50's Rap Massacre

Ok, so this is a little late – but here’s the unedited version of a piece I recently did for Touch. The deputy ed got a bit carried away with the scissors, ya heard! This is the full thing, including Disco D quotes and with proper Elliott Wilson introduction (rather than ‘Elliot, editor of XXL)
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Two and a half years ago, impressed by mixtape heaters like ‘How To Rob’, Touch which was the first UK publication to feature Queens rapper Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson. Hailing him ‘the future of hip hop’ we had a fair idea of how huge Fiddy would eventually become, but even Touch was unprepared for the ensuing success, drama and commotion. During our conversation the soon to be multi-million selling rapper and head of G Unit, openly discussed beef with Nas, Ja Rule, Irv Gotti, and ‘Kenneth ‘Supreme’ McGriff. Fast forward to today and 50’s fight has since spread to anyone remotely affiliated with Murder Inc; Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Shyne and Nas are all called out on diss track ‘Piggy Bank’.

And then, in a bizarre twist, 50 turned against his own - West Coast’s hottest blood on the block, Jayceon ‘The Game’ Taylor, who had recently sold 550,000 copies of his album ‘The Documentary’ in just one week. Appearing on New York radio, 50 declared Game had been kicked out of G Unit, after numerous ‘disrespectful’ actions on the part of the Game.

So what gives? It seems somewhat suspect that ‘Massacre’ was released just days after 50’s airwaves announcement. Is the whole thing a cynical PR stunt dreamt up by Jackson to pump sales of his second album? Disco D, producer of ‘Massacre’s’ ‘Ski Mask Way’ thinks marketing might have played a part. “I think 50 had a situation he wasn't happy with and he capitalized it and used his weight to shift the situation in his favor,” he told Touch. XXL’s editor, Elliot Wilson agrees. “I think he was genuinely upset with the Game but I think the decision to air it out publicly was calculated.” If the whole thing was PR, then, damn, did it work– in one weekend 50 sold over a million albums. Incredible numbers. Whether he would still have sold so big without the extra publicity, I’ll guess we’ll never know.

While PR has undoubtedly played a part, and the way 50 has played on it is pretty wack, it does seem the feud is fairly real. According to 50, the Game refused to acknowledge the help 50 gave him on making ‘The Documentary.’ Calling the album “my EP” 50 revealed he not only gave Game several tracks already earmarked for ‘Massacre’ but that he muted his vocals in order to allow Game to copy hooks and rhyme patterns. If this is true, then 50 is a fool – he gave the guy some of the best beats heard this year -‘Higher’, ‘Church For Thugs’ and ‘Westside Story’.

Having given Game his heat, 50 became under-confident of his own product, so began making excuses for ‘Massacre’ before it even came out. “I didn't get a call for my beat until a week before Christmas - the first message was pretty collective and the second message actually had a hint of desperation in it,” reveals Disco D. “From what I had read, 50 was basically waiting around for Dre to finish The Game album and when Dre never really ponied up, 50 was thrust into a situation of going to almost entirely new producer blood and probably rushed his project.” Seems also Cent is jealous of the attention Dre has been paying Game. “I love Dre, but if he's confused with what direction he wants to go in... It will be the end of my Shady/Aftermath [deal],” 50 told Ed Lover.

Ultimately, 50 is perhaps pissed that the Game delivered a better album– and 50 Cent is not a man who likes to lose. Granted, 50’s always been a cocky so and so, it was the arrogance of ‘How To Rob’ that got us hooked on him in the first place. Lately though, whether he’s popping too many steroids, believing his hype or has simply lost the plot, 50 has gone too far. XXL’s Wilson thinks ego could have played some part. “50 is very competitive and wants to be seen as the biggest artist in the game. I think he was bothered by Games success. I think he’s a little bit of a megalomaniac and wants the attention whether it’s good or negative.”

Add to the pomposity, the growing wave of hateration from hip hop fans, and 50’s actions appear to be that of a panicked man. Having been booed offstage twice last year and sensed a rising backlash, has Cent been reduced to copying the actions of a man he much maligned? Wasn’t calling the hottest new rapper on the come up a ‘fake gangsta’ something that Ja did three years ago to 50? Is 50 the new Ja? Lets face it; they both love to sing a hook…

Having kissed and made up in Harlem last month, it seems all is well again at the Shady/ Aftermath/ G Unit camp. Well, yeah, now ‘Massacre’ has made the numbers 50 wanted, why not call off the beef? He clearly got what he wanted. While the Game should have given 50 his proper credit, and perhaps also needs a lesson in humility, Cent is coming off far worse – regardless how many millions he sells. Hip hop was always about getting respect for your skills, not how much money you made – so it’s a shame that 50, a man who had both, had to play himself out like this. Increasingly lost in his own self-importance, beefs with well-established rhymers piling up, and threatened by a hot up and comer, 50 simply looks shook– worried about his position and unsure of how to make it better. While I doubt Cent’s CD’s will be found in bargain bins anytime soon, lets hope it’s not too late for 50 to repair his rap rep.