Clifford Smith (born April 1, 1971), better known by his stage name Method Man, is an American rapper, record producer, actor, and member of the hip hop collective, Wu-Tang Clan. He has appeared in films and TV shows such as New York Undercover, Oz, CSI, How High, The Wire, Garden State, and Soul Plane, among others. He took his stage name from the 1979 film The Fearless Young Boxer, also known as Method Man. His name also refers to the slang "method", meaning marijuana in his native Staten Island. He is one half of the rap duo Method Man & Redman. He has also pursued an acting career since 1995, appearing in films, sitcoms, and television commercials.

Method Man is considered to be one of the most charismatic figures in rap today. Also known as Meth, Tical, Johnny Blaze, Hott Nikkels, MZA, and Iron Lung, the engaging MC has starred on hit singles and albums as a founding member of the hip-hop supergroup Wu-Tang Clan, solo, with current partner-in-rhyme Redman, and as a guest rapper on countless projects.

Method Man grew up as Clifford Smith, a youth who was shuttled between a delinquent father in Long Island and a mother on Staten Island, New York. In fact, Staten Island — dubbed "Shaolin" by the Clan — was where he met the men who would eventually become the Wu-Tang Clan. Smith grew up in the Park Hill projects with his mother and two sisters, one younger, one older. At various times he has claimed to have dropped out of high school in the ninth and eleventh grades, and sold and experimented with drugs. "Reality smacked me in the face early. That's why I don't like to talk about my childhood," Meth told Rolling Stone in late 1998. He then added, "I don't ever want anybody to feel sorry for me because of the way I came up. There are a lot of people who have it a hell of a lot worse than me."

During those years, Smith rapped and hung out with Robert Diggs (Prince Rakeem, aka the RZA) and his cousins Gary Grice (the Genius/GZA), and Russell Jones (Ol' Dirty Bastard). Years later, after Prince Rakeem and the Genius had suffered setbacks in the recording industry in the early '90s, the two gathered up Meth, Ol' Dirty Bastard, and newcomers Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Raekwon to form the Clan. The eight pooled their resources and recorded a single, "Protect Ya Neck/After the Laughter," on Wu-Tang Records in 1992. It sold 15,000 copies, leading to a unique deal with Loud Records, then a fledgling rap imprint for RCA. The label signed the group, while allowing its members to sign separate solo deals. "We have too much talent," Meth later observed. "You can't sign the whole Clan and just give them $300,000. That's worth one brother right there."

Loud then repressed the first single and added Meth's "Method Man" as the B-side. In December of 1993, the Wu-Tang Clan released their full-length, Enter the 36 Chambers. The now-classic album spawned several hit singles, including "Protect Ya Neck," "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthin to F--- Wit/Can It Be All So Simple" and "C.R.E.A.M./Da Mystery of Chessboxin'," which found Meth singing the memorable chorus "Cash Rules Everything Around Me/ C.R.E.A.M. get the money/ Dollar dollar bill y'all!"

Over the course of 1994, Enter the 36 Chambers went on to sell a million copies. By then, however, Method Man had released his first album, Tical. Despite its dark, grimy sound, Tical entered the Billboard charts at No. 4 and eventually gained platinum status. Three singles were released from it, "Bring the Pain (which inspired the Chris Rock HBO special)," "Release Yo' Delf" and "You're All I Need to Get By/I'll Be There." The third single, a remix of the album version featuring Meth and Mary J. Blige, became a crossover smash in 1995, charting at No. 3 and winning accolades from the New York Times as "the song of the summer."

Thanks to his gravelly voice, ultra-cool persona and knack for metaphor-laden rhymes, Method Man quickly became one of the most popular MCs of the mid-'90s. He appeared on a plethora of tracks by other artists, including those of the Notorious B.I.G. ("The What"), Shaquille O'Neal ("No Hook"), and Boyz II Men ("Vibin'"). In August of 1995, he teamed up with fellow Def Jam artist Redman for "How High," a surprise hit that dented the Billboard Top 20.

Throughout 1995 and '96, Meth continued to appear on solo efforts by Clan members Ol' Dirty Bastard, Raekwon ("Ice Cream"), Genius/GZA ("Shadowboxin'"), and Ghostface Killah. On Raekwon's album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx … he assumed the name "Johnny Blaze," a concept that became a catchphrase, the title of a magazine (Blaze), and even a clothing line, much to his chagrin. "I started it and mad heads are using it and ain't payin' homage," the rapper later complained.

All of this activity, coupled with the Wu-Tang Clan's own international fame, led to inflated, unrealistic expectations for the Clan's second album, Wu-Tang Forever. Though more than 600,000 copies of the double-CD were snapped up in its first week alone, its abstract, philosophical themes were met with a mixed response. Method Man, for one, felt the 1997 effort was ahead of its time. "[People] didn't understand what I was talking about," he observed. Nevertheless, Wu-Tang Forever went triple-platinum and earned a Grammy nomination for the Clan.

Following its release, the group attempted to embark on a tour with Rage Against the Machine and Atari Teenage Riot. But after several missed dates, scheduling conflicts, and an alleged altercation with a Loud A&R representative, the group abandoned the sold-out tour, inviting speculation about the group's behavior in the press and among its fans. Though Method Man later explained to Trace magazine that the promoters were "fronting on the cheddar," the debacle signaled the beginning of a downturn in the Clan's popularity.

Method Man's star, however, continued to rise, as he made tentative steps into acting with bit parts in 187, The Great White Hype, Copland, and Belly. He also continued to guest on other projects, including LL Cool J's "4,3,2,1," Redman's "Whateva Man," and Jayo Felony's "Whatcha Gonna Do." In November of 1998, Meth finally released the follow-up to Tical, Tical 2000: Judgement Day, which debuted at No. 2 and promptly went platinum.

In 1999, Method Man parlayed his growing friendship with Redman into a joint appearance on Jay-Z's Hard Knock Life tour, which set box-office records and grossed $18 million. During the tour, the two wrote a duet LP, America's Most Blunted ("I'm one of those '70s babies," Meth once told High Times), later changed to the more consumer-friendly title Blackout. It was released with much fanfare in late September, debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard charts with impressive first-week sales of over 254,000. Ironically, Garth Brooks bested Meth both times — the country superstar's Double Live kept Tical 2000 from the No. 1 spot, while his Garth Brooks In … The Life of Chris Gaines, released the same week as Blackout

Fat Joe

Joseph Antonio Cartagena (born August 19, 1970), better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper, and is signed to Imperial Records. Fat Joe also runs his own label Terror Squad Entertainment, where he is the CEO and main artist, also being a performer in its musical group Terror Squad among several other New York City-based rappers.

