Definitely didn't see this one coming, but it's a nice surprise for the new year.
50 (3087)
Video After The Jump
50 Cent sat down Andrea Chang of the L.A. Times while at CES 2012 to talk about his new SMS Audio headphone line and to find out if 50 considered himself a direct competitor to Dr. Dre's Beats By Dre.
Check out their Q and A below.
There are ear buds and headphones that were already on the market. You weren't satisfied. If you were satisfied you wouldn't have made your own product is that right? So tell me about some of the problems that you had with the existing products.
My headsets were breaking for one, that's why I was conscious of durability. And I don't see myself in direct competition with Dre.
Why?
I see myself in competition with all of the audio companies because the category is so big why would I just pinpoint Dre? People are conscious of it because of how close we are in relation. I understand it--in hip hop culture there's always the competitive nature in how we compete for different things they think that's what's actually going on, but it's not really.
Have you talked to Dre after you decided to come out with your own headphones?
I did following it, but it wasn't about headsets because it wasn't really on his radar like that. He was so happy because they just sold Beats. You get a $300 million dollar check you're pretty happy (laughs).
So no bad blood then between you guys kind of competing in the same space?
Nah, I don't think so.
Follow Me
 |
DJ Whoo Kid came up to Thisis50 and spoke with Young Jack Thriller on a few stories that went down in his life. In this video Whoo Kid shares his experience on meeting the legendary Michael Jackson
Video After The Jump
50 Cent recently went into detail with Vibe about his miscommunication with T.I. earlier this year. The two rap titans briefly butted heads due to comments Fif made regarding Tip's wife Tiny, and the possibility she should take the charge in their 2010 drug bust in L.A.
Tip responded in the December/January issue of Vibe, basically saying it was nobody's business how he handled affairs regarding his family.
50 shot back on Twitter:
“Man I just saw something T.I said in VIBE about a tweet I wrote when he caught his drug case. He just got out a jam and caught a new one. Any other time a n*gga done. Get caught with 10 machine gun an silencer then catch a drug charge. You will f*ck around and get natural life.”
It looked for a minute like 50 and T.I. might be headed towards a beef, but a mutual friend intervened and got them to talk things out over the phone like gentlemen.
In the clip below 50 speaks on the incident and how the media and fans play a role in stirring up controversies between artists.
"He had a lot of legitimate points," 50 said of his phone call with Tip. "Like, the press will ask you questions about things. They'll ask artists that are relevant to the culture things about other artists that are just going through something. Your response impacts harder than it would at any other point. Then you get the people who want the fight. They'll start to champion that like, 'go, go, go!' Then when they find out that it's not going to actually happen, and I'm the source of where they find that out at they go, 'ahh.' They try to make the fight again. They try to say, 'oh he's scared.' Like me, when you known me to back down?"
Follow Me
|
For the last year 50 Cent has attempted to get on the same page with the powers that be over at Interscope Records. Yesterday (January 2) his frustration with the label reached a boiling point.
In a series of tweets sent out to his 5.4 million followers, Fif expressed extreme disappointment with the whole situation.
"I have lost all the faith in the team I'm on. I having nothing left to say I will not be promoting my music," 50 wrote. "I'm going to deliver this album then. I have a film I wrote to focus on I'm not upset I'm just convinced this is not how I want to remembered. Ill be honest I don't think I'm gonna live much longer. That's why I started my street king movement. I want to mean more in other peoples lives."
Some people mistakenly took his comments about death as an indication that he was in a dark space mentally, but he quickly clarified the statement.
"To be conscious that life is short is not suicidal. I'm good if I die tonight I've taken care of the people who took care of me when I couldn't take care myself," he continued.
50 proved to any naysayers with his street album, The Big 10, that he can still deliver hit records with the best of them. Every video released from the project has soared to more than a million youtube hits. The clip for "Put Your Hands Up" is nearing 4 million views in less than one week.
All of this was done without the help of a label. 50 says that at this point in his career he wants to protect his legacy and inspire others.
Let's hope Interscope gets their act together and works with 50 to properly deliver his fifth studio album because the rap game really needs the G-Unit boss.
50 Cent "Put Your Hands Up"
50 Cent Ft Tony Yayo "Nah Nah Nah"
50 Cent "Off and On"
50 Cent "Queens, NY" Ft Paris
50 Cent "Wait Until Tonight"
50 Cent "I Just Wanna" Ft Tony Yayo
Follow Me
|
Could there be a new collaboration coming soon from Lil Kim and 50 Cent?
