50 Cent And The Game — Doomed From The Very Beginning?
 
The problems started almost as soon as they began working together.

 

You know the saying "you're always the last to know"? On Monday evening, radio listeners in New York were privy to news that the G-Unit were severing ties with the Game before he even knew.

Late that afternoon, Game had been a guest of Hot 97's Angie Martinez and downplayed the rumors of problems between himself and 50 Cent (see "50 Drops Game From G-Unit; Shots Fired At Radio Station"). Simultaneously, 50 and the rest of the G-Unit were telling a different story on rival station Power 105.1.

"Where does he stand with your camp?" Power 105.1's Ed Lover asked 50.

"Across the street or around the corner," he answered. "He's not in my camp. Not after being that disrespectful."

50 was angry that Game had gone on Hot 97 Saturday and said he was going to make a song with 50's lyrical foe Nas and that he has no problem with people like Jadakiss and Fat Joe, who get dissed on 50's "Piggy Bank" (see "50 Cent's LP Pushed Up, Harsh 'Facts' Sound Like Disses On Leaked 'Piggy Bank' ").

50 went on to claim he wrote on more songs on Game's The Documentary than he was credited for, including "Church for Thugs," "Special" and "Higher."

"I did so much on his record, I did six records," 50, who is featured on The Documentary's "Hate It or Love It," "Westside Story" and "How We Do," scoffed. "To take the time and energy from what I'm doing on my record and create his record, then have him go off at his mouth like that and be disrespectful ... He'll wake up when it's time for him to do his next record."

50 prophesized that Game's sophomore LP would only sell 500,000 copies.

Meanwhile, down the dial, Game was being told by listeners who were calling in that 50 was publicly dissing him. When they asked what he planned to do about it, Game said, "I'mma remain 'hood and keep making that good gangsta music. I'mma let them talk. I'mma play the background, let that man do what he do and keep it Compton."

The Game and 50's marriage was never a natural union to begin with. Game was originally signed solely to Dr. Dre's Aftermath imprint, working on his album for a couple of years before Interscope Chairman Jimmy Iovine proposed bringing Game into the G-Unit fold. Iovine talked to Dre, who called in 50.

"They came up with the idea that I should roll with G-Unit because they already have a crazy buzz and they selling albums," Game told MTV last spring. "They got the East and they got the South; I'm from the West, obviously. I'm young and I'm hungry just like them. 50 is still in the streets, he's still hungry, still blowing up, and [Lloyd] Banks and [Young] Buck are doing their thing, so why not put the kid from Compton with these cats since they already out there? All they missing is the West Coast, and then you have a universal group."

"Game had actually been on Aftermath for two years before they gave me the opportunity to do the project with Dre," 50 told MTV in January. "I think creatively they were stuck a little, but then when I was brought in we were able to add new energy. They got excited about the project, brought him out, we recorded like nine records at the house in Farmington, [Connecticut]. He went back to Los Angeles with the records, Dre liked them, and I just got him re-motivated and he went in and finished up the album."

With Dre and the rest of Interscope fully behind Game's The Documentary, 50 said he felt neglected when it was time for his The Massacre LP to get its proper shine.

"There was points that I felt like the tail was wagging the dog, 'cause I was supposed to come out February 15 and Game was slated for January 18," 50 said. "The energy at Interscope Records feels crazy when you got artists based in the West Coast and they haven't had much come out of the West for a long time. When they start rallying around it, you could feel the energy. And then [Game] being right there from the West, the train runs down one track. So I'm sitting there waiting for that train to roll past me so I can get myself situated."

50 nearly missed the train. Monday on Power 105.1, he openly griped to Ed Lover that he felt a little neglected by Dr. Dre, who was tied up with Game. 50 said he was in L.A. for months waiting to be Dre's main focus. With that taking longer than he expected, the hulk from Queens started gathering beats from a litany of other producers and only ended up with two Dre songs on The Massacre.

"I can't sit there while he's tied up on another project," 50 fumed on the radio. "I love Dre, but if he's confused with what direction he wants to go in after this, my next album will have the same 20 cuts this album has on it, but it will be sold as a double CD. It will fulfill my requirements with Interscope Records. It will be the end of my Shady/Aftermath [deal] and I will move forward in my career as a Shady/G-Unit artist."

50 and Game's relationship got off to a rocky start almost immediately when a freestyle surfaced at the beginning of last year featuring Game and Joe Budden. Game and Budden didn't actually record their verses together, but Budden was accused by the G-Unit of taking subliminal shots at 50, Buck and Lloyd Banks. A lyrical beef between Budden and the G-Unit ensued.

In the coming months, Game would adopt many of 50's beefs, including quarrels with Murder Inc. and the Silver Back Guerilla crew's Bang Em Smurf and Domination. Game was even featured on several mixtape records with the G-Unit crew. The machine seemed to be rolling with no problem.

"When we all in the studio, man, it's just crazy creativity," Game said last spring. "I'll use the LOX to kind of explain it, because when you got Jada, you got [Styles], you got Sheek, all these are MCs and they are all street, bringing something different to the table. Then when they jell you never have a problem, you never catch writer's block, you feed off one another. So that's what we try to do when we in there, and it's usually 50 that's the more creative 'cause he's real melody-driven, so it's usually him coming up with the song format.

