In 50 years of hip hop, there have been countless infamous feuds, and two decades ago, 50 Cent and Ja Rule started one of the longest-running battles in the genre’s history.
In a classic 2003 Rolling Stone cover story, 50 Cent recounted to Touré the time he punched his soon-to-be rival in the face.
“One night in a club, 50 said “What’s up?” to a man he knew who happened to have stolen a chain from Ja Rule. Ja saw 50 talking to the man and felt disrespected. Thus began a feud,” the cover feature revealed.
Several diss records followed before things got physical one day in Atlanta when the pair found themselves staying in the same hotel; when 50 saw his rival, he pulled him aside for a chat.
“He was lookin’ real stupid,” 50 told Touré. “He had one of them little bats they give you at the baseball games for your kids. He had the li’l-tough look on his face… I let him go on for about a minute or two, and then I just punched him in his eye. I heard enough of that shit.”
Now that’s how you start a long-running feud. As 50 was unafraid to explain to Touré, anger was his most familiar emotion. “Somethin’ happen that another person might start crying about, I get mad,” he confessed. “Some people know how to express themselves emotionally and cry and do all that other shit. Me, emotionally, I’m, like, thirteen.”
That story and more is discussed in the latest episode of ‘Behind The Rolling Stone Cover’, a brand-new podcast takes readers behind the making of its iconic magazine covers.
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Rolling Stone AU/NZ Editor-in-Chief Poppy Reid read the full 2003 50 Cent cover feature in full. It follows previous episodes on Amy Shark and The Amity Affliction.
Stream the third episode of ‘Behind The Rolling Stone Cover’:
It’s a good time to read 50 Cent’s cover feature: the GRAMMY winner is currently celebrating the 20th anniversary of his seminal debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, which he’ll perform for fans in Australia and New Zealand later this year.
Get Rich or Die Tryin’ was the best-selling album of 2003 in the US. 50 Cent’s debut was also nominated for Best Rap Album at the 2004 Grammy Awards, only losing out to OutKast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.
After hitting North America and Europe, the rapper’s ‘The Final Lap Tour’ will head to Australia and New Zealand this December, taking in stops in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Auckland. (see full dates below).
The upcoming shows will see 50 Cent – real name Curtis Jackson – perform lots of fan favourite and chart-topping hits alongside select tracks that haven’t been performed live in decades.
50 Cent 2023 Australia & New Zealand Tour
Ticket information available via livenation.com.au or livenation.co.nz
Saturday, December 2nd
RAC Arena, Perth, WA
Monday, December 4th
Entertainment Centre, Adelaide, SA
Tuesday, December 5th
Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, VIC
Wednesday, December 6th
Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, VIC
Friday, December 8th
Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, NSW
Saturday, December 9th
Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, NSW
Sunday, December 10th
Entertainment Centre, Brisbane, QLD
Monday, December 11th
Entertainment Centre, Brisbane, QLD
Thursday, December 14th
Spark Arena, Auckland, NZ
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