Rescued Work: Kanye v. 50 Cent
DEF|Y|NE Media founder Matthew Allen revisits an erased 2017 article chronicling the timeline of Kanye West and 50 Cent's 2007 album battle, originally featured in Mass Appeal.
One of the best parts of being a music journalist is documenting and dissecting historical events. Hip-Hop is still a young genre, but it deserves to be analyzed and canonized like the important moments in pop, rock, and jazz history.
When Kanye West and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson engaged in a friendly album battle in 2007, it went from being a great marketing technique to what I called The Great Rap Paradigm Shift. During my year-long stint writing for Mass Appeal, I got a chance to provide readers with context on why West’s music career ascended and 50’s wavered due to this canon event.
Originally titled, Can’t Tell Me Nothing: Kanye West’s “Graduation” vs. 50 Cent’s “Curtis” 10 Years Later, I wrote an extensive timeline of the events that led to West’s defeat of 50. Since Mass Appeal discontinued its online magazine and erased its articles, I present it to you all here at DEF|Y|NE Media:
September 11, 2007. It was the match-up made in rap stan/hype beasts/marketing exec heaven. Kanye West versus 50 Cent in a friendly contest for album sales supremacy. Who would come out on top; West’s Graduation or 50’s Curtis? When you analyze a competition, you look at the match-ups, and the most compelling and exciting outcomes occur when there’s a clear contrast in styles.
In one corner, from Queens, NY, you have 50 Cent: the rugged, ex-drug dealer-turned-MC; a rap crossover machine with over 18 million albums sold to that point. In the other corner, from Chicago, IL, you had Kanye West: the eclectic, art college dropout-turned-producer-turned-rapper; a critics darling who had earned six Grammy Awards (18 nominations) to that point.
From the stats alone, the odds should’ve been in 50’s favor. Because West has been on top for so long, it’s easy to forget how much 50 had the rap game in a chokehold. By 2007, he achieved 14 Top 15 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 as either a lead or featured artist. He was the archetype rapper; a perfect melding of edgy New York swag with sinister, melodic California beats. He had aggressive vocal delivery; typical rap attire - du-rags, bullet-proof vests, and baggy jeans. His lyrics glorified drugs, sex, and violence via “In da Club,” “Many Men,” “Wanksta” and “Candy Shop.”
(L-R: Kanye West and 50 Cent appearing on an episode of BET’s “106 & Park” in 2007. Photo Credit: Brad Barket/Getty Images)
When West came on the scene, he wasn’t even respected as a rapper. It was his production chops for Jay-Z, Scarface, Ludacris, and Talib Kweli that put him on the map. His image as a pink polo, Louis Vuitton backpack-wearing ex-art student didn’t sit well with folks who saw MCs in one limited outer scope. While West had success with his first two albums - College Dropout and Late Registration, each with a No. 1 single (“Slow Jams” and “Gold Digger” respectively) - he’d still sold nearly 10 million fewer albums than 50.
In the years leading up to that fateful face-off, southern acts dominated Hip-Hop. Outkast, UGK, and T.I. ruled the charts more, but 50’s success persisted. However, after West became a solo star, his cache as a producer continued to rise as he made hits for Common, John Legend, and The Game. As a result, West began closing the gap between him and 50 in the eyes of the public.
With all their differences, West and 50 had a lot more in common than meets the eye. Both came up slowly with false starts – Jam Master Jay mentored 50, yet his 1999 debut single “How to Rob” peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard Rap Chart. West tooled away as a ghost producer for years to get his clothes off layaway before landing a beat for Beanie Siegal with “The Truth” in 2000. Each experienced near-fatal episodes right before they hit big – 50 was shot nine times and West was in a devastating car wreck. The two were both co-signed and backed by artist-made labels – 50 on Dr. Dre and Eminem’s Shady Aftermath subsidiary (Interscope) and West on Jay-Z’s Rockafella Records (Def Jam).
(L-R: 50 Cent and Kanye West pose for their 2007 Rolling Stone cover.)
When the final bell rang, West was the victor. Graduation sold 970,000 copies in the first week, compared to 691,000 from 50’s Curtis. This was seen as a great day for Hip-Hop with both rappers benefiting from the highly publicized battle. However, the paradigm had shifted and any reverence for subwoofer-bustin’ gangsta rap superstars was abandoned by the public, thus elevating newer, emotional, thoughtful, genre-less rap superstars. Artists like Drake, J. Cole, and Kid Cudi became the new rap elite, with their introspective and worldly records. 50 would never again go platinum and West turned into the biggest music act on the planet.
