50 Cent Vs. Diddy: The Money Behind the Beef

I wrote recently about how the game of beef can help an artist boost their record sales. In the example I gave earlier this week, I mentioned Nicki Minaj vs. Lil Kim. But 50 Cent is the King of Beef, since he seems to have a beef with everyone other than Jesus.

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50 Cent Interview

BV asked 50 Cent how he thinks President Obama is doing so far:

"Well, we didn't give him enough time to judge his performance. He inherited the country in the worst state it's been in in a long time so to see adjustments being made – any adjustments – in a way, are good."

Ben Trivett, AOL

BlackVoices.com

50 Cent Interview

What is the future for 50 Cent and video gaming?:

"I would like to later create and then market and promote games that I am not also starring in. The possibility of successfully making those games is very real for me."

50 Cent Interview

Will two recently leaked tracks appear on the new album 'Before I Self-Destruct'?:

"We're not sure what we are going to keep. 'Should've Been You' was a song that I recorded for 'The Detox.' That was two years ago. And 'Do What it Do,' one that R. Kelly and I did together, it leaked out... When something leaks, you don't get a second chance at a first impression. So, I'm not sure that we will actually utilize [these songs] later. We'll see what happens."

50 Cent Interview

Did the wars in the Middle East influence the game design of 'Blood on the Sand'?:

"The situation of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are probably the most intense situations a person can face. We took all this into account when we were creating the game."

50 Cent Interview

Where does 50 see his businesses developing?:

"More online. Video games, I have an interest in as well, but in general, people may choose not to go out as much. Their choice not to go out and spend money may mean creating that entertainment at home. The video games [and online entertainment] definitely help them do that."

50 Cent Interview

What can people expect musically from 'Blood on the Sand,' in addition to favorite tracks?:

"For people who are not into hip-hop there is a score produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Swizz Beatz. The musical component intensifies the actual experience."

50 Cent Interview

Which rapper is a real inspiration to Mr. Jackson?:

"I'm a big Ice Cube fan. I've seen him come from a space where he's created really aggressive content, because those are the circumstances he was under. And I've seen him grow into a position where he can do things different. Ice Cube would be one of those guys, from a hip-hop perspective, who I can respect their entire body of work."

50 Cent Interview

Who does 50 Cent pick as his sidekick while playing 'Blood on the Sand'?:

"It varies. Sometimes Tony, sometimes Banks. Rarely it's Whoo Kid. He's a sucka. Like, he's soft. In real life? Oh my God. It's cool for him to be in the game. I'm sure [when he's playing] he plays himself and makes me his sidekick. Like 'come on 50. Shut up.' He tells me all kinds of things when I'm not around."

50 Cent Interview

Who is 50 Cent's favorite rapper? What about album?:

"50 Cent is like my favorite rapper, to be honest with you. And I really like the 'Curtis' album. And 'Before I Self-Destruct' is better than the 'Curtis' album. It actually has that aggressive edge to it. It's that album I've been waiting on. But I really think 50 Cent is my favorite rapper. Oh and Eminem. And what's that guy's name? Dr. Dre. Yeah. Those are my favorite rappers."

50 Cent Interview

50 Cent recently took his quest for more beef right to the throne of Bad Boy Records, cussing out Diddy's name in the House of Blues. In front of his audience, 50 Cent said, "How many of ya'll like Puffy? F*ck Puffy and you can tell him I said it."

The funny thing about 50 Cent is that he is a man that is both brilliant and psychologically damaged. Any man who loses his mother at such an early age and then spends his youth in the crack-infested streets of Brooklyn, being shot several times in the process, is going to have major trust issues. I can also gladly point out that, as a business school professor, 50 Cent deserves high marks for the manner by which he's elevated his brand and built wealth on such a massive scale. He's now worth several hundred million dollars and runs a multitude of profitable businesses, with the bulk of his wealth coming from activities that don't involve making records.

I've never met 50 Cent, but I know people who've met him in person. The one thing they consistently say about 50 Cent is that while he might be a bit strange, he incredibly intelligent and calculated. The same can be said about Diddy. So, while 50 Cent's attack on Diddy might be both personal and genuine, there is the strong possibility that both of these black moguls are simply playing the profitable game of hip hop. Therefore, I don't take the beef seriously, and I bet they don't take it that seriously either.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.