Fat Joe's first album was Represent, released in 1993, followed by Jealous One's Envy in 1995. From 1998 to 2006, he was signed to Atlantic Records, releasing three albums under the label, Don Cartagena in 1998, Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.) in 2001, Loyalty in 2002, and All or Nothing in 2005. Around the release of All or Nothing, Fat Joe was involved in a highly publicized feud with another New York City-based rapper 50 Cent, who attacked Fat Joe in his song "Piggy Bank", because Joe previously worked with Ja Rule. His hit singles have included, in his solo career, "Flow Joe", " Don Cartagena", "What's Luv?", "Get It Poppin", "I Won't Tell", and "Make It Rain". His most popular song in which he performed was "Lean Back" with Terror Squad, which was a number-one hit in the summer of 2004.

Starting in 2006, when his album Me, Myself, & I was released, Fat Joe was signed to Imperial Records, distributing his recordings through his own Terror Squad Entertainment. His second album to be released under the label is The Elephant in the Room, scheduled for a March 2008 release.

Music career

1993-1997: Early years

Under stage name "Fat Joe da Gangsta", and part of D.I.T.C., Cartegena was signed to Relativity Records in the early 1990s, recording material and working with many artists who he would later sign to his own label. In 1993, his debut album Represent was released, featuring production from The Beatnuts, Diamond D, Lord Finesse, and others. Its lead single "Flow Joe" peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart; other minor singles from the album included "Watch the Sound" and "This Shit is Real".

In 1995, Fat Joe released his second studio album, Jealous One's Envy, which peaked at #71 on The Billboard 200 and at #7 on Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums. The album featured a guest appearance from KRS-One and production from Diamond D. The lead single was "Success", which did not chart, but his second single, "Envy" peaked at #8 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart. The success of this album led Fat Joe to be featured on the remix of LL Cool J's single "I Shot Ya" along with Foxy Brown, Keith Murray and Prodigy of Mobb Deep.

1998-2005: Signing to Atlantic Records, Terror Squad

Released in 1998, Don Cartagena was Joe's third album and his first for Atlantic Records. It peaked on The Billboard 200 at #7 and #2 on Top R&B/Hip Hop albums, eventually being certified gold by the RIAA. The album featured two hit singles "Bet Ya Man Can't (Triz)", and "Don Cartagena". Guest appearances included Nas, Diddy, Big Pun, Raekwon, Jadakiss, and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Within the album, Fat Joe debuted his own group Terror Squad that consisted of the late Big Pun, as well as Cuban Link, Triple Seis, Prospect, Armageddon and later Remy Ma.

Joe himself acknowledged, in an interview with HipHopGame.com, that he has received criticism for releasing only one solo album by a former Terror Squad member, Remy Ma, as well as barely featuring original members Prospect and Armageddon on "True Story." Terror Squad singer Tony Sunshine has had possible album release dates pushed back over three years, and Joe had stated that artists Prospect and Armageddon have not released solo albums yet as the result of them being "really lazy". Former Terror Squad member Triple Seis also went on record when asked who had written Fat Joe's lyrics, stating that he and Pun were Joe's ghostwriters, and asserts that Joe continues to hire ghostwriters.

Fat Joe released his fourth album Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.) in 2001, featuring production from the then-popular Irv Gotti. The album featured a star-studded line up from the likes of Ashanti, Ja Rule, N.O.R.E., Busta Rhymes, Petey Pablo, M.O.P., Ludacris, R. Kelly, Buju Banton, and artists from his Terror Squad label. The lead single "We Thuggin'" featuring R. Kelly was a big hit in late 2001, but would not reach the level of the Irv Gotti-produced "What's Luv?" which was a massive hit in early 2002 and featured Murder Inc. superstars Ja Rule and Ashanti. The album was Fat Joe's biggest hit as it was successful from its January release all the way into May, being certified platinum. However, Fat Joe's fifth album Loyalty, out in 2002 and featuring production from Irv Gotti, was not as successful.

In 2003, Fat Joe was featured in the pop single "I Want You" by Mexican singer Thalía. The same year, he and Tony Sunshine performed the single "Crush Tonight" from Loyalty on the Comedy Central program Chappelle's Show, hosted by comedian Dave Chappelle.

Despite the setback, Fat Joe scored a number-one hit in 2004 with his group Terror Squad, collaborating with Remy Ma on the Scott Storch production "Lean Back" from the album True Story. The song was criticized twice by conservative columnist L. Brent Bozell III for its extensive use of obscene language. However, Jason Birchmeier of All Music Guide called the song "a perfect club-ready duet between Joe and Remy that boasts a trademark Scott Storch beat and a memorable singalong hook (and dance-along step)"

Three years later, in 2005, Fat Joe released his sixth album All or Nothing, noted for featuring the popular diss track "My Fofo" aimed at fellow New York rapper 50 Cent, who had dissed Joe for recording with Ja Rule. All or Nothing spawned the singles "So Much More" and "Get It Poppin" featuring Nelly, also with guest appearances from Eminem, Ma$e, Remy Ma, Mashonda, and R. Kelly.

Consequently, 50 Cent attacked Fat Joe in his 2005 song "Piggy Bank" from his album The Massacre. Fat Joe, subsequently, attacked 50's street credibility and called him a "Genius" on a phone interview with Kay Slay of New York City hip-hop radio station WQHT. Fat Joe also released a track criticizing 50 Cent in his 2005 album All or Nothing titled "My FoFo" (referring to his .44). What many considered odd, in the same year that Ma$e worked with Fat Joe, he worked with 50 and he was in 50 Cent's video Window Shopper.

At the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, while Fat Toe introduced the reggaeton act featuring Daddy Yankee, Joe remarked, "I feel safe with all the police protection, courtesy of G-Unit." Shortly after, when MTV switched to a commercial break, 50 Cent directed an obscenity at Joe, and 50 Cent jumped on stage as Fat Joe was leaving.

2006-present: Terror Squad Entertainment signing

Me, Myself & I, released in 2006, is Fat Joe's seventh album. It was his first album released on his new deal with Virgin Records. It was his first album since Jealous One's Envy not to receive RIAA certification. It featured the hit single "Make It Rain" with southern rapper Lil Wayne, followed by "No Drama (Clap and Revolve)".

In June 2007, the Reverend Michael Pfleger targeted Fat Joe as among several rappers he believed promoted misogyny in his billboard campaign "Stop Listening to Trash", which was launched June 18, 2007 throughout Chicago, Illinois, where Pfleger preaches. Also that month, Fat Joe was featured in the DJ Khaled singles "We Takin' Over" and "Brown Paper Bag" from the album We the Best, alongside several other performers.

