100 Diss Tracks, 1 Deadly Rivalry: The Never-Ending War Between 50 Cent and The Game

The story of 50 Cent and The Game is one of the most tumultuous relationships in hip-hop history.

Once close friends who created hit records together, their bond spiraled into a shocking feud filled with diss tracks, fistfights, and even shootouts.

This article explores the rise and fall of their relationship, detailing how two of rap’s biggest stars went from collaborators to bitter rivals.

 

 

50 Cent first met The Game through Dr. Dre in 2003.

Eminem had discovered 50 Cent after hearing his mixtape “Guess Who’s Back” and invited him to Los Angeles to meet Dre.

Not long after that, 50 signed a $1 million deal with Shady Records and Aftermath.

Around the same time, Dre also discovered The Game and signed him to Aftermath, believing that adding a West Coast artist to G-Unit would broaden their fan base.

This collaboration seemed promising, with both artists contributing to each other’s success.

Initially, everything appeared to be harmonious.

The Game even made a cameo in the video for 50 Cent’s hit song “In Da Club.”

Years later, his manager, Wack 100, claimed that The Game wrote some of 50’s early hits, while 50 also took credit for writing some of The Game’s biggest songs.

However, as time went on, the dynamic began to shift.

 

 

While 50 Cent played a significant role in The Game’s rise, he soon began to feel threatened by The Game’s growing popularity.

As The Game’s debut album, “The Documentary,” was being prepared for release, tensions started to surface.

Although 50 had helped boost The Game’s profile, he felt overshadowed by the potential of having another star in G-Unit.

Their egos clashed, leading to a rift that would ultimately fracture their partnership.

The beef escalated during the production of “The Documentary.”

50 Cent’s second album, “The Massacre,” had to be pushed back to accommodate The Game’s album release.

There were even discussions about including the track “Hate It or Love It” on “The Massacre,” but it ultimately ended up on “The Documentary.”

This situation only fueled 50’s frustrations, and their relationship began to deteriorate rapidly.

Adding to the chaos was the involvement of Jimmy Henchman, a former music executive with a notorious background.

Henchman had significant ties to both artists and became a source of conflict between them.

His jealousy of Chris Lighty, who managed 50 Cent, fueled further tension.

As 50 Cent’s beef with Jaru intensified, The Game found himself caught in the crossfire, leading to a breakdown in his relationship with G-Unit.

The Game’s reluctance to take sides in 50’s ongoing feuds with other artists like Nas and Fat Joe only aggravated the situation further.

While The Game respected these artists and didn’t want to diss them, 50 expected loyalty from his crew, which The Game was unwilling to provide.

 

 

The public fallout began when The Game appeared on Funk Flex’s radio show and declared he would not be involved in any of 50 Cent’s beefs.

Shortly after, 50 Cent announced that The Game was no longer part of G-Unit, stating that The Game needed to stop claiming affiliation with the group.

This declaration led to a confrontation between the two, resulting in a fight outside the radio station.

The Game’s crew attempted to confront 50, leading to a chaotic scene where an affiliate of The Game was shot in the leg by security.

Despite the escalating violence, both artists attempted to squash their beef, even appearing together on stage in Harlem.

However, this reconciliation was short-lived, and within weeks, they were back to dissing each other.

In June, The Game performed at Hot 97’s Summer Jam, where he took shots at 50 Cent and G-Unit.

He had friends dressed in costumes representing G-Unit while he mocked them on stage.

The Game introduced the catchphrase “G-U-Not,” further solidifying the divide between him and 50.

His diss track “300 Bars” was released shortly after, showcasing The Game’s lyrical prowess as he aimed to dismantle 50 Cent’s career.

50 responded with a video for “Piggy Bank,” where he mocked The Game, dubbing him “Mr. Potato Head” and labeling him a “wangsta,” a term he coined for wannabe gangsters.

The back-and-forth continued as The Game released “Stop Snitching, Stop Lying,” targeting 50 for allegedly cooperating with law enforcement after being shot.

50 Cent fired back with “Not Rich, Still Lying,” further escalating the feud.

 

 

As The Game left Aftermath and signed with Geffen Records, the tension between him and 50 Cent persisted.

Dr. Dre, caught in the middle, ultimately chose to remain loyal to G-Unit, which led to The Game’s exit from Aftermath.

50 continued to mock The Game, even creating a fake photo of him in a thong for a mixtape cover, which became a longstanding rumor that The Game had once been a male stripper.

Despite attempts to reconcile, including The Game’s public offers to settle their differences, 50 Cent remained uninterested.

The Game’s second album, “Doctor’s Advocate,” dropped in November 2006 and debuted at number one on the Billboard charts, proving he could succeed without 50 Cent or Dr. Dre.

By 2009, The Game expressed a desire to end the feud, even stating that Michael Jackson had reached out to help resolve their issues.

He apologized to 50 Cent for his actions and acknowledged their past as a legendary duo.

However, 50 Cent’s camp, including Tony Yayo, dismissed The Game’s overtures, claiming they were not interested in reconciliation.

Despite The Game’s efforts to mend fences, 50 Cent continued to take shots at him in interviews and songs, including his track “So Disrespectful,” where he directly called out The Game.

In 2012, 50 released “My Life,” featuring Eminem, where he dissed The Game again, leading to further retaliation from The Game.

 

 

Fast forward to 2016, when The Game and 50 Cent were spotted together, seemingly putting their differences aside.

The Game publicly declared that their feud was a thing of the past.

However, 50 Cent’s resentment lingered, especially after The Game was seen with G-Unit members, which reignited old tensions.

In recent years, both artists have seemingly cooled off on dissing each other, but occasional jabs still surface on social media.

When Dr. Dre performed at the Super Bowl halftime show in 2022, many fans felt The Game should have been included, given his California roots.

The Game expressed disappointment over being excluded, while 50 Cent took the opportunity to mock him.

 

 

Despite their attempts to reconcile, the rivalry between 50 Cent and The Game remains one of hip-hop’s most enduring feuds.

With over 100 diss tracks exchanged and countless public jabs, their relationship has become a cautionary tale in the industry.

While both artists have achieved significant success, the question remains: what could they have accomplished together if they had set aside their differences?

In a world where collaboration often leads to greater success, the fallout between 50 Cent and The Game serves as a reminder that sometimes, pride and ego can overshadow potential greatness.

As they continue to navigate their careers, fans are left wondering if the two can ever truly bury the hatchet or if their rivalry will forever define their legacies.