RapBasement.com:Ok what can we expect on your upcoming album as far as collab and what not?

50 Cent: Collabs? Me and Em, Me and Dre, Me and Busta, then a joint with Trina

RapBasement.com: How did you hook up with Dre and Eminem?

50 Cent: Oh we went to the joint with G Unit, Loyd Banks and Tony Yayo but um I hooked up with Dre and Em through my attorney and Eminem's attorney, they kinda came up together, they had a relationship. He gave him a cd called "Guess Who's back?" that I had put out at the time, and gave it to Em and Em was in the middle of finishing up "The Eminem Show" so he didn't get a chance to listen to it, then right after he listened to it and he told Paul "gotta get him, i need to um to um get this guy" so they flew me to Los Angeles. They called me like Friday at 9 o'clock, you know how niggas taking a meeting, usually happens between Monday through Friday between 9-5. So they called and flew me to Los Angeles I came out so I met with them the next day, so I actually met with them on Saturday. Me Em and Dre, first me and Em met at one of his release party, then the next day it was me Em and Dre, we met. He was actually in the studio editing the 8 Mile film when we in fact came there. But when I had left, I had made this decision that I wanted to be on Shady/Aftermath, before I left just cuz the idea of being signed to them, of not having anyone trying to censor me, was a great idea.

RapBasement.com: No Doubt, Are Either Eminem or Dre contributing any beats to your album?

50 Cent: Yes, both of them.

RapBasement.com: Aight. Nas said that you was mad at him. Is there any truth to that?

50 Cent: Ya there’s truth to it. I just, ya know.. Me and Nas, I thought me and Nas had a relationship, you know? where we kick it and shit where we call each other, he call me I call him and Um.. Really it started off when I dropped 'How To Robb', he um, he took me in and shit. He let me go with them on tour, his Nastradaumas tour, his promo tour. So I was like.. I know his audience, The people that listen to Nas music, listen to lyrics, so they would understand 50 Cent ones, so I was excited about going on tour with them. Mean while everythings cool, then it's like over time different situations happened like I got shot up all these different situations. And, when im coming back from being shot up, I get the Jennifer Lopez record, and this was the first record Im really doing, doing publically be like notice 50 cent and Jennifer Lopez. I did some other records in the street that was that was really bubblin in the hood but they wasn't no main stream record that would get me back into position to make moves. So when um the Jennifer Lopez record came, I was excited about it a little bit and then, Nas when they made the change switched it from 50 cent on the record to Nas, that was Irv called and he was like "yo why you wanna do business with 50, hes exactly like he says he is on those records, you know like what happens when he gets upset and flips on Jennifer" or whatever or however, so he was trying to use me against me, you know and it obviously didn't work but I was thinking Nas didn't have a relationship with them, that he would at least reached out to tell me what was going on, not that he would of called me to ask for permission to work with them, cuz hes a grown man he can make his own business decisions make a deal whatever he wanted to, but just to say 'yo I um, this Jennifer record they called me to do it over'

RapBasement.com: How did the beef with Ja Rule start? And is it strickly on wax or would you take it to the streets?

50 Cent: Well we have, it's different, well when it's on wax it stays on wax, when it's something else, it's not really wax. Me and him don't get along period. You know what I mean? It is what it is. To expand on it, I mean he will say anything out of his mouth to try and get attention. Like I mean he ain't a 110 pounds with change in his pockets soaking wet, and still make like "i need a lot of protection from him" it's crazy, but I couldn't pay for the promotions priceless.

RapBasement.com: I mean how did the beef exactly start?

50 Cent: It started cuz, I know someone, a friend of mine robbed him, and after he robbed him he saw me in the club, you know we was kicking it, he saw me kicking it with the kid that robbed him and he feel like he wasn't saying anything to the kid that robbed him but he felt like he could treat me differntly cuz im supposed to be like his peer because we both rap but the things that you go through make you who you are not what you decide to do with your career but the difference between Ja Rule and 50 Cent is a big difference.

RapBasement.com: What is your posistion on internet piracy on music like napster and other programs?

50 Cent: I don't have a problem with that. I think people want to see, people were tried of being cheated, by music, by buying albums that have one good record two good records, I think they are checking. I think that even people who download music will go out and buy the cd, after they hear it and hear a lot of good music on it.

RapBasement.com: It should motivate artists to make more complete records.

50 Cent: Ya like I think, the bootleggers, I think mix tapes are like black market distribution, I think bootleggers are effective for new artists. Once they get a buzz strong enough for them to bootleg them, they can circulate music to the point that they become popular.

RapBasement.com: No doubt. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

50 Cent: Ah Man, Im gonna have a huge company in 5 years. Record company, all different kinds of companies. I want to make investments. I want to look to places where theres nothing there, then imagine something and put them there buildings, kinda like Bugzi seagal and the flamingo.

RapBasement.com: Where do you stand on the whole Eminem and Benzino Diss?

50 Cent: Thats not beef.

RapBasement.com: Its like gone beyond that?