In September of 2007, on the BET program Rap City, 50 Cent again criticized Fat Joe, who responded in early January of 2008 on Rap City that 50 Cent's criticism was nonsense and that he was just trying to re-introduce the earlier feud from 2005 from 50 Cent's song "Piggy Bank". Later in January, 50 Cent released another Fat Joe diss, called "Southside Nigga (I'm Leaving)".

Fat Joe's eighth solo studio album The Elephant in the Room is to be distributed by Imperial Records, a division of Capitol Records and Terror Squad Entertainment, and released on March 11, 2008. At the end of January 2008, Fat Joe and his longtime accountant Brian Dittrich both denied rumors spreading on the Internet that Fat Joe owed the IRS in taxes. MTV News has also reported that Fat Joe had chosen not to include a planned cover of Eddie Murphy's song "Party All the Time" in the album, and that Joe is still in the process of completing the album.

It was believed Benzino, a man well known because of the feud with Eminem, was targeting Fat Joe, saying he slept with Fat Joe's wife Lorena in the magazine Hip-Hop Weekly. Read about it here. Fat Joe recently stated that the whole front cover was photoshopped(therefore fake) and really, this edition of the magazine has Young Buck on the front of it.

Discography
Main article: Fat Joe discography

Solo albums
1993: Represent (as Fat Joe da Gangsta)
1995: Jealous One's Envy
1998: Don Cartagena
2001: Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.)
2002: Loyalty
2005: All or Nothing
2006: Me, Myself & I
2008: The Elephant in the Room

Mixtapes
2008: Un-Named Fat Joe Mixtape

Collaboration albums

With D.I.T.C.
2000: D.I.T.C.

With Terror Squad
1999: Terror Squad
2004: True Story
2008: A New Story[25]

Filmography
Thicker Than Water (1999) - Lonzo Medina
Prison Song (2001)
Empire (2002)
Scary Movie 3 (2003)
Happy Feet (2006) - voice of Seymour

LUDACRIS

Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. He is the co-founder, along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings. Ludacris is tied with Nelly for the title of the hip-hop solo artist with the second most Billboard Hot 100 number-one hits (four each). He has sold more than thirteen million records in the U.S. alone. He is also the rapper with the most Top 40, Top 25 and Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 Hits of all time.

Early in his elementary years his family lived in Champaign, Illinois. He attended Emerson Middle School and eventually Oak Park and River Forest High School for his freshman year. His family then moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he attended Banneker High School.[1] His father exposed him to a wide range of music in his earlier years.He is also a graduate of Georgia State University.

Early life
Luda was born Christopher Brian Bridges in Illinois, the son of Roberta Shields and Wayne Brian Bridges, he is born to an African-American father and American mother. His family moved to live in Atlanta, Georgia and in this time his father exposed him to all kinds of music ranging from Hip Hop to Rock. At nine years old, he started rapping, soon being influenced to pursue his own career as a rap musician.


Music career

Early career
Ludacris first revealed his personality to local media as the radio DJ Chris Lova Lova at Hot 97.5 (which later became Hot 107.9), an urban radio station in Atlanta, Georgia. His first shot at of exposure was when he pinned lyrics for the "Swing My Way"(remix) by KP and Envyi on East West Records America in 1998. Luda also had his opportunity to gain commercial exposure when hip hop producer/rapper Timbaland heard him on Atlanta radio. Timbaland contacted and offered Luda to work with him at the radio station. Timbaland then produced a beat for Luda in the radio station. The two worked together and made Luda's recorded debut on "Phat Rabbit", a track from Timbaland's 1998 album Tim's Bio: Life from da Bassment. He currently owns a house in Centreville, Virginia (where his mother lives and he visits regularly), along with a house in Los Angeles and his permanent residence in Atlanta.


Although Jermaine Dupri showed interest in signing Luda, he decided to take matters into his own hands and released the album Incognegro independently in 1999. The album sold over 50,000 copies with most of them sold out of the trunk of his car. Through Scarface, Def Jam Records signed Luda in 2000 and created a new imprint, Def Jam South, around him. Def Jam then re-released a newer version of Incognegro, titled "Back for the First Time". The album launched Luda's career as a Southern rapper. Luda had more of a comedic rapping style earlier in his career.


Entrepreneur

Restaurateur
In April 2008, he will launch his latest business venture, Straits Atlanta, bringing Singaporean cuisine to the artist’s hometown. The restaurant is the fourth of its kind: Ludacris’ partner in the venture, Chef Chris Yeo owns three other restaurants in the Straits brand in San Francisco, San Jose and Burlingame, California. Straits Atlanta, will further incorporate Georgian ingredients into the menu. The upscale $2.7 million dollar restaurant will open in Midtown Atlanta, in a building purchased by Ludacris nearly one year ago. Ludacris has also invested almost $1,000,000 dollars into renovating the building. Two more restaurants are in the works.


Music

Chicken-n-Beer
During the spring of 2003, Luda returned to the music scene after a brief hiatus with a new single, "Act A Fool," from the 2 Fast 2 Furious soundtrack. At around the same time, he released the lead single from his album Chicken-N-Beer, called "P-Poppin" (short for "Pussy Poppin'"), which is heavily inspired by Too $hort. Neither of his new singles were as well-received by either the urban or pop audiences as his previous songs had been, and both music videos received only limited airplay. Chicken-N-Beer opened strongly, but without a popular single, the album fell quickly. Guest appearances include Playaz Circle, Chingy, Snoop Dogg, Eightball & MJG, Lil' Flip, I-20, Lil Fate, & Shawnna.


Stand Up
In the fall of 2003, Luda rebounded with his next single, "Stand Up", which appeared on both Chicken-n-Beer as well as the soundtrack for the teen hip-hop/dance movie, Honey. Produced by Kanye West, "Stand Up" went on to become one of Luda's biggest mainstream hits to date, hitting the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 garnering heavy airplay on mainstream pop, rhythmic, and urban radio stations, as well as on MTV, MTV2, and BET. Luda was sued by a New Jersey group called I.O.F. who claimed that "Stand Up" used a hook from one of their songs, but in June of 2006, a jury found that the song did not violate copyrights. "I hope the plaintiffs enjoyed their 15 minutes of fame," Luda said after the verdict.

The album's next single, "Splash Waterfalls", was released in early 2004. Though not a pop hit, it became a success at urban radio and BET. It was Luda's most sexual video yet and an R&B remix that featured Raphael Saadiq and sampled Tony! Toni! Tone!'s "Whatever You Want". Luda also received his first Grammy Award with Usher and Lil Jon for their hit single "Yeah". Luda next released "Blow It Out", a gritty song with an urban, low-budget music video. A departure from the R&B leanings of "Splash Waterfalls", "Blow It Out" acted both as a response to the criticism levied by Bill O'Reilly and an attack on Pepsi's role in the affair.


