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Video After The Jump

50 Cent sat down with XXL during  the release of his new SMS Audio headphones at Henri Bendell in New York City.

The conversation covered a wide range of topics from Kanye West's fashion clothing ambitions to Kendrick Lamar.

On SMS Audio

SMS for me is an extension of my passion for music. For me music is the gateway to everything, to opening up possibilities for me. I look at money like it's freedom. It gives you the ability to invest in your own choices and your own ideas.

On music's influence on pop culture

There's a shift in the way the actual audience is thinking. They're into high end clothing. They're wearing European cut clothing. As clothes got tighter they started buying designer clothing. They don't realize how much influence Hip Hop culture has. Because when we say it's cool, it's really cool. That's when the needle moves. Look as the major car companies. Look at Ferrari, Bentley, Rolls Royce, Lamborghini. Those car companies, when's the last time you saw a commercial from them? They don't have to if they're in our music videos and we're not sending them a bill for it.

On Kanye West's fashion industry ambitions

When you enter new areas you're going to meet resistance. And you have to be willing to work through those barriers. In Kanye's case, wanting to be a part of high end fashion. That's a process. It's not something that just happens. They don't allow you to just pick up and say, 'This idea, that idea, and I'm in.'

On his upcoming projects

They'll see my Animal Ambition project first. It's something I just came up with that I was inspired to write it. I've been writing that and it will be out before the Street King Immortal project. I'll release it as a solid piece. I'll have music videos for every song. But I'll wait until they start to choose which records they like. I wouldn't call it a mixtape because it's album quality material. It's structured like an album more than mixtape material. This tape is all original. The only thing I can compare it do that I've done is War Angel.

On Kendrick Lamar

I love Kendrick. There's a huge difference in the two of us, in our characters and the way we present ourselves. He possesses the ability to appear like he didn't know this was gonna happen. There's a level of confidence that's required for you to withstand the doubt. I had so much doubt prior to it actually working for me that I would appear at points a little arrogant like, 'I knew it was gonna work. It took you so long to figure it out. I told you I was hot.' And Kendrick will give you that awkward enrgy that's like, 'This is great, this is really happening.' Every time I'm around him that's what it feels like.

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