. Bitter (Produced by StreetRunner, co. Sarom)
11. Why Cry feat. Eminem (Produced by Dr. Dre, add. Eminem)
12. Stereotypes feat. ScHoolboy Q & Jay Rock (Produced by Havoc)
13. Autographs (Produced by Eminem, co. Luis Resto)
14. Stages (Produced by DJ Khalil)
Deluxe
15. Parenthood (Produced by Jim Jonsin)
16. Sit/Think/Drink feat. Joell Ortiz (Produced by Needlz)
17. Power Lines feat. Lloyd Banks (Produced by Eminem, add. Luis Resto)
18. Break Ups (Produced by The Alchemist)
I hope that list is accurate cause that sounds like a sick line up. glad to see the schoolboy Q, Lloyd Banks, and Em features.
yea this is fake. do a little more research before u make up a tracklist. adam levine and chris brown are confirmed to be on the album.
@kj I’ll remember you because I bet anything Adam Levine & Chris Brown ain’t on the album.
lol u r so retarded. so fake. dude was listening to reks wen he made this bs tracklist lol
It urks me when rappers don’t know when to stop making albums, they’re just tarnishing their legacy. I mean come on 50 you don’t really need to you have your own record label so you could just concentrate on making that successful instead of the abomination that it is since Sha Money XL left you could still rap by lending verses on your acts albums or maybe even drop a mixtape just for your fans (not forcing them to buy the shit). 50’s not the only one. DMX, come on man I’ve read reviews for Undisputed, you have acting you could take to again or could even choose a career path in preaching or some shit. Xzibit & Ice Cube, you can’t rap about street shit anymore and you BOTH have acting to take to. Jay-Z, should’ve stayed away after The Black Album a dope ass high point to leave on and concentrate on running a record label. There’s so many more!
Nobody is doing any better right now as far as rap music career goes, so what do they have to lose? Except for DMX they all doing good so obviously they just happen to love what they do. Let’s see who’s still around from now in 10 years or more.
Ja Rule is the boss of all bosses!! KNEEL TO THE KING JA!!! 50 aint shit! kanye aint shit! gay z aint shit!! JA RULE FOREVER
That’s the spirit my son.
ja Rule fucked this nigga up
ja rule went wild with the crutch on this nigga in hit factory, straight clapped this bitch ass nigga
ja rule killed this bitch ass nigga
Don’t be fooled. 50 was and still is bothered by the sales ass whipping given to him by Kanye. It signaled a change in direction for hip hop.
Well it seemed to do that but look at the direction has took commercially. I ain’t gonna blame that on Kanye.
Kanye’s album may have out sold 50’s, but 50’s single “I Get Money” out sold both albums sales put together.
A 99 cent song outsold a $10 album??? hmm (Yeah right!!)
yep it did, do your research!
ja rule totally destroyed 50
The end of 50’s career.
If you remember then can you remember to retire as well???