The Red Light District
The fourth studio album from hugo . Although not entirely different from the usual antics of the previous albums, Luda had taken a more mature approach to his album. Luda openly boasted that he may be the only rapper able to keep the Def Jam label afloat on the opening track. Luda filmed and recorded the single "Get Back" in which he was featured as a muscle-bound hulk who was being annoyed by the media and warned critics to leave him alone. He first appeared on the long-running sketch show Saturday Night Live as a special guest performing with musical guest Sum 41 on a season 30 episode hosted by Paul Giamatti. He then recorded Get Back with Sum 41 to make a rock crossover single. The follow-up single was the Austin Powers-inspired "The Number One Spot". It was produced by New York City's Hot 97 personality DJ Green Lantern. It used the Quincy Jones sample of "Soul Bossa Nova" and sped it up to the tempo of Luda's rap flow. Luda also filmed the video in which he pokes fun at O'Reilly's problems with Andrea Mackris (Hi Mr. O'Reilly / Hope all is well kiss the plaintiff and the wifey). Production credits come also from veteran producers Timbaland, Lil' Jon, The Medicine Men. Featured artists on the album include Nas, DJ Quik, DMX, Trick Daddy, Sleepy Brown, and Disturbing tha Peace newcomers Bobby Valentino (of Mista fame) and Dolla Boi and Small World. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard charts.

After the success of The Red Light District, Luda then used his opportunity to start his own foundation. The Ludacris Foundation, started by Luda and Chaka Zulu, is an organization that helps young middle and high school students motivate themselves in creative arts.


Release Therapy
In an issue of XXL, a hip-hop based magazine, Luda was placed in the number nine spot for the most anticipated albums of 2006, for Release Therapy. The album Release Therapy was released on September 26, 2006. Luda formatted the CD to have two sides: a Release side and a Therapy side on one CD. With the Release side having songs that allow him to get everything off his chest and the Therapy side being just feel-good music, on the flip side it's extremely dark in mood. Guest appearances include Pharrell Williams, R. Kelly, Young Jeezy, Mary J. Blige, Field Mob, Bobby Valentino, Pimp C, C-Murder, & Beanie Sigel. The first single, "Money Maker", which features Pharrell Williams, was released to U.S. radio outlets on July 17, 2006. "Money Maker" reached number one on the BET 106 & Park. It then went to become Luda's second number one single after 6 years. His second single, "Runaway Love", soon peaked at number one on the U.S. Rap Billboard and won Best Collaboration in the 2007 BET Awards. His album then reached number one on the Billboard 200 album charts with sales of more than 300,000 in its first week. This album as well as the lead single "Money Maker" were also awarded Rap Album of the year and song, respectively during the 2007 Grammy Awards. With the release of this album, Luda marked a change in style in his career with his musical style. The new album itself features a departure of the light-hearted mood of previous Luda's albums, and introduces a darker image of Luda's music. A change of hair accompanied this as he cut off his trademark braids for a more conventional "fade" cut. This was done to project a new image for the album. To promote the album, Luda returned to Saturday Night Live (as both host and musical guest) on November 18, 2006.


[Other work
On July 7, 2007, Luda performed at the American leg of Live Earth. Luda made a verse for 50 Cent's "I Get Money" remix. He also appeared on the four hundredth episode of The Simpsons, "You Kent Always Say What You Want." Luda has also recorded a verse for DJ Khaled's "I'm So Hood Remix."Luda also made a track entitled " Down In The Dirty" which features Rick Ross & Bun B. In the booklet of Release Therapy it says, in the "coming soon" section, his next album will be called "Theater of the Mind".


Disputes

Bill O'Reilly
On August 27, 2002, Bill O'Reilly called for all Americans to boycott Pepsi products[8], due to O'Reilly's opinion that Luda's lyrics glamorize a "life of guns, violence, drugs and disrespect of women". On August 28, 2002, O'Reilly reported that Pepsi had fired Luda.[10] O'Reilly later denied his call for a boycott when challenged on his show, claiming that he merely said he wasn't going to drink any Pepsi products.

Furthering the Pepsi controversy, in response to the signing of the Osbourne family, popular hip-hop music mogul Russell Simmons organized a boycott against the company. Simmons demanded an apology from Pepsi to Luda and a 5 million dollar donation to one of Luda's charities. Eventually Simmons and Pepsi settled on an agreement to stop the boycott, right before it was to officially begin. While Pepsi did not formally apologize to Luda, they did agree to donate millions of dollars over several years to Russell Simmons Hip-Hop Summit Action Network.

Luda's song "Blow It Out" (from the Chicken & Beer album) acted as a scathing response to his critics, namely Bill O'Reilly.

Shout out to Bill O'Reilly, I'ma throw you a curve
You're mad cause I'm a thief and got a way with words
ma start my own beverage, it'll calm your nerves
Pepsi's the new generation? Blow it out...
In another song, "Hoes in My Room", he tells a story about anonymous prostitutes being left in his room, and at the end of the last verse says:

Then it got to my head and Somethin' remind me
I know who let 'em in, it was Bill O'Reilly.
Then, in 2004, in "Number 1 Spot"

''Respected highly, Hi Mr. O'Reilly.
'Hope all is well, kiss the plaintiff and the wifey."
involved O'Reilly telling a Def Jam executive that he will boycott Def Jam if Luda isn't fired. O'Reilly, played by Darrell Hammond, says that although his boycotts have had the opposite effect of his intention, Def Jam's sales will decrease dramatically.

Upon winning the Grammy for Best Rap Album on February 11, 2007, Luda included in his thank-yous a "special shout-out to Bill O'Reilly".

The following day Bill O'Reilly responded on his show with a less than enthusiastic response. He soon began criticizing Luda's Grammy win.


Oprah Winfrey
In a 2006 interview with GQ magazine, Luda criticized Oprah Winfrey about his appearance on her show with the cast of the film Crash. During the interview, the conversation veered from the movie and Winfrey chose to speak on Luda's lyrical content, which he felt was unfair as he was visiting her show in the capacity of an actor and not a rapper. Also, Luda was upset that some of his responses were later edited from the show's airing. He was later joined by other rappers such as 50 Cent, Ice Cube and Killer Mike who argued that Winfrey has an anti-hip hop bias.