The Queen Bee has been tweeting about hanging with the Money Team quite a bit in recent days, including the pic up top which she sent to her 420,000 followers early this morning.
On December 27, Kim tweeted that she was in the studio with Floyd and 50.
Check out Kim's latest promo pic below promising new music in 2012. Looks like the new year is about to get off to an interesting start.
Follow Me
|
Official off of 50 Cent's new mixtape 'The Big 10'
Produced by Roc Nation's Jahlil Beats
Follow Me
|
Video After The Jump
Fans who were lucky enough to get inside New York City's Webster Hall last night (December 29) were treated to a special performance by 50 Cent, as he and XXL celebrated his special 5 cover December issue of the magazine.
With legendary DJ Cool Herc by his side and Hot 97's DJ Mister Cee behind the turntables, Fif rocked the crowd with a bit of the old and the new. The G-Unit boss performed "What Up Gangsta," "Window Shopper," "Poor Lil Rich," "Till I Collapse," "I Get Money," "I Just Wanna," and more.
Peep the footage below.
Follow Me
|
Full video dropping on Christmas Day
X-Factor is pulling out the big guns for tonight's season finale. In addition to crowning a winner from the three remaining contestants Chris Rene, Melanie Amaro and Josh Krajcik, there will also be special performances.
Billboard is reporting that judge L.A. Reid personally reached out to 50 Cent in order to secure a performance from the multi-platinum selling rapper. Justin Bieber, Stevie Wonder, Pitbull, Ne-Yo, and Leona Lewis are also scheduled to perform.
The show airs on Fox at 8/7C.
Follow Me
|
Video After The Jump
50 Cent finally releases visuals for "They Burn Me." A song about people who get put in a position to succeed only to turn around and bite the hand that feeds them.
With the release of The Big 10 mixtape 50 Cent officially hit the reset button. Moving forward the Queens, New Yorker is going to be grinding like he doesn't have a record deal. It's great news for fans who want to hear as much music from 50 as possible, but for the G-Unit general it also has to do with the legacy his body of work will leave behind.
“For real, moving forward, everything I do has to be the highest quality possible,” he told XXL. “I’m gonna mix and master everything. Em used to do that. He would mix and master vocals [for mixtapes]. I’d be like ‘what are you doing?’ It takes me 30 mins to make the record, put it out and I’m done. Now, I don’t want to anything out there to not be the best performance I can have because I can’t take it back. For me, it’s not about actual record sales. I want everything I leave behind to be my best effort. I’m gonna keep raising the bar.”
In addition to the recent signings of DJ Pauly D, Lea, Genasis, Shawty Lo and Kidd Kidd, 50 has inked an artist in female emcee Paris that he can really relate to. They both come from the mean streets of Southside Jamaica Queens. He has high expectations for the newcomer, just as he does for himself and the rest of the G-Unit/G-Note roster.
“Her tape is to come out shortly after [Big 10]. She’s been working quietly for a long time before I said I wanted to sign her," 50 said. "She’s from Queens, she’s from Southside. It’s easier for me… The element for me, the material I really understand. I know everybody in a part of the story she’s telling. I’ve known her [for a while].
He goes on to explain that he took his time in signing her while he allowed her to further develop her craft, but now she is more than ready to take on the industry.
“She didn’t have what she has now,” 50 says, explaining why Paris wasn't signed sooner. “I think the material she has is better than what’s out now.”
Follow Me
|
Video After The Jump
It's that time again where we swear off bad habits heading into the new year. MTV caught up with several stars recently to find out what they plan on doing differently in 2012.
"Ah man, so many. So many new things to work on myself. I just got to be conscious, more conscious of myself," 50 Cent explained. "And try and be a better judge of character with others."
Chicago rapper Common is looking to take his game to a new level. "I haven't thought deeply on it, but I would just say I wanna be greater at everything I do. Greatness."
Jill Scott plans to hit the road in the new year. "I'd like to visit Europe more often next year."
French Montana told MTV there's no need to change something that's not broken "For me, definitely not to change," he said. "Because everything I've been doing been working so far."
"My New Year's resolution is to quit smoking ... it's a very dirty, filthy habit," said Gym Class Heroes singer Travie McCoy. "But not [only] is it my New Year's resolution to quit, but it's also my New Year's resolution to get my friends to quit as well."
What's your New Year's resolution for 2012?
Follow Me
|
Two of the biggest superstars in music have teamed up to record a song together.