50 Cent: That ain't no beef, thats benzino taking a shot at Em trying to get some attention.

RapBasement.com: Im sure you have heard the latest benzino diss haven't you? talking about killing his daugther and stuff?

50 Cent: Ya, yo hes reaching. I mean you know, you could have investments that work if your not content with your situation your always going to make a fool of yourself cuz your not happy with where your at. Like you got a company, you um hes a part owner of the source magazine, but thats not what he wants to be, he wants to be a hot rapper, so he um give his own album 4 mics, put himself on the cover, its crazy hes probably the only rapper been on the cover of the source magazine that doesn't have a hit.

RapBasement.com: Ya then hes got his 2 page ads and stuff like that

50 Cent: Ya 2 pages ads in your own magazine, it's all good. It's not even something I got to say for them to figure out themselfs. But thats about over right now Em's not putting any more energy or even going to respond to questions about Benzino.

RapBasement.com: How do you feel about Ja Rule saying he would take down Shady Records, if Dre and Eminem alowd you to diss him on your upcoming album.

50 Cent: I felt, Im tripin, Im excited about him being so stupid you know? You would think with person having that type of success that they would have to atleast have some type of business sence.

RapBasement.com: I don't see how he gets off thinking hes that much higher after how many weeks The Eminem Show been out and it's 20 on the charts his albums been up 3 weeks and it's at 25.

50 Cent: How about what he his first week, he did double the sixth week

RapBasement.com: I mean in 3 weeks he's fell below where Eminem is after 25 weeks, so I dont see.

50 Cent: Theres no comparison, to him and Eminem. I don't even know where he sticks his mouth to say that where you get in a circle full of people who you provide for cuz there is, cuz he does generate money and you know what I mean? hes probably the strongest artist on Murder Inc. So that whole camp has to feel that hes the bread winner, so because of that, they will treat him like he's ill, like he has some pull in your own circle. What happens is you start to believe that then feel like you run shit, even making that statement, how can he stop any body from doing something, no body got to ask him to sign, it bothers him that 50 Cent is in posistion, hes intimidated.

RapBasement.com: Well he said that even before the record was on the 8 Mile soundtrack, where you come at Ashanti and Charli

50 Cent: Ya, they didn't hear any of that. That's what allowed that to happen you see what I'm saying? Like if your mouth, if you didn't say that, I would appear to be an idiot that just wanted to start trouble even here you understand what im saying? But the fact that he jumps out on his mouth like that they like whatever it's not going to go away, its going to be what it is, let him deal with it.

RapBasement.com: Radio's just got his head swole up, it seems like cuz his sales have never been you know up, you know hes not on the Eminem level.

50 Cent: It's not, its no where near that.

RapBasement.com: I mean he can sing with his little girls or whatever and get it on the radio.

50 Cent: He said theyre murders, but it's 3 girls and a guy, so it's more like the charlies angels.

RapBasement.com: I read in The Source that you got 3 albums coming out in 2003, is that still the game plan?

50 Cent: Uh huh, yep. I got my solo album coming out February 11th and um The G Unit record, cuz Im in the stages of negociations my record company now, it will be done shortly. Plan to release the G Unit album, almost like the Ruff Ryders volume 1, kinda like a complilation but it's just me Loyd Banks and Tony Yayo and it should be um released in August, it should be ready. Im almost 8 songs into that album now, so Im about to finish it now.

RapBasement.com: Do you feel that when you signed with Shady/Aftermath, that it just put you on a much larger scale main stream?

50 Cent: Absolutely. Absolutely, I mean I can say this to y'all I came out, there isn't a lot of leaders in the music business, I came out I met with Eminem and Dr Dre, I had offers that were decent offers for the deal, but this is my third record deal. I was signed to Jam Master Jay first, then I signed to Columbia Records, then I did the Shady deal, but I was being pationent you know? So I come out and meet with them, after the meeting, it did nothing but sky rocket to the point its like that 1.6 million they was offering me to do 4 albums as a solo artist. It was great. The numbers great, but the companyies not better then, but the chemistry's not going to be as good as Eminem me and Dr Dre working together. So I went back and did the deal with Dre and Em.

RapBasement.com: Are you surprized by the support radio and mtv and such has shown for the single 'Wanksta'?

50 Cent: na, I thought that record was hot, I had made the record and I had enjoyed the record myself, so when they reacted to it I was like yo it's working. At first 'Wanksta' wasn't on the 8 Mile soundtrack, I had made 'Places to Go' for the actual soundtrack, then 'Wanksta' took off, then it started. It went to mix show radio in New York, cuz A-Class mix tapes dj's have mix show radio play, so you put a song on mix tapes, that is really hot, thats getting a real response it might show up on mix tape radio.

RapBasement.com: No doubt. Last but not least, is there any dates set for any other projects besides your solo for the next year?

50 Cent: Na not the actual date, but it's coming in August, the G Unit album and um 4th quarter Im trying to come back, I'll be back out with um with um a solo ablum probably late November.

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