Winfrey responded by saying that she's opposed to rap lyrics that "marginalize women," but enjoys some artists, including Jay-Z and Kanye West, who appeared on her show. She said she spoke with Luda backstage after his appearance to explain her position and said she understood that his music was for entertainment purposes, but that some of his listeners might take it literally. Luda later said the media had blown his comments out of proportion and said he respects Winfrey and considers her "a great individual". At the 2007 Grammy awards, Luda gave a special shout-out to Oprah Winfrey and on "Freedom of Preach" a song on "Release Therapy" he said "Forgive Oprah for editing most my comments out of her show".


T.I.
In 2004, before releasing his fifth album" Red Light District" Young Buck released Straight Outta Ca$hville, a Nashville native would enlist the services of fellow Atlanta M.C. T.I., also known as T.I.P. in his native Bankhead neighborhood of west side Atlanta. They would create a track entitled "Stomp" amid growing tension between Buck's good friend Luda and T.I. On the track, T.I. takes subliminal shots at Luda including the line "me gettin' beat down, that's ludicrous." Buck, immediately sensing the tension, decided before releasing the track to notify Luda that T.I. had mentioned him since he didn't want to position himself as encouraging T.I.'s actions. Luda heard the track and asked Buck if he could add his own verse; to which Buck agreed. The results end up being costly for T.I., as he is berated throughout Luda's verse and called out by name in his last line. The last line of Luda's verse consists of the line "Please stay off the T.I.P of my dick" Representatives from T.I. notified Buck that T.I.'s vocals would not be cleared for the album unless T.I. is allowed to change his verse, and also have Luda change his. Buck refused this offer and T.I. prohibited his vocals from being used. Buck had Hypeman and fellow rapper D-Tay replace T.I. on the song; D-Tay himself was eventually replaced by Compton rapper The Game on the official release.

In 2006, however, T.I. would release his highly anticipated fourth solo album entitled KING. In his Just Blaze produced track titled "I'm Talkin To You," T.I. lyrically attacks one or more udnknown targets who have widely been speculated to be either New Orleans rapper Lil Wayne, or Houston rapper Lil' Flip (whom T.I. also had "beef" with but has since ended their animosity behind closed doors) or a combination of all three. It is still unknown whether or not T.I. was in fact battling Luda again or anyone else for that matter at all. A closer listen to the song, however proves that T.I. isn't dissing Luda. In one of T.I.s lines he quotes "had it out with 'Cris, but he still my nigga...sat down civilized talked about it like niggas", alluding to the sit down that he and Luda had to end their dispute. As a matter of fact during the taping of MTV's My Block 'Atlanta', T.I. and Luda are shown greeting each other respectfully. Also, one of Luda's songs, "Georgia", appears in T.I.'s movie ATL.

Luda won the Grammy for Best Rap Album in 2007, beating T.I's King album. To this T.I. has stated "I had the album of the year whether I won a grammy for it or not. I think numbers show that. I think that if you go out to anybody on the streets and ask them, they'll tell you.

"I think that it's a no-brainer. You ask him (Luda), he'll probably tell you the same thing. Come on, man, who in hip-hop doesn't know that? "If you a supporter of hip-hop, who doesn't know that King is the only platinum album that dropped last year... that was platinum by the time the new-year's bell rung? At 12:01, January 1, 2007, who had the hottest album of the year? I think it's unanimous."

T.I. further expressed his feelings on this matter his song "You Know What It Is", featuring Wyclef Jean, which is the second single off of his album T.I. vs T.I.P.: "The women sweatin' when they see me, I'm apparently hot; had the album of the year nigga, Grammy or not." On a remix to 50 Cent's 'I Get Money', Luda raps "Let's get one thing clear, the South's right here; still got the Grammy for the album of the year!"

Also, it has been reported that there was an altercation between T.I. and Luda's manager, Chaka Zulu, at the Make It Happen Visionary Leadership Awards Brunch on June 24, 2007. T.I. has since apologized at the 2007 BET Awards during his thank you speech after winning the best hip-hop artist of the year. Luda responded to T.I's apology and comments on his grammy loss in a verse over 50 Cents "I Get Money" beat.

T.I. has since responded to Luda's verse on 50 Cent's "I Get Money". Recently, T.I has responded to the I Get Money(Remix) freestyle, on Rocko's Umma Do Me (Remix); stating that the apology was for BET, not DTP. This must mean the beef is still on. Or is it?


Others
In July 2006, a track entitled "War with God" would see Luda return after some time off in movies. In the track, Luda goes on the offensive against an unknown rapper who has sold drugs, and makes repeated references to shooting guns in his songs, isn't as rich as he is and likes to give himself titles - all characteristics relating to T.I and Chingy (or countless other less popular rappers), or the new coming rappers Yung Joc and Young Dro. In this instance it is unknown whether or not Luda is indeed aiming his offenses at Chingy, T.I. or if the track is even a song recorded recently. Luda recently stated that the song was deeper than just an offense, and the song is more about him than anyone else - it's showing that he isn't just the 'cartoon entertainer' type rapper that he has always been portrayed as. When asked about who specific rhymes were aimed at he said "The guilty will speak". The track was confirmed as a selection from Luda's album Release Therapy. Luda also has a new song out called "Down in the Dirty."

It is believed that he's referencing the song "The Mobb" by Lil' Wayne. He also mentions Tha Carter III and the label disputes that he and other former Cash Money Records artists had involving royalty money. He goes on to say that his resume isn't limited to mixtapes. "War with God" uses a beat written by Don Cheegro and Dirty Harry up and coming producers under the guidance of Dre and VIdal who are music industry vets. He states his relationship with Chingy in his song "Tell It Like it Is".

''What's worse than havin' no money is havin' it and losin' it
''What's worse than havin' some money is grabbin' and abusin' it
''We never took no money from Chingy, thought I was cool wit him
''I wish his ass well, but I don't want nothin' to do with him

In SOHH.com's pre-VMA Interview, Luda responded to an interview question, "Man we heard, 'War With God' and when we heard it, (they said that you said) it was about you". Luda replied, "Man, somebody misquoted me talking about...they misquoted me saying it was about me. What I was telling them was that I devote a lot of information about myself, and I think they're taking that in. I'm not battling myself on the record, that's ridiculous. What happens is you got a lot of people taking subliminal shots, but nobody ever says my name. I'm not for sure, so that record is like my way of taking subliminal shots right back. Don't get it misquoted, don't get it messed up. That's basically what it is man. It's like, you know, like I said I do devote a lot of information about myself on there. I started to wreck it up by saying I'm the best, and there's nothing you could do about it. (They say) I've never done this I've never done that, so you know when you look into it, it's a lot more records where it comes from on the album, September 26, Release Therapy, where it's the most personal album I've done. It's nothing but honesty so you can criticize it all you want to but at the end of the day you got to respect it cause I'm coming straight from the heart. [I'm] just telling the truth, [and] that's all you gotta know."


