Kanye West thinks his much-hyped rivalry with 50 Cent — surrounding the September 11 releases of his Graduation and 50’s Curtis — is bringing out the best in the A-list stars.
“I think we push each other,” Kanye said backstage at the V Festival in Stafford, England, on Saturday. “I feel I wouldn’t have some of the tracks on my album if it wasn’t for 50, and he wouldn’t have some of the things he had if he wasn’t up against me. In the last couple of years, people have been putting out albums aimlessly. Nas used to talk about Biggie and Jay and Wu-Tang going up against each other, but now it’s like there hasn’t been that competition in rap. In New York, [West's] ‘Can’t Tell Me Nothing’ is the #2 song [on the radio], and [50's] ‘I Get Money’ is the #1 song. They’re neck-and-neck, so it’s exciting to people.”
Don’t get it twisted. Just because West told MTV News a few weeks ago that he wouldn’t be upset if he came in second to 50 Cent on September 11 doesn’t mean he’s not confident he’ll sell more records (see “Kanye West Says He’s Ready To Pit His Album Against 50 Cent’s: ‘We Ain’t Moving’ “).
“Please, 50, don’t retire once my album sells and beats your album,” Kanye joked to the host of British talk show “The Friday Night Project” on Friday. Kanye was referring to 50’s recent claims that he will not make any more solo records if Kanye sells more than him (for the record, 50 somewhat recanted his statement during an MTV News interview last week: see “50 Cent Explains Last Week’s Blowup, Says ‘I Will Be #1 On September 11′ “).
50 said he has had little to smile about in advance of Curtis. He’s pleased with how the public has accepted his latest two singles, “I Get Money” and “Ayo Technology,” but that’s been overshadowed by mishaps such as the leak of his video for “Follow My Lead” (see “50 Cent Erupts After Song, Video With Robin Thicke Leak: Source”), which he blames on Interscope.
Who will win the 9/11 release date? Will big brother’s matter? Kanye speaks about the good and the bad between him and Jay Z on his new track… 50, are you going to rap on Dre?
Kanye West’s album cover was leaked about 2 weeks ago. But it was really the wrong album artwork. Don’t believe everything you hear and see people.
This is actually not the real album cover…
Now this is the confirmed REAL album artwork.
Honestly, I don’t like either one of them. The teddy bear theme is a little childish for me. He is still hooked on that school thing, why? It may be time that he graduates from that whole theme.
Who do you have your money on winning the September 11 battle between Kanye and 50 Cent? You can actually create an account on bodog.com and place bets on who will win the compeition. This is funny, it is a big deal. This competition is one of the more exciting things that has happend in rap for a minute. View the picture below, or go to THIS link and place your bets! I for one will not be.
Fifty possibly feeling the pressure of the September 11 competition…
“50 Cent erupted at the G-Unit offices in New York Thursday night after his collaboration with Robin Thicke leaked in both song and video form, a source told MTV News.
On Thursday morning, G-Unit Records unveiled a new song from 50’s September 11 LP, Curtis: a neighborhood knocker named “We on Some Sh–” that features Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo. But by nightfall, mayhem apparently ensued when not only another Curtis song leaked online — “Follow My Lead,” his collaboration with Robin Thicke — but its accompanying video as well.
According to the source, “Follow My Lead” wasn’t supposed to be released until further down the line in Curtis’ run, especially since 50 has videos for “I Get Money” and “Ayo Technology” already in rotation (see “50 Cent Suits Up For ‘Ayo Technology’ Clip With Justin Timberlake, Timbaland”).
Needless to say, 50 didn’t take the news too kindly, causing quite a stir at the G-Unit offices, according to both the source and the web site of radio personality/journalist MissInfo. 50 reportedly erupted, ripping out a plasma TV, throwing his cell phone through a glass window and saying that he was going on vacation.
50 talked about his frustration over the way Interscope handled his Curtis project with DJ Kay Slay on New York’s Hot 97 in an interview that aired late Thursday night.
“The process has been ill for me this go-around,” he said. “I usually have to start a project myself, as far as Interscope. I got to lead. On the first album, ‘Wanksta’ just took off before ‘In Da Club’ came about. When we got to The Massacre, I leaked ‘Disco Inferno’ and they caught up with ‘Candy Shop.’ This album, I threw ‘Straight to the Bank’ out there and ‘Amusement Park’ was the joint they were supposed to assist me with going after. But when that came, it grew at the same pace that ‘Straight to the Bank’ grew. And I was like, ‘Yo, it don’t feel like it’s a difference in the support for the actual record.’”
Seriously, Dustin Hoffman??? 50, don’t you think Billy Crystal would have been a more entertaining choice? Don’t get us wrong, we love “rainman”, “meet the fockers”, “the graduate” and many more but Billy Crystal would have been better for this cameo.
“Superstar rappers Kanye West and 50 Cent will go head-to-head on September 11, the day both artists’ sophomore albums land in stores.
While fans of both rappers have relished in the friendly rivalry that seems to be brewing between the pair over the release date, 50 Cent has actually accepted a challenge to debate Kanye West on live TV.
50 Cent appeared on BET’s 106 & Park countdown show on Friday to promote his upcoming album Curtis.
During the show, he accepted an offer from hosts Terrance J. and Rocsi to engage Kanye West in a presidential style “debate” to decide who has the best album, weeks before their albums hit stores.
The rivalry started when West’s release date for his Def Jam/Universal release Graduation was shifted from September 18 to September 11.
Conversely, 50 Cent’s album Interscope/Universal album Curtis was moved from September 4 to September 11.
“I accept the challenge,” 50 Cent told millions of viewers on Friday (August 3). “Kanye, he’s not going to want to show up. Just don’t be asking me if I am a conscious rapper. I know exactly what I am saying - so I am conscious.”
If Kanye were to accept the challenge posed by the hosts, the two colorful, outspoken rappers would appear live on the show to debate who has the better produced album.
50 Cent’s sophomore album The Massacre sold over 1 million copies during its first week in stores, while West’s second album Late Registration moved 860,000 units its first week on the shelves.
While 50 Cent claimed that Def Jam President Jay-Z would cave in and switch Kanye’s release date, Jay-Z himself shot the notion down and welcomed the competition.
Popular gambling website Bodog.com recently began taking bets on which artist will sell more during the first week, if they hit stores on September 11 as planned.
Fans have wagered that 50 Cent’s Curtis will outsell West’s Graduation (180 to 140), while Curtis is also the favorite to top Billboard’s Top 200 album chart.”
“At 20, graffiti artist–turned–fashion designer Marc Ecko began selling T-shirts with tagged graphics out of his Rutgers University apartment. Fourteen years later, Ecko commands a sprawling empire including Complex magazine, a bomber-inspired video game and six different streetwear lines. One of his labels, G-Unit Clothing, also happens to be helmed by rapper 50 Cent (a.k.a. Curtis James Jackson III), who’s secured platinum records, a book deal and Vitaminwater endorsements despite his famous shot-three-times gangsta past.
Their pimped-out offices, located in the same Chelsea building, are as massive as their paychecks and mix work with pleasure via a sleek kitchen, a weight room and well-stocked bars.”
$192 Million dollars can get you the “Godfather” House…
The house boasts 29 bedrooms, 3 swimming pools, tennis courts, a cinema, and a nightclub. The mansion was purchased by Hearst in 1947 for only $120,000. DAMN!