50 Cent and Chris Brown have collaborated on a DJ Felli Fel produced track titled "Lighters" that will appear on 50's upcoming fifth studio album.
“I just did 50 Cent’s new record with Chris Brown,” Felli Fel revealed to Rap-Up.com. “It was supposed to be my record. I produced it, me and Chris wrote it. He sings the hook and did a verse as well.”
The DJ from Los Angeles radio station Power 106 said getting 50 and Chris on the same record was a priority for him.
“I meticulously put these two together because I realized they never did a record together and I found that odd,” explained Felli. “50 loved the record and the next day I get a call from [50’s manager] Chris Lighty saying, ’50 wants the record.’ I was kinda torn because it was one of those bittersweet things. I knew what we had with this record. It’s probably going to be the biggest record I’ve ever done.”
50's not-yet-titled album is due out in early 2012 on Interscope Records.
Follow Me
|
Video After The Jump
50 Cent definitely made his presence felt on the season finale of X-Factor Thursday (December 22). Fif took the stage with some beauties dancing in the background and performed "Wait Until Tonight," backed by Governor. The track is featured on 50's new street album The Big 10.
Tony Yayo and The Astronomical Kid then joined 50 onstage as he rapped his monster hit "In Da Club."
Check the performance out below.
Follow Me
|
50 Cent's Street King initiative was just the first step as he continues to look for ways to help those less fortunate. With SK, the business mogul/rapper/actor teamed with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to help provide meals to one billion people in underdeveloped countries.
At the launch of his SMS By 50 headphone line Monday (December 5) at NYC's James Hotel, Fif announced a similar philanthropic component is tied to the headphones. This time he has partnered with Feeding America, a non-profit organization that feeds families in need throughout the United States.
"I’m trying to create a template that’ll become a standard," 50 told Rolling Stone. "A lot of the problems that Americans have, there’s no money to solve them. If we’re having stimulus package for them, [points to New York skyline], who’s there to help families? According to World Bank numbers, 1 percent of revenue from big business would solve all extreme poverty. Imagine if every bottle of Ciroc provided meals? If I’m able to influence my peers – because we have a lot of influence, we’re out in the public eye – if you start seeing myself, and the Jay-Z’s and the Diddy’s doing these kinds of things with the big companies that they’re associated with, it would make a dent in the actual problems. So for every pair of headphones sold, 250 meals are being provided, for all domestic sales in-store and at smsby50.com."
Another big headline this week has been the signing of DJ Pauly D to G-Note Records. 50 told Rolling Stone he saw a unique opportunity with the "Jersey Shore" star.
"When Pauly came by to see me, they had options. They had several places that they were going, and people that were interested in doing a deal with him," explained 50. "Obviously, the momentum from Jersey Shore was spun off into him being the first one to have his own independent series. They’re moving places and DJing in front of bigger audiences, and getting ready to make moves internationally, where the DJ is the star, overseas. When I sat with him, I saw the opportunities we could have moving forward, with brand extension and packaging the music."
As far as what Pauly D brings to the table musically. The DJ will offer his own unique brand of sound according to 50.
"I call him 'the bridge.' He’s going to be something between what you would get from a DJ Khaled or a DJ Drama and what you would get from David Guetta."
Follow Me
|
Video After The Jump
At last night's taping of "VH1 Divas" there was plenty of star power on hand as the network celebrated soul music. With anticipation building for performances from Mary J. Blige, Marsha Ambrosius, Kelly Clarkson. Jennifer Hudson, Jill Scott and many more, it was 50 Cent who managed to steal some of the spotlight when he arrived with legendary R&B diva Chaka Khan.
The two announced that they were collaborating on something very big.
"It's a surprise, the most exciting situation" 50 told MTV. "We're working together."
When asked what they were working on Khan replied, "big things."
Khan, who was also a performer on the show described what it meant to be a diva.
"You have to be in a blessed situation to be a diva, so I feel very blessed," she said. "I'm honored to be amongst such greats as Mary J."
50 told MTV that he wanted to make sure Khan was his date at the event.
“I reached out to her to make sure I can actually come with her. This is exciting for me,” he said. “I’ve been wanting to come hang out with her. Totally, you know you need to stand next to the fire to keep warm. You see what I’m saying. It’s getting cold out here. It’s wintertime. It’s really exciting to be around people that have the same artistic integrity, people you want to be associated with.”
While we wait to see what will develop from this collaboration, you can catch Chaka Khan performing tonight on VH1 Divas at 9P/8C.
Follow Me
|
}