Discography
Main article: Ludacris discography
2000: Incognegro (300,000 Units)
2000: Back for the First Time (3xPlatinum)
2001: Word of Mouf (3xPlatinum)
2003: Chicken and Beer (2xPlatinum)
2004: The Red Light District (2xPlatinum)
2006: Release Therapy (2xPlatinum)
2008: Theater Of The Mind

Filmography
2001: The Wash
2003: 2 Fast 2 Furious
2003: Def Jam Vendetta
2003: Lil' Pimp
2004: Eve (TV series) (Cab Driver)
2004: [Def Jam:Fight For NY (video game)
2005: Crash
2005: Hustle & Flow
2006: Def Jam: Icon (video game)
2006: The Heart of the Game (Narrator)
2006: Law and Order: SVU (Darius Parker)
2007: Law and Order: SVU (Darius Parker)
2007: The Simpsons (Ludacrest and self)
2007: Fred Claus
2008: The Boondocks (TV series)
2008: RocknRolla
2009: Game

50 Cent

Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003) and The Massacre (2005). Both albums achieved multi-platinum success, selling over twenty-one million records worldwide.

Born in South Jamaica, Queens, 50 Cent began drug dealing at the age of twelve during the 1980s' crack epidemic.After leaving drug dealing to pursue a rap career, he was shot nine times in 2000. After releasing his album Guess Who's Back? in 2002, 50 Cent was discovered by rapper Eminem and signed to Interscope Records. With the help of Eminem and Dr. Dre—who produced his first major commercial successes—he became one of the highest selling rappers in the world. In 2003, he founded the record label G-Unit Records, which signed successful rappers such as Young Buck, Lloyd Banks, and Tony Yayo.

50 Cent has engaged in numerous feuds with other rappers including Ja Rule, The Game, and Fat Joe. He has also pursued an acting career, appearing in the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin' in 2005 and the Iraq War film Home of the Brave in 2006.Contents
1 Life and music career
1.1 Early life
1.2 Early career
1.3 Shooting
1.4 Rise to fame
1.5 Personal life
2 Business ventures
3 Controversy
3.1 Murder Inc.
3.2 New York rappers
3.3 The Game
3.4 Lawsuit
4 Discography


Life and music career

Early life

50 Cent, born Curtis James Jackson III, grew up in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens in New York City. He grew up without a father and was raised by his mother Sabrina Jackson, who gave birth to him at the age of fifteen. Sabrina, a cocaine dealer, raised Jackson until the age of eight, when she was murdered. Twenty-three at the time, she became unconscious after someone drugged her drink. She was then left for dead after the gas in her apartment was turned on and the windows shut closed. After her death, Jackson moved into his grandparents' house with his eight aunts and uncles. He recalls, "My grandmother told me, 'Your mother's not coming home. She's not gonna come back to pick you up. You're gonna stay with us now.' That's when I started adjusting to the streets a little bit." Jackson grew up with his younger cousin, Michael Francis, who earned the nickname "25 Cent" for being his younger counterpart. Francis raps under the stage name "Two Five".

Jackson's mug shot on August 23, 1994.

Jackson began boxing around the age of eleven. At fourteen, a neighbor opened a boxing gym for local kids. "When I wasn't killing time in school, I was sparring in the gym or selling crack on the strip", he recalled.[10] In the mid 1980s, he competed in the Junior Olympics as an amateur boxer. He recounts, "I was competitive in the ring and hip-hop is competitive too... I think rappers condition themselves like boxers, so they all kind of feel like they're the champ."[11] At the age of twelve, Jackson began dealing narcotics when his grandparents thought he was at after-school programs.[12] He also took guns and drug money to school. In the tenth grade, he was caught by metal detectors at Andrew Jackson High School. He later stated, "I was embarrassed that I got arrested like that... After I got arrested I stopped hiding it. I was telling my grandmother [openly], 'I sell drugs.'"[8]

On June 29, 1994, Jackson was arrested for helping to sell four vials of cocaine to an undercover police officer. He was arrested again three weeks later when police searched his home and found heroin, ten ounces of crack cocaine, and a starter gun. He was sentenced to three to nine years in prison, but managed to serve six months in a shock incarceration boot camp where he earned his GED. Jackson said that he did not use cocaine himself, he only sold it. He adopted the nickname "50 Cent" as a metaphor for "change". The name was derived from Kelvin Martin, a 1980s Brooklyn robber known as "50 Cent". Jackson chose the name "because it says everything I want it to say. I'm the same kind of person 50 Cent was. I provide for myself by any means."
Early career

50 Cent started rapping in a friend's basement where he used turntables to record over instrumentals. In 1996, a friend introduced him to Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC who was organizing his label Jam Master Jay Records. Jay taught him how to count bars, write choruses, structure songs, and make a record. 50 Cent's first official appearance was on a song titled "React" with the group Onyx on their 1998 album Shut 'Em Down. He credited Jam Master Jay as an influence who helped him improve his ability to write hooks. He produced 50 Cent's first album, however it was never released. In 1999, after leaving Jam Master Jay, the platinum-selling producers Trackmasters took notice of 50 Cent and signed him to Columbia Records. They sent him to a studio in Upstate New York where he produced thirty-six songs in two weeks. Eighteen were included on his unofficially released album, Power of the Dollar in 2000. He also started the now-defunct Hollow Point Entertainment with former G-Unit member Bang 'Em Smurf.


50 Cent's popularity started to increase after the successful but controversial underground single, "How to Rob", which he wrote in half an hour while in a car on the way to a studio. The track comically explains how he would rob many famous artists. He explained the reasoning behind song's content as, "There's a hundred artists on that label, you gotta separate yourself from that group and make yourself relevant". Rappers Jay-Z, Big Pun, DMX, and the Wu-Tang Clan replied to the song[23] and Nas, who received the track positively, invited 50 Cent to travel on a promotional tour for his Nastradamus album. The song was intended to be released with "Thug Love" featuring Destiny's Child, but two days before he was scheduled to film the "Thug Love" music video, 50 Cent was shot and confined to a hospital due to his injuries.

Shooting

On May 24, 2000, 50 Cent was attacked by a gunman outside his grandmother's former home in South Jamaica, Queens. He went into a friend's car, but was asked to return to the house to get jewelry. His son was in the house while his grandmother was in the front yard. On returning to the back seat of the car, another car pulled up nearby. An assailant then walked up to 50 Cent's left side with a 9mm handgun and fired nine shots at close range. He was shot nine times—in the hand (a round hit his right thumb and came out of his pinky), arm, hip, both legs, chest, and left cheek. The face wound resulted in a swollen tongue, the loss of a wisdom tooth, and a small slur in his voice. His friend also sustained a gunshot wound to the hand. They were driven to the hospital where 50 Cent spent thirteen days. The alleged shooter, Darryl "Hommo" Baum, was killed three weeks later.

