Eminem says 50 Cent is ‘one of the best friends I’ve ever known’ after surprise Detroit gig
Eminem had one shot, one opportunity to seize what he wanted in one moment — and he captured it by joining his longtime friend and collaborator 50 Cent onstage over the weekend.
The “Lose Yourself” rapper made a surprise guest appearance Sunday, midway through 50 Cent’s concert in Eminem’s native Detroit, to perform the tracks “Patiently Waiting” and “Crack a Bottle.”
Immediately after wrapping up the songs, Eminem talked to his hometown crowd, saying, “Oh, Detroit, don’t f— act like you ain’t know I was gonna be here!”
Later, 50 Cent shared a video of the moment in an Instagram post, writing, “Bro when I do anything with EM people just go crazy they know he really my boy. I love him till death!”
As hip-hop celebrates its 50th anniversary on Aug. 11, The Times looks back at the artists, songs and innovations that changed the course of popular culture.
The clip captured Eminem telling the audience, “Detroit, make some noise for one of the best friends I’ve ever known — 50 Cent. And also, make some noise for hip-hop’s 50th birthday, y’all.”
The “In Da Club” rapper was signed to Eminem’s Shady Records in 2002 after getting dropped by Columbia Records. While with Shady, 50 Cent released his highly successful, Grammy-nominated debut album “Get Rich or Die Tryin‘” in 2003. He would go on to drop four more albums with the label before exiting from it in 2014.
In July, the Grammy winner spoke with XXL Magazine about how Eminem has acted as a mentor to him.
“What helped me not have a big head at any point was I had Eminem around,” the “Just a Little Bit” artist said. “So when I’m doing 13 million records on my first album, I have ‘The Marshall Mathers LP’ to look at that’s doing 23 million records. Em, I put him next to my grandmother, and I’ma tell you why. He was always a place where I could go and just talk to him, and know that he has my best interest at heart.”
Eminem has filed a cease-and-desist letter against Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy after the former businessman rapped along to “Lose Yourself” at a campaign event.
He also noted that he constantly sought the “I’m Not Afraid” rapper’s approval for his music.
“I would gather whatever I felt like was dope, and then I’d come and just press play, and I’d watch him. If I didn’t get no response out of him, I would really scrap the record,” 50 Cent said. “I wouldn’t use it if he didn’t respond to it and hear the record like it mean something.”
As for Eminem’s overall influence on the rap game, 50 Cent dubbed it “unmeasurable.”
“You can look at artists within the culture and say, ‘Well, we don’t hear his records in the nightclub.’ He didn’t make those records with intentions for you to listen to ’em there,” he said.
“And if that was the goal, we would make one right now that would f— up your life. [Eminem] played across Top 40 crossover radio, and it’s a different energy. When that audience captures the art form and becomes attracted to it, they buy other people’s art from that art form.”
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