"Then after that it's just me, Banks and Buck that take it. Now that [Tony] Yayo's home," Game continued (see "G-Unit's Tony Yayo Finally Out Of Prison"), "it just adds more base to a foundation that's already in its mold. It's crazy, man, the creativity, it's easy. We're knocking out three songs in a matter of an hour and a half. "

As early as this past summer, though, rumors about small instances of tension started spreading. 50 has confirmed in magazines and on radio that he vetoed Game appearing on the Diplomats' Jimmy Jones' solo debut, On My Way to Church, and thought Game appearing in the video for Jones' first single, the "Certified Gangsta" remix, was a mistake. According to 50, the public's first look at Game in a music video should have been in "How We Do."

As Game's popularity started growing in anticipation of his LP, more grumbling in the camp started to leak out, with sources attributing the gripes to everything from jealousy to Game's failure to follow orders from the G-Unit captain. Everyone affiliated with the G-Unit publicly denied the friction. Behind closed doors, however, tensions were obviously brewing, and only this year did Game go public, saying that he and 50 do butt heads once in a while and that they even had a shoving match (50 denies any physical altercation with Game).

Game and 50 were able to hold things together, even joining forces to perform on "TRL" in January. Well, there is no more fronting. Game has been banished from the G-Unit permanently, and 50's sentiments of disdain for Game have been seconded by Olivia, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo and even Young Buck.

Game said Monday on Hot 97 that Buck was the only G-Unit member he was 100 percent cool with, but while Game was giving shout-outs to the Mayor of Cashville, Buck Marley was dissing Game on Power 105.1, saying, "Game is pretty much just a rapper. ... He's not what he says he is. ... He's one of them dudes that throws his bricks and hides his hands."

Later that night, 50, Banks, Olivia and Yayo appeared on Hot 97 with more sour words for Game.

"He went overseas, he heard the people screaming 'Game' and he bugged out on us," 50 fumed to Funkmaster Flex. "I think he has a problem with my position. I think he'd like to be 50 Cent, the head of the situation."

A shooting incident at Hot 97 would later interrupt Flex's show. Listeners could hear a voice in the studio away from the mic, asking, "What happened?" Another voice answered, "They shooting." Then another voice said, "Let's go. My n---as. My n---as!" Someone was gracious enough to say "Flex, sorry about that" as 50 and company were being whisked away.

Game was unable to be reached Tuesday (March 1), but sources close to the investigation said that on Monday night the Compton MC and some of his own crew went to Hot 97 while 50 and company were still on-air. Game and his people were not allowed in the building and, as police tell it, got into a confrontation with a group of men who were leaving Hot 97. A 24-year-old man police identified as Kevin Reed, from Game's hometown of Compton, California, was shot in the left leg and rushed to the hospital. Police said the man was not with 50's entourage. No suspects have been named, and no arrests have been made.

 

 

 

50 Cent's LP Pushed Up, Harsh 'Facts' Sound Like Disses On Leaked 'Piggy Bank'

50 Cent may have missed the original target date of February 15 for the release of his Massacre LP, however, the project is now coming to stores earlier than its rescheduled March 8 release. With the album leaking to the Internet and streets on Monday, Interscope says to look for the latest 50 Cent LP a few days earlier, on March 3
 
Rapper's The Massacre due out five days early thanks to Internet, street leaks.

The track causing the most stir since the album hit the black market has been the highly anticipated "Piggy Bank." 50 has done a ton of press in advance of the song, telling the world he was going to state "facts" about Fat Joe, Nas, Jadakiss, Ja Rule and Shyne.

What 50 calls "facts" some others will call "disses," as the G-Unit captain raps, "That fat n---a thought 'Lean Back' was 'In Da Club'/ My sh-- sold 11 mil, his sh-- was a dud/ Jada, don't f--- with me if you want to eat/ 'Cause I'll do your little ass like Jay did Mobb Deep."

Later, 50 takes aim at hip-hop's latest newlyweds, scoffing, "Kelis says her milkshake bring all the boys to the yard/ Then Nas went and tattooed the bitch on his arm."

As the record closes, 50 dares anyone who may have caught feelings because of the song to "do something now" — "You gotta so do something/ C'mon, man, everybody's listening."

Fat Joe says he will definitely respond to 50 Cent on his LP, All or Nothing, due March 3 (see "Fat Joe Pushes Back LP, Changes Title To All Or Nothing"). The other parties were unable to be reached for comment.

 

Jadakiss Looking Forward To 'Airing 50 Cent's Ass Out'
 
LOX rapper says 50 Cent's dis track the best thing that could have happened to him.

Jadakiss is finally speaking out in response to 50 Cent's dis track "Piggy Bank," and he can barely keep from smiling.

"This is the best thing that could have ever happened to us," Kiss exclaimed Tuesday in New York about how he and his crew feel. "As long as we do it right, we can't go wrong from this. I can sell, I can make Styles' album double platinum alone just off this whole thing. My album sales for Kiss of Death is gonna start going up off this whole thing. It's just swinging the momentum our way, which we needed."