Although September 2007 is understandably considered when the shift happened, it began six years to the day before. Numerous events and releases put the handwriting on the wall for the monumental corner-turn. Here’s a timeline of said events and releases:
September 11, 2001. Kanye’s “Takeover”
After producing two standout tracks for Roc-A-Fella Records in 2000 - Beanie Sigel’s “The Truth” and Jay-Z’s “This Can’t Be Life” - the stars aligned for West with Jay-Z’s The Blueprint. Released six years to the day of his battle with 50, West set the tone for what many consider Jigga’s finest work. West produced four of the 13 tracks, and his unique manipulation of soul samples laid the framework for the album’s overall grown-man feel. “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” was his first top 10 single and “Takeover” birthed one of the most high-profile rap beefs of all time between Jay-Z and Nas. From there, West became a go-to beatmaker, and tracks like Scarface’s “Guess Who’s Back,” Jay-Z and Beyonce’s “03 Bonnie & Clyde,” and Talib Kweli’s “Get By” were becoming hits and classics.
November 6, 2002. 50 Exposes the “Wanksta”
50 Cent was literally a survivor, after getting riddled with gunfire. When rap music’s biggest name, Eminem, caught wind of him and his G-Unit crew and signed them to his Shady Aftermath label, not only did he lend his voice to their 2002 mixtape No Mercy No Fear (featuring a remix of Kanye’s beat for “Guess Who’s Back”), but plucked a song from the mixtape, the 50 solo track “Wanksta,” which called out wanna-be gangstas, for the soundtrack of his film 8 Mile. After Em’s single “Lose Yourself” propelled him to the biggest music star on the planet at the time, the momentum helped push 50’s “Wanksta” to the Billboard Hot 100 Top 20, introducing 50 to the world. With “Wanksta” addressing a pre-existing beef with fellow Queens MC and current crossover rap star Ja Rule, fans were yearning for more from 50.
February 3, 2003. Get Rich or Die Tryin’ Pays Off for 50
With the success of “Wanksta” and five-time platinum-selling 8 Mile soundtrack, anticipation for 50’s debut with Aftermath was palpable. When he dropped the Dr. Dre-produced single “In da Club” in January 2003, it was clear that 50 was about to grab the brass ring. The track topped the Billboard Hot 100 and his debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin‘ exploded out of record stores. The album was a gritty and grim manifesto of 50’s rap persona and hustler past. In a year when tracks like Missy Elliott’s “Work It,” Snoop Dogg’s “Beautiful” and Fabolous’ “Can’t Let You Go” hit big, 50 dominated 2003. He had four top 10 singles (“In da Club,” “21 Questions,” “P.I.M.P.” and Lil’ Kim’s “Magic Stick”), was nominated for Best New Artist Grammy, founded G-Unit Records and Get Rich or Die Tryin‘ sold eight million albums.
September 30, 2003. Kanye Spits His Soul “Through the Wire”
As 50 became Hip-Hop’s newest superstar, West’s hit streak as a producer continued, creating smash singles like Ludacris’ “Stand Up” and Alicia Keys’ “You Don’t Know My Name.” This was all while he plotted his eventual world premiere as a rapper. After several labels refused to sign him as an artist, including Capital Records who pulled out of a proposed deal in the 11th hour, he’d found a home with Roc-A-Fella. No one knew, not even West, that nearly dying in an automobile crash in October 2002 would set the tone for his coming-out party. “Through the Wire,” was a clever play on the song’s sample source, Chaka Khan’s “Through the Fire,” and he recorded the song with his jaw wired shut just two weeks post-surgery. The song showcased how West “turned tragedy to triumph” following the accident. First appearing on two of his mixtapes I’m Good and Get Well Soon, West and Roc-A-Fella decided to have it launch his rapping career. At that moment, West got his first sense of vindication as an artist.
November 14, 2003. Jay-Z “Fades to Black” with Retirement
In a shocking move, Jay-Z announced that his eighth LP, The Black Album, would be his last. Jigga was heralded as arguably the best, most consistent rapper in the game at the time. Although the retirement was ultimately short-lived, at the time, Jay’s absence from music was going to leave a huge void; a void he arguably filled after the death of Notorious B.I.G. in 1997. And with Eminem a year away from a creative descent with Encore, Rap was going to need a new pace-setter. Although Nelly would drop a multi-platinum double album the following year, he would venture outside of Hip-Hop on Sweat & Suit. Therefore, 50’s persona, hot streak, and ties with Em and Dre made him the logical heir apparent. West only had one prominent example of his solo skills with “Through the Wire.” But after producing two stand-out songs for The Black Album – “Encore” and “Lucifer” – anticipation for his self-produced debut began to grow. After getting a No. 1 single with “Slow Jamz” featuring Twista, anticipation went from bubbling to boiling.
