In a recent interview with London’s Metro newspaper, 50 Cent cited his label Interscope as to the reason he lost his 2007 chart battle with Kanye West, with the G-Unit general hinting that he may be done with the label – where his career really took off. Check an an extract from the feature below:
After building a career on being bulletproof, Fiddy came unstuck when his 2007 album release face-off with Kanye West – when he claimed he’d give up the rap game if West outsold him – didn’t work out so well.
‘Def Jam did a better job positioning Kanye West at that point,’ he concedes. ‘The entire time I’ve been at Interscope Records, they’ve been relying on my creative energy [read: feuds with other rappers] to move discs.’
Just as well latest album Before I Self Destruct, plus a greatest-hits compilation, see his obligations to Interscope completed. ‘Almost in the nick of time,’ he muses. ‘I didn’t even go to a staff meeting and play this album for them because they’re more confused than any group of people I’ve interacted with, ever.’ {Source}
If 50 put even half of the energy he does in running his mouth on his music, he’d be in a much better position than he is now. As great a business-man as he seems to be, I do question his logic in going off at everyone and their mother (see: Ja Rule, Jay-Z and co). For, in him knowing this business, no artist stays at the top forever and all eventually experience ‘the decline’ (in interest, sales etc). It’s just the way it is. Now he’s fishing for excuses as to why, whether he likes it or not, he’s becoming an increasingly fading entity (in the music realm). Sigh…