The Game and 50 Cent are constantly disputing each other’s claims about their working relationship in the mid-2000s, and the Compton rapper has now cleared the air about ghostwriting a massive hit attributed to his former ally.
During a recent interview with Bimma Williams of Amazon Music, the Compton rapper addressed the rumors that he wrote the hook for “What Up Gangsta” from Fif’s landmark debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin’.
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“I didn’t write ‘What Up Gangta’ for 50 — I was in there and part of the influence,” he clarified. “The way The LOX record music. Jada is, y’know, writing his verse, and Styles and Sheek is right there and they’re like, ‘Nah, say that,’ and you throw it in there.”
However, the California native did take credit for the song’s overt West Coast theme, saying: “Obviously, y’know, ‘What up, Blood? What up, Cuz? What up, Gangstaaa?’ is Los Angeles influenced.”
“50 a great writer, that’s what he do,” The Game said, making it clear that he wasn’t taking anything away from his longtime rival. “Especially anything that’s melodic, so hooks is his specialty, y’know what I’m sayin,’ and his verses be like his story, so he ain’t cappin.’”
He added: “He really ’bout that life, but n-gga, so am I, so that’s where we bumped heads at. But yeah, I didn’t do no writing for 50, 50 ain’t do no writing for me.”
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Despite clearing up the rumors and even throwing in a compliment, The Game made sure not to drift too far from their beef with pleasantries.
“50 is not a better writer than me,” he said. “Not a better lyricist, y’know what I’m sayin’? Better with melodies, hooks — that’s his thing, I’ll give him that. I’m not gonna take nothing away from nobody that’s good at what they good at, but as far as like lyricism, he can’t fuck with me.”
The Game and 50 Cent have both gone back and forth taking credit for each other’s career-defining material to some capacity.
Last year, during a Clubhouse session with Wack 100, The Game addressed 50’s well-documented claims that he wrote a good portion of his debut album, The Documentary. The Game clarified 50 only wrote “what you heard him say on the record” and didn’t help him write his own bars, before Wack dropped the bombshell about “What Up Gangsta?”
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Soon after, during an appearance on The Breakfast Club, the New York MC disputed the above claim entirely.
“[The Game] said he wrote ‘What Up Gangsta.’” Fif said. “I’m like, ‘C’mon, bro. You wasn’t even around when we did that. That was before you even came into the picture.’ That was Get Rich or Die Tryin’. We didn’t even know who he was until after. There’s a point when you [reach] desperation and you’ll say anything.”