February 10, 2004. The College Dropout Takes Everyone to School
After pushing the album back from an initial August 2003 release, Kanye finally unleashed his debut, The College Dropout. Fans were ready for a record full of his signature sped-up soul sample production, but they were not prepared for lyrics that were self-effacing, spiritual, cynical, comical, and brass, sometimes all in one song. Tracks like “All Falls Down” and “Jesus Walks” earned critical and commercial success. One of the most significant aspects of the album was West’s ability to place hardcore and mainstream rappers like Jay-Z and Freeway with underground and conscious MCs like Mos Def and J.Ivy. 2004 was ruled by Terror Squad’s massive “Lean Back,” Snoop Dogg’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and the phenomenon that was Outkast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below album. College Dropout’s versatility, however, made it fit right in.
March 3, 2005. 50 Cent Massacres the Competition
It may seem as if 50 Cent took 2004 off before his next album, but turns out he was as busy as ever. With G-Unit Records, his artists Young Buck, Lloyd Banks, and The Game each achieved platinum or multi-platinum album sales on their debut projects. For his sophomore effort, 50 wanted to lay waste to his competition. After getting into high-profile feuds with Fat Joe and Jadakiss continuing to beef with Ja Rule, 50 was set to drop St. Valentines’ Day Massacre on February 14th. It was delayed a few weeks and the title changed to simply The Massacre, but it was no less destructive.
50 became only the second rapper ever to sell over a million albums in the first week of sales (Eminem did it twice before). He maintained his dark ghetto imagery but amped up the crossover appeal another notch with more sexual songs and club anthems from Dr. Dre, Cool & Dre, and Scott Storch. All four of the LP’s singles reached the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10, including “Disco Inferno,” “Candy Shop” and “Just a Little Bit.” In a year when the record industry sold a record low CDs, The Massacre moved five million units, and with the soundtrack to his film Get Rich or Die Tryin‘ selling three million more it was evident that 50 was asserting himself to being The One in Rap and Music at large.
August 30, 2005. Kanye Touches the Sky with Late Registration
In late March 2005, rapper Common dropped Be, a comeback from the lukewarm reception of his 2002 album Electric Circus. With West as Be’s chief producer, Common emerged back to relevance and raised more anticipation for West’s next solo album. But once again, West gave fans what they didn’t know they wanted with Late Registration.
By this time, West’s now vintage production style seemed tired to him. He enlisted Portishead producer/arranger Jon Brion to co-produce his entire sophomore album with him. Expanding on obscure soul samples with live orchestration, West was also getting political with tracks like “Crack Music,” “Diamonds From Sierra Leone” and “Heard ‘Em Say.” Late Registration sold 886,000 copies in week one, and went triple platinum, only second in 2005 behind, well, 50 Cent.
December 14, 2005. Kanye’s U2utledge
The biggest act in music, rock band U2, was nearly 14 months into their Vertigo Tour, supporting their latest platinum seller, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. Over the course of that tour, they’d employ numerous opening acts, such as Franz Ferdinand, Arcade Fire, and Patti Smith. A curious choice turned out to be West. The rapper/producer supported U2 for four shows in five days, including stops in St. Louis and Portland. It was on this stretch that West witnessed how the quartet put on a massive show and held a crowd in the palm of their hands for two hours or more. Watching them perform hits like “Vertigo,” and “Elevation” West figured out how valuable and important it was to craft music that works for a crowd of 16,000 to 19,000 people, rather than just in the club. This lesson would prove crucial later in his future projects.
February 8, 2006. 48th Annual Grammys
This evening is the real turning point between the West/50 Cent race for the rap crown. On music’s biggest award evening, both West and Jackson had six nominations. They went head to head in three categories: Best Rap Song, Best Rap Solo Performance, and Best Rap Album. The Massacre was far in a way the biggest-selling rap album of the year and Late Registration was the most critically acclaimed. By the end of the evening, 50 went home empty-handed while West grabbed three trophies…all of them against 50. This raised West’s Grammy total to six while 50 had come up short 10 times thus far, including Get Rich or Die Tryin‘ losing Best Rap Album to College Dropout. That award show proved to be the foreshadowing of West’s ascension to 50’s tier of commercial viability.
