When an artist competes with Jay Z, most times it doesn’t end well for the other guy, but 50 Cent explains his competition with Hov is necessary.
“You need someone to work off; everybody does, wherever you’re at. It doesn’t always have to be negative. I’m happy where I’m at, so why wouldn’t I be happy where he is,” Fif said on Monday night when he took part in a special town hall-style interview that aired on SIRIUS XM’s Shade 45.
During the hour-long sit-down, Fif referenced Hov on two different occasions. First he reflected on Jigga’s initial retirement from rap after 2003’s The Black Album, something 50 insinuates he had a little something to do with.
“You gotta say, ‘Where was Jay Z from 2003 to 2006?’ I sold 23 million records between 2003 and 2006. He stopped making music and said I’m gonna go be the president of a record [company]. Like I quit,” the G-Unit CEO said, while fielding fan questions and playing new tracks from Animal Ambition, out June 3.
Fif then pointed to the success that Jay’s wife Beyoncé experienced, and grouped her individual success as a win for the couple. “When he signed the Beyoncé contract and was like, ‘Yeah men lie, women lie, numbers don’t.’ That sh– is a tough one to beat,” 50 said before laughing and singing the infamous “uh-oh” portion of Bey and Jay’s 2003 single “Crazy in Love.”
“I can’t really get with it. When she start doin’ that I was like ‘God damn, he done went and got breasts,”’ Fif said jokingly.
The back and forth between Jay Z and 50 began in 1999 after Fif name-dropped Hov on his dis song “How to Rob.” Jay responded with a lyric at Hot 97’s Summer Jam when he rapped to the crowd “I’m about a dollar what the f–k is 50 cents?”
Since then, the relationship has been touch and go. 50 toured with Jay in 2003 and 2007. Jigga appeared on a remix to Fif’s “I Get Money” single. So while they don’t have anything close to a rap beef, 50 does acknowledge their individual desires to win.
“First time I worked with an artist outside of New York was UGK, Bun B and Pimp C. So that was in ’98. We did a song called ‘As the World Turns,’ it was a pimp record and then after I got shot, Jay did ‘Big Pimpin’,” 50 pointed out.
“I don’t know where he got the idea from? I don’t know, maybe if my record was like a pimp record maybe he got the idea from me, but I don’t know where he got the idea from,” he continued with a heavy dose of sarcasm.
You can catch a replay of 50 Cent’s Town Hall on SIRIUS XM’s Shade 45 on Tuesday at 12 p.m. ET and Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET
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