50 Cent recalled the incident saying, "It happens so fast that you don't even get a chance to shoot back... I was scared the whole time... I was looking in the rear-view mirror like, 'Oh shit, somebody shot me in the face! It burns, burns, burns.'" In his memoir, From Pieces to Weight: Once upon a Time in Southside Queens, he wrote, "After I got shot nine times at close range and didn't die, I started to think that I must have a purpose in life... How much more damage could that shell have done? Give me an inch in this direction or that one, and I'm gone." He used a walker for the first six weeks and fully recovered after five months. When he left the hospital, he stayed in the Poconos with his then-girlfriend and son. His physical workout regimen helped him attain his muscular physique.

While in the hospital, 50 Cent signed a publishing deal with Columbia Records. However, he was dropped from the label and "blacklisted" in the recording industry after it was discovered he was shot. Unable to find a studio to work with in the U.S, he traveled to Canada. Along with his business partner Sha Money XL, he recorded over thirty songs for mixtapes, with the purpose of building a reputation. 50 Cent's popularity rose and in early 2001, he released material independently on the mixtape, Guess Who's Back?. Beginning to attract interest, and now backed by G-Unit, 50 Cent continued to make songs. They released the mixtape, 50 Cent Is the Future, revisiting material by Jay-Z and Raphael Saadiq.


In 2002, Eminem listened to a copy of 50 Cent's Guess Who's Back? CD. He received the CD through 50 Cent's attorney, who was working with Eminem's manager Paul Rosenberg. Impressed with the album, Eminem invited 50 Cent to fly to Los Angeles, where he was introduced to Dr. Dre. After signing a one million U.S. dollar record deal, 50 Cent released the mixtape, No Mercy, No Fear. It featured one new track, "Wanksta", which was put on Eminem's 8 Mile soundtrack.[20] He was also signed to Chris Lighty's Violator Management and Sha Money XL's Money Management Group.


In February 2003, 50 Cent released his commercial debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin'. All Music Guide described it as "probably the most hyped debut album by a rap artist in about a decade". Rolling Stone noted the album for its "dark synth grooves, buzzy keyboards and a persistently funky bounce" with 50 Cent complementing the production in "an unflappable, laid-back flow". It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 872,000 copies in the first four days. The lead single, "In da Club", which The Source noted for its "blaring horns, funky organs, guitar riffs and sparse hand claps" broke a Billboard record as the 'most listened-to' song in radio history within a week.



Interscope granted 50 Cent his own label, G-Unit Records in 2003. He signed Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, and Young Buck as the established members of G-Unit. The Game was later signed under a joint venture with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment. In March 2005, 50 Cent's second commercial album, The Massacre sold 1.14 million copies in the first four days (the highest in an abbreviated sales cycle) and peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 for six weeks. He became the first solo artist to have three singles on the Billboard top five in the same week with "Candy Shop", "Disco Inferno", and "How We Do". Rolling Stone noted that "50's secret weapon is his singing voice - the deceptively amateur-sounding tenor croon that he deploys on almost every chorus".

After The Game's departure, 50 Cent signed singer Olivia and rap veterans Mobb Deep to G-Unit Records. Spider Loc, M.O.P., and Young Hot Rod later joined the label 50 Cent expressed interest in working with rappers outside of G-Unit, such as Lil' Scrappy of BME, LL Cool J from Def Jam, Mase from Bad Boy, and Freeway of Roc-A-Fella, some of whom he recorded with. In September 2007, he released his third album Curtis, which was inspired by his life before Get Rich or Die Tryin'. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 691,000 units in the first week.


Personal life

On October 13, 1997, 50 Cent's then-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins gave birth to a son, Marquise Jackson. The birth of his son changed his outlook on life, "when my son came into my life, my priorities changed, because I wanted to have the relationship with him, that I didn’t have with my father."[46] He credited his son for inspiring his career and being "motivation to go in a different direction." 50 Cent has a tattoo of "Marquise" with an axe on his right bicep. "The axe is 'cause I'm a warrior. I don't want him to be one, though," he explains. He also has "50", "Southside", and "Cold World" inscribed on his back because "I'm a product of that environment. It's on my back, though, so it's all behind me." 50 Cent dated actress Vivica A. Fox in 2003. After a few months, he announced their split up on the The Howard Stern Show when pictures from a photo shoot they did together ended up on the cover of Today's Black Woman magazine without his knowledge.



50 Cent expressed support for President George W. Bush in 2005 after rapper Kanye West criticized him for the slow response in assisting the victims of Hurricane Katrina. If his felony convictions did not prevent him from voting, he claimed that he would have voted for Bush. He later stated that Bush "has less compassion than the average human. By all means, I don’t aspire to be like George Bush." In 2007, 50 Cent was recognized for his wealth by Forbes, placing him second behind Jay-Z in the rap industry. He resides in Farmington, Connecticut, in the former mansion of ex-boxer Mike Tyson. He put the mansion for sale at US$18.5 million to move closer to his son who lives in Long Island with his ex-girlfriend. On October 12, 2007, the Mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut declared it "50 Cent Curtis Jackson Day." He was honored with a key to the city and an official proclamation.

Business ventures

50 Cent has established himself in a wide variety of fields outside of his rapping career. In November 2003, he signed a five year deal with Reebok to distribute a G-Unit Sneakers line as part of his G-Unit Clothing Company. He provided the voice-over as the protagonist in the video game 50 Cent: Bulletproof, which was released for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and the PlayStation Portable. He worked with glacéau to create and market a grape flavored Vitamin Water drink called Formula 50. In 2007, Coca-Cola purchased glaceau for US$4.1 billion. 50 Cent, who owns a stake in the company earned an estimated $410 million and was estimated by Forbes to have earned $100 million after taxes. He also launched a condom line called Magic Stick Condoms and plans to donate a part of the proceeds to HIV awareness.



In 2005, 50 Cent made a cameo appearance on The Simpsons episode "Pranksta Rap", in which he makes light of his legal troubles. The same year, he starred alongside Terrence Howard in the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin'. He also starred in the 2006 film Home of the Brave as a soldier returning home from the Iraq War, traumatized after killing an Iraqi woman. 50 Cent is working on a role as a fighter in an Angola State Prison in The Dance alongside Nicholas Cage, and is set to star opposite Robert De Niro in 2008's Righteous Kill, a movie regarding a police death. He also started a now defunct production company called G-Unit Films with Interscope but since 2008 he has created his own independent film production company with Chris Lighty called Cheetah Vision. On August 21, 2007, 50 Cent announced plans to launch a dietary supplement company in conjunction with his movie The Dance.