May 15, 2007. Kanye Gets His “Money Right”
With Grammy wins and new audience exposure, thanks to touring with U2, West’s outside production credits in 2006 into 2007 were dwindling as he focused more on being a rapper. His next masterstroke came from the most unlikeliest of sources: 50 Cent. West admired 50’s music and swagger aesthetic. While in the studio as West was wrapping up recording his third album, 50 expressed his favor for a particular song that West co-produced with DJ Toomp. Entitled “Can Tell Me Nothing,” the song addressed the growing backlash that was coming from West’s increasingly brash public rants and statements (2005 American Music Awards and 2006’s “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people”). It was an anthemic, defiant, and brooding track built both for the streets and the arenas. It was West’s first successful “street” single, reaching number eight on Billboard’s Rap Chart. Perhaps 50 wanted someone to push him.
June 26, 2007. 50 Fails to “Amuse” at The BET Awards
BET’s annual Award show has grown to be one of the biggest nights in Black entertainment since its inaugural telecast in 2001. On June 26, 2007, fans were looking forward to seeing 50 Cent perform a new song from his upcoming album, Curtis, which had originally been scheduled to be released that day. 50 was beginning to feel pressure to continue his winning streak (the OG album title was Curtis SSK, for Soundscan Killer). After earning a 100 million dollar deal with Coca-Cola and Vitamin Water, and appearances in numerous films, his attention was going beyond music.
At the sixth BET Awards, 50 performed the album’s brand new single, the bouncy, erotic “Amusement Park.” Using female aerialists on stage, 50 proceeded to stalk the auditorium aisles, completely disregarding the song’s first verse. The crowd wasn’t feeling it and neither were listeners - “Amusement Park” didn’t chart on the Billboard Hot 100. The next single, the Dr. Dre produced “Straight to the Bank,” faired a little better, but failed to reach the Top 30 of Billboard Hot 100. The third single, “I Get Money,” finally got the reaction 50 was looking for, but was it too late?
September 11, 2007. The Final Showdown
Once “I Get Money” hit Billboard’s Rap Top 10, a September 11th release date for Curtis was set. Meanwhile, West’s third album, Graduation, was originally slated for September 18th. However, once it was decided to drop it a week earlier, the showdown was in place. Fans and media alike milked this for all it was worth. Rolling Stone wrote a cover story about the topic mere days before. Both artists got into the act as well, with 50 going so far as to say he’d retire if he sold less than West the first week. The two appeared together as Award show presenters, at photo shoots, joint magazine interviews, and on BET’s 106 & Park. 50’s last single before the LP release was “AYO Technology” with Justin Timberlake and Timbaland. A clear reach for crossover success, the song propelled 50 back to the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 5. On the other hand, West’s “Stronger,” built on a futuristic Daft Punk sample, reached the top spot on Billboard Hot 100. Now all there was left to do was listen and wait.
Graduation was a sharp left turn for West, relying far more on synthesizers and keyboards and going for a “stadium status” sound. Curtis was more of a microwaved version of The Massacre, with the same old themes and far less captivating performances. West figured out the art of reinvention, the element that was the key to the longevity of artists like Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna, and David Bowie. Outside business ventures seemed to be pulling 50 into a new life and his dwindling focus on music arguably led to Curtis’ weaknesses. With Graduation selling nearly a million in week one and 50 selling nearly 700,000, both succeeded, but the people had spoken. It was time for a change.
EPILOGUE
In 2008, rap had three certified street anthems: Young Jeezy’s “Put On,” DJ Khaled’s “Go Hard” and T.I.’s “Swagger Like Us.” As Hip-Hop had become a feature-crazed genre, it was important to choose the right artist to carry the weight of such substantial songs. An MC like 50 Cent, with his charisma, authentic street cred, and bankable pop cache, would’ve been the perfect choice for any of those three tracks. Instead, all of them featured Kanye West. After earning another four Grammys for Graduation and going double platinum, West put 50 in his rearview once and for all by proving he belonged among the rap elite and could be as grimy as those tracks as he was emotional, playful, and thoughtful on tracks like “Big Brother,” “Good Life,” and “Everything I Am.” He bodied all three of those verses and for a guy who nobody believed was anything but a producer with wack rhymes, held his own or stole the show adjacent to MCs like Jay-Z, Jeezy, T.I., and Lil’ Wayne. This well-rounded approach helped elevate him to GOD MC status and each album has gone number one and went platinum ever since. Meanwhile, 50’s music and gangsta rap as a whole disappeared from the charts, and 50 focused on TV and film.
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