Jada said he wasn't surprised by "Piggy Bank" coming out because he has "spies" close to the G-Unit camp (see "50 Cent's LP Pushed Up, Harsh 'Facts' Sound Like Disses On Leaked 'Piggy Bank' "). He was, however, flabbergasted by what he called a weak lyrical showing by 50 on the song.

"When I heard 'Piggy Bank,' I was happy," Kiss laughed. "I felt way worse when I heard [Beanie] Sigel's [dis] record [a few years back]. 'Piggy Bank' was funny to me. He's gotta have something else. That can't be it, it's garbage! I guess it was just a jab. But the power punch I'm gonna give him, that wasn't the right arsenal to start off the fight with."

On "Piggy Bank," 50 does say the track is just a warning shot, and hints he has more barbs up his sleeve. Kiss says that battle rapping is nothing new to him and he'll gladly go back and forth for as long as 50 wants.

"I just want to benefit off it," Jada said. "I need Styles' album to benefit off it. That's where the real response is gonna be, but until then, I'mma give you a whole plate of hors d'oeuvres to live with until it comes. This is right up our alley, and I got nothing to lose. I'm still gonna sell 900,000 records, I still can go in any 'hood and I still get love from the people. This is just helping me out."

Much like Fat Joe told MTV News last week, Jada thinks that 50's "Piggy Bank" is just a publicity stunt. As for Jada's thoughts about Game being booted from the G-Unit for saying he was staying out of the "Piggy Bank" beef (see "50 Drops Game From G-Unit; Shots Fired At Radio Station"), the LOX rapper says 50's gone mad.

"I don't know what's wrong with 50," Kiss said. "But I thank him for the opportunity to [let me] air his ass out."

Jada will "air" 50 out, on wax, in just a few days — he plans to release a response track or two to the mixtape circuit. Styles' Time Is Money, meanwhile, should be out sometime this spring.

 

 

Fat Joe Pushes Back LP, Changes Title To All Or Nothing
 
Joey Crack's new solo disc had previously been called Things of That Nature.

Another change for Joey Crack is that his long-talked-about solo LP has been pushed back one more time to April 26 due to some wheeling and dealing. His "Hold You Down" duet with Jennifer Lopez will now not only be on her Rebirth album, but on his disc as well (see "Fat Joe Nearly A No-Show To Flow With J. Lo"). Joe also went back in the studio and recorded about six new songs with producers Cool & Dre.

He's finally decided on an official first single: "So Much More." It's another heater for the clubs and finds Joe promising to make your hair stand up like "Growing Up Gotti" and referencing actress Brigitte Nielsen, minister T.D. Jakes and Snoop's "Drop It Like It's Hot," all in a jovial manner.

"I know you came to party, so get up on your feet," he raps on the chorus. Later on the hook he pays homage to Roger Troutman, singing, "I know you been searching for someone who satisfies you and gives you so much more."

Coming down the pike after "So Much More" will be "Get It Poppin" with Nelly, a call-and-response number on which the ladies agree to "get, get, get it poppin'."

 

Lil' Kim's Ex-Manager To Testify Against Her In Perjury Case
 
Damion Butler confesses to firing gun as part of plea bargain.

Prosecutors in Lil' Kim's perjury trial dropped an opening-day bombshell Tuesday, revealing that one of the very people the petite rap diva's accused of trying to protect — by allegedly lying to a federal grand jury looking into a 2001 shooting will not be returning the favor.

According to New York's Newsday, Assistant Manhattan U.S. Attorney Daniel Gitner informed jurors that Lil' Kim's former manager, Damion Butler, would provide testimony to support the prosecution's position that the rapper, born Kimberley Jones, lied about what she witnessed outside the offices of New York radio station Hot 97 on February 25, 2001 (see "Lil' Kim Indicted For Lying About Hot 97 Shootout With Capone").

As part of a plea bargain offered by prosecutors, Butler and a member of Lil' Kim's entourage, Suif Jackson, confessed they fired on members of rap group Capone-N-Noreaga that afternoon. The shooting is believed to stem from a beef between Lil' Kim and Foxy Brown, who dissed Kim on Capone-N-Noreaga's 2000 album, The Reunion.

Prosecutors also announced that Capone and members of Lil' Kim's former group, Junior M.A.F.I.A., would testify against her later in the proceedings.

In her grand-jury testimony, Lil' Kim denied that Butler and Jackson were at the scene of the shooting and even denied knowing Jackson altogether. The prosecution has promised to provide photographic and video evidence, along with the liner notes from one of Lil' Kim's albums, that will show she did, indeed, know both men. Jackson, prosecutors added, was a member of Junior M.A.F.I.A.

According to Newsday, Lil' Kim's lawyer, Mel Sachs, defended his client by saying the grand jury asked her more than 2,300 questions and instructed her to answer them to the best of her memory.

"She was frightened, she was scared, she was shocked," Sachs said of Lil' Kim at the time of the 2001 shooting. The paper reported that he later told jurors the prosecution was "strewing red herrings in your path and using window dressing to make you believe that [Lil' Kim] did something wrongful."