Shortly before appearing in Get Rich or Die Tryin', 50 Cent released a memoir about his life and how he became successful titled From Pieces to Weight: Once upon a Time in Southside Queens. On January 4, 2007, he launched his G-Unit Books imprint at the Time Warner Building in New York. He also co-wrote The Ski Mask Way, a novel about a small-time drug dealer who attempts to rob his employers, which is to be turned into a film before 2008. 50 Cent said he was reading The 33 Strategies of War by Robert Greene and worked with the author on a book titled The 50th Law, an urban take on The 48 Laws of Power.

Controversy

Murder Inc.



Before signing with Interscope, 50 Cent engaged in a well-publicized dispute with rapper Ja Rule and his label Murder Inc. Records. The rappers engaged in numerous mixtape "disses". 50 Cent claimed the feud began in 1999 after Ja Rule spotted him with a man who robbed him of his jewelry. However, Ja Rule claimed the conflict stemmed from a video shoot in Queens because 50 Cent did not like seeing him "getting so much love" from the neighborhood. In March 2000, while at The Hit Factory studio in New York, 50 Cent had an altercation with associates of Murder Inc. Records. He was treated for three stitches after receiving a stab wound.Rapper Black Child claimed responsibility for the stabbing, saying he acted in self-defense because he thought someone was reaching for a gun.

An affidavit by an IRS agent suggested that the label had ties to Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, a New York drug lord who was suspected of being involved in the murder of Jam Master Jay and the shooting of 50 Cent. An excerpt of the affidavit read:

The investigation has uncovered a conspiracy involving McGriff and others to murder a rap artist who has released songs containing lyrics regarding McGriff's criminal activities. The rap artist was shot in 2000, survived and thereafter refused to cooperate with law enforcement regarding the shooting. Messages transmitted over the Murder Inc. pager indicate that McGriff is involved in an ongoing plot to kill this rap artist, and that he communicates with Murder Inc. employees concerning the target.

New York rappers

Before releasing The Massacre, 50 Cent recorded a song, "Piggy Bank", which was leaked before the album's release. The song "disses" rappers including Fat Joe, Nas, and Jadakiss. Fat Joe responded with a song, "My Fo, Fo", accusing 50 Cent of taking steroids, hiding in his home, and being jealous of The Game. Jadakiss also responded with a song, "Checkmate", and said that 50 Cent was trying to "create a buzz for his new album". The music video for "Piggy Bank" portrays animated caricatures of Jadakiss (as a Ninja turtle), Fat Joe (as an overweight boxer who receives a knockout), Nas (as a kid chasing a "milkshake" truck in a Superman costume), and The Game (as Mr. Potato Head).


50 Cent spoke negatively about Bad Boy Entertainment mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs and recorded a song, "Hip-Hop", revealing the reasons behind his negative feelings: primarily, a contract dispute over Ma$e. In the song, he implied that Diddy knew about The Notorious B.I.G.'s murder and threatened to expose him through former associates. The feud was resolved, with both rappers appearing on MTV's TRL and Sucker Free, respectively, stating that there were no longer problems.

On February 1, 2007, Cam'ron and 50 Cent had a live argument on The Angie Martinez Show on Hot 97 radio. 50 Cent commented that Koch Entertainment was a "graveyard", meaning major record labels would not work with their artists. Cam'ron then ridiculed the record sales of G-Unit members Lloyd Banks and Mobb Deep by stating that Jim Jones outsold their albums despite being signed to an independent label and that his group, The Diplomats, had a distribution deal from several labels. Both rappers released "diss" songs with accompanying videos on YouTube. 50 Cent suggested in "Funeral Music" that Cam'ron is no longer able to lead The Diplomats and that Jim Jones should take his place. Cam'ron responded with "Curtis" and "Curtis Pt. II", in which he makes fun of 50 Cent's appearance, calling him "a gorilla, with rabbit teeth". 50 Cent responded by releasing "Hold On" with Young Buck.

The Game
Main article: G-Unit vs. The Game feud

In early 2005, 50 Cent began a feud with The Game, whom he was close to before releasing his debut album The Documentary. After its release, 50 Cent felt The Game was disloyal for saying he did not want to participate in G-Unit's feuds with other rappers and even wanting to work with artists they were feuding with. He also claimed that he wrote six songs on the album and was not receiving proper credit for his work, which The Game denied.

50 Cent later dismissed The Game from G-Unit on Hot 97 radio. After the announcement, The Game, who was a guest earlier in the evening, attempted to enter the building with his entourage. After being denied entry, one of his associates was shot in the leg during a confrontation with a group of men leaving the building. When the situation escalated, both rappers held a press conference to announce their reconciliation. Fans had mixed feelings as to whether the rappers created a publicity stunt to boost the sales of the albums they had just released. Nevertheless, even after the situation deflated,The Game's street credibility was criticized by G-Unit. The group denounced The Game and announced that they will not feature on his albums. During a performance at Summer Jam, The Game launched a boycott of G-Unit called "G-Unot".

After the Summer Jam performance, The Game released a track, "300 Bars and Runnin'", which addresses 50 Cent and G-Unit. He continued his attacks with a DVD titled Stop Snitchin, Stop Lyin'. After numerous songs aimed at G-Unit, 50 Cent responded to The Game's rebuttals on mixtapes. One track, "Not Rich, Still Lyin'", imitates The Game, attacks his credibility, and mentions his feud with his brother, Big Fase 100.

The Game also released mixtape covers parodying the rap group. After he displayed pictures of G-Unit dressed up as the Village People, 50 Cent posted a cover of The Game's head on the body of a male stripper. Although he was signed to Aftermath Entertainment, The Game left the label and signed with Geffen Records to terminate his contractual obligations with G-Unit.

Lawsuit

On July 21, 2007, 50 Cent filed a US$1 million lawsuit against advertising company Traffix Inc. of Pearl River, New York for using his image in a promotion which he says threatens his safety. He learned about the internet ad after one of his staff members saw it on a MySpace page. According to court documents, the ad features a cartoon image of the rapper and the message: "shoot the rapper and you will win $5000 or five ring tones guaranteed." Though the ad did not use his name, the image allegedly intended to resemble him, suggesting he endorsed the ad. The lawsuit calls it a "vile, tasteless and despicable" use of 50 Cent's image that "quite literally calls for violence against him". The lawsuit also seeks for unspecified punitive damages and a permanent injunction against the use of his image without permission.

Discography
Main article: 50 Cent discography
2003: Get Rich or Die Tryin'
2005: The Massacre
2007: Curtis
2008: Before I Self Destruct