In an interview with XXL magazine recently, 50 Cent discussed the rap careers of G-Unit members Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo who left the Interscope record label a short time ago. “[People wonder], how do you fall out of the public eye? Because you don’t have any material that’s being marketed and promoted,” 50 explained. “Interscope is a system that’s in a different space…they got rid of sixty percent of their staff. But we’ll put [Banks and Yayo’s] projects together and find a way to put them out.”
Banks also spoke to MTV about his and Yayo’s departure from the powerhouse label. “I was ready to make a move,” he said. “I’m a brand new engine. If anything, it’s their loss. It’s been a dark shadow cast upon that. That’s why you hear [Funkmaster] Flex on the radio [boycotting Interscope], because it’s an aura created around that machine and the artists automatically get smacked in the head.”
There are no details on when G-Unit will see their next album release.
In other news, Houston rapper Short Dawg will join Lil Wayne’s crew as the newest addition to the Young Money record label. After having bad luck with the Russell Simmons Music Group and So So Def in the past, the young artist anticipates a solo release on Young Money, and will make an appearance on the group’s compilation album due out on Dec. 21.
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“It was an ‘about time’ type thing,” he said about the deal. “We all been cool. Everybody’s been seeing me. We all been hanging on tour buses, going out of town together.”
Akon, Pimp C, Bun B, and Too Short will make guest appearances on the debut LP.
Shyne is also reportedly in the studio this week, making new music. According to radio personality Angie Martinez’ Twitter, “[Shyne is] gr8! doing lots of giving back. big producers & execs been flyin 2 Belize & music is coming! :)”
If the reports are true, this will be the first time the rapper has hit the studio since his release from prison earlier this year and his subsequent deportation.
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Lastly, Coolio’s previously scheduled Mixed Martial Arts match against Eric Martinez has been called off due to low ticket sales. The event, which was supposed replace the abandoned match headlining rapper DMX, only sold a reported few hundred tickets. Promoters of the fight partially blamed DMX for the botched match.
“Thunder Promotions LLC had expended a great deal of time, effort, and money promoting an event that was to be headlined by the rap personality DMX. When he decided to back out of the event due to our refusal to fix his fight, it left [us] with little time to promote an event with a replacement headliner.”
Coolio, who previously shared his anticipation for the fight, has not yet commented on the issue.
