Since the turn of the century, 50 Cent has reigned as rap’s supervillain. 50 hasmastered the art of the diss track ("How to Rob,""Back Down,""Piggy Bank") while amassing alist of enemies that includes everyone from superstar rappers (Nas, Fat Joe, Ja Rule, Jadakiss, Kanye West, Rick Ross) and label heads (Diddy, Jimmy Iovine) to media moguls (Oprah, Wendy Williams) and drug kingpins (Jimmy "Henchman"Rosemand, Kenneth "Supreme"McGriff).
Even 50’s affiliates have fallen victim to his wrath, as the G-Unit general has spent the past two decades beefing with former crew members Game, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, and Young Buck. The crew’s latest internal conflict has played out over the past several weeks, as tension between 50 and Buck has escalated into a full-scale feud that’s centered on sex scandals, music video removals, and monetary disputes.
As 50 Cent and Young Buck continue to trade barbs on social media, let’s take a look at the history of 50 beefing with current and former G-Unit members.
2004: Tensions rise between 50 Cent and Game
February 2005: 50 Cent kicks Game out of G-Unit live on Hot 97, shots fired outside station
June 2005: Game starts G-Unot campaign, drops diss track “300 Bars N Runnin”
June 2008: 50 Cent leaks phone call with Young Buck, who responds with diss track “Taped Conversation”
September 2010: 50 Cent calls out Lloyd Banks over Eminem feature
Not even 50’s protege, Lloyd Banks, has been immune to his wrath. Once thick as thieves, the relationship between 50 and Banks hit a snag at the top of the decade, as the former tweeted his disappointment with Banksnot wanting Eminem to appear on his third studio album, H.F.M. 2. Over a series of tweets, 50 took credit for Banks’ career and expressed his disappointment as a leader of G-Unit, before threatening to release a recording of 50 and Eminem confronting Banks backstage.
April 2014: 50 Cent likens Tony Yayo and Lloyd Banks to spoiled milk, says they’re Troy Ave’s ‘hype men’
February 2016: 50 Cent calls out Lloyd Banks for taking photo with Game
On the list of Things You Should Never Do If You Want to Avoid a Beef With 50 Cent, cozying up with any one of 50’s sworn enemies tops the list, as evidenced by 50’s feuds with Game and Young Buck (both of which started because 50 felt that each rapper was disloyal). And yet, just like his former G-Unit affiliates, Lloyd Banks dug his own grave with 50 in February 2016, when a picture of him and Game was posted on the latter’s Instagram page. 50 was quick to repost the picture with his own take on their "reunion,"writing: "What do you see when you look at this picture? I see confusion, I'm not sure if it's just me, I'm a Cancer sh-t don't get old with me. I never ask for trouble but I really don't have a problem with it I'm different. The question isn't how I feel about it, but how dose ( Lodi Mac ) feel about it? Some sh*t is just better off left alone. #EFFENVODKA #FRIGO #SMSAUDIO."