50 Cent recently appeared on Apple Music’s Rap Life Review, where he got into a passionate discussion with Ebro about the decline of New York hip-hop. During the conversation, Ebro also questioned why fans mostly hear new music from Fif through his film and television projects rather than traditional album releases.
In response, the G-Unit mogul appeared to take shots at older rappers while explaining why he does not plan to release another album and why he believes staying at the top of hip-hop at an older age is unrealistic.
“I’m not trying to be in the way,” 50 Cent said. “Hip-hop culture is connected to youth culture. You are not supposed to be the hottest in nothing at 60. F**k that, man… You can still sing, that’s love music… I still got love for music. I’m never going to lose that. I’ma always want to do something.”
He explained that his occasional music releases serve as reminders that he can still create, rather than attempts to compete for dominance in the genre.
“And those are like entries. It’s me putting a little piece or tap something in there for them to hear that I still do it, that I still got it. I don’t need [another album]…”
50 also criticized artists who release projects that do not connect with audiences.
“If it doesn’t sell, you keep it to your motherf***ing self. Motherf***er’ll tell you, ‘This is a personal album. I made this for this and that.’ Then why do I hear it, b***h? Nah, man… Tie it to something and just let it go.”
He added that he still enjoys collaborating with newer artists and follows the current generation of talent.
“I like Skilla Baby, DaBaby. A lot of new artists, I check them out… I’m not a critic…”
Some fans quickly interpreted the comments as a possible shot at Jay-Z. While 50 Cent did not directly mention Hov, his history of public remarks about Jay-Z has caused some people to connect the dots. Jay-Z turns 57 in December, and 50 has criticized him over the years regarding topics like business moves and staying relevant, though their rivalry has largely remained a lighthearted one.
Others responded by pointing to artists like Drake, who have maintained massive influence and mainstream success for nearly two decades. Since then, very few younger artists have been able to reach that same level of dominance, leading some to argue that the bigger challenge may be creating new superstars in today’s music landscape rather than older artists holding the genre back.
Meanwhile, 50 Cent continues to celebrate his success outside of music while also responding to critics. Those critics could simply be online commenters or longtime rivals, including Rick Ross.
