It’s been over a year since we’ve seen Jayceon Taylor on covers of magazines with a gun to his head, and crying on YouTube videos about hip-hop of the past. He’ll be the first to admit his life is an emotional roller-coaster, but nowadays The Game seems more content than usual.

And maybe he has good reason to be. He’s back working with Dr. Dre and says his forthcoming LP The R.E.D Album (due out February 16) is his favorite since The Documentary. He’s even feeling relieved that Jay-Z never responded to his sideways comments he made in his last Complex interview. Yesterday, we reconnected with Game to get his take on 50 baiting Jay into a battle, the new album, young rappers like Drake, and why Interscope chairman Jimmy Iovine wants to reunite the hip-hop Beatles. It was Game on as usual…

Interview by Joe La Puma

Complex: Starting off, talk about the reasoning behind naming your new joint The R.E.D. Album.

Game: R.E.D is simply rededicated. That’s what R.E.D is, the r-e-d in red for me. And rededicated to what? My family, my craft, which is hip-hop, my fans, which are world wide, my children, my hood, my city, and what got me here—which is the color. I think that before I came out there was no red. There was Snoop, everybody was Crip walking. I came in, I took the color on as a whole. People just adapted to who I am and where I come from. I mean now, even Crips wear red.

Complex: How do you feel about other rappers who claim Blood and shout “Soo-Woo”?

Game: I mean, look what I did to Jim Jones, and look at Weezy, and look at Gucci Mane. I feel like I did that. It’s a free country. People can do whatever they want to do and if anything they’re just making me bigger and my legacy and where I come from and what I represent bigger.

Complex: I know Gucci Mane is on the album. What other collaborations can we expect?

Game: I got Rick Ross. I got Beanie Sigel, I got Jeezy. I finally did a song with Jeezy that’s fuckin’ crazy too. For the most part it’s me, with a couple of features from people I haven’t worked with yet—I always try to work with new people every album. But it’s people that I respect and that are also poppin’ in the world and that other people want to hear.

Complex: I read somewhere that there’s going to be some production by RZA. Is that true?

Game: RZA gave me a beat, which I am so fuckin’ ecstatic about. I appreciate it because he doesn’t make beats anymore. RZA gets paid millions of dollars now to score movies, big fuckin’ movies. So, for him to come in my studio and for him to say “Yo Game, I brought this beat to you and just listen to it and just tell me if you like it…” So I listened to it and I was so crazy about it. I called him and he was like, “Yo, you could have that beat.” That’s all it was and I ain’t talk to RZA since, shit [Laughs].

Complex: So Jay-Z did The Black Album, The Beatles did The White Album. How does The R.E.D. Album stack up against those masterpieces?

Game: I just would consider this my best effort since The Documentary. My favorite would be the Doctor’s Advocate, but The Documentary is my first album. It is to the people what Illmatic was to the people, what Ready to Die was, what Reasonable Doubt was, Straight Out of Compton, and all those albums. It’s the first album, so I kind of think that people are biased to say that it’s classic. But The R.E.D. Album is as dope as The Documentary was. There’s no controversy in my way. There’s nobody telling me to rap like this or anything, I’m just dead me on this album. I did it by myself, with the help of Dr. Dre this time and that was a breath of fresh air and relieved a lot of my stress and tension. It’s always easier when you’re rolling with that mastermind, man.

Complex: So working with Dre again, it seemed to piss 50 off a little bit…

Game: That made 50 mad, man.

Complex: Do you think it was a jealousy thing?

Game: 50’s just bitter, man. For what reason? I don’t know. He doesn’t have to be. Me and his beef is old at this point. It’s pure comedy for me at this point. When he says something, I laugh. If I shoot a shot back it’s just a joke at this point. Nobody is going to kill each other. Nobody is gonna beat each other’s ass. I’m not gonna do none of that. So we might as well get along. We exist in hip-hop. You know with opening arms he can re-join my band of brothers. Just say sorry and you want to make music. He’ll never be as big as he was and he’ll never be able to put out an album that people will be waiting for and anticipate as much without me, period. And I ain’t saying that he needs me, but me and him made the best records together. I understand it, he needs to understand it, and maybe one day we’ll record. He said recently in an interview that he’ll never work with Game again but that’s all him talking and his ego. I can’t wait to mend the ties with Eminem. Me and Eminem had never been at odds but he had to take 50’s side. That’s his artist and his homie and what not, and I understood it but I’d love to get back with Eminem and work again and sort of restructure the Voltron if you will.

Complex: Even though he says he won’t work with you, it seems like right now you’re telling me you’d definitely work with 50 again…

Game: ‘Cause I don’t hold grudges. Like, it’s hip-hop, man. We’re not fuckin’ WWF wrestlers, we’re not boxers man, it’s just hip-hop. It’s just make music or don’t make music. It’s not a gang war, like he’s not a Crip and I’m a Blood, and this ain’t fuckin’ ‘85, and I’m not gonna ride through his hood and do a drive by, like it’s not that serious, bruh. It’s just hip-hop and I think that he’s more bitter towards me then anyone else he’s had drama with because look what I did to his brand. I killed G-Unit. I killed the clothes, I killed the brand, I killed Tony Ya-Yo, Banks, and Buck at that time. Like I really fucked up a lot of money for that dude. Not only for him but my label, Jimmy Iovine, who at this point, I’m apologetic to.

Complex: Is the label situation cool now?

Game: I’ve mended the wounds at Interscope. You know I went against my own label and I came out the smoke with my hands held high and my head, man. So I mean, I don’t know what 50’s problem is but I’m here. Whenever he wants to call me on the phone and talk about it, squash it or we can keep on going with this fucking child- like antics. He can do it, I can do it and we can do it ’til we fuckin’ die, it makes me no difference, man.

Complex: Interesting…

Game: If he ever wants to do something of catastrophic proportion, then we could. If we said tomorrow Game and 50 are coming out with an album, you know how many motherfuckin’ antennas would go up? We could still sell a million records just off promoting it alone. I mean, I understand the business aspect of it. I understand that you know, he’s got a big ego. I’m just not one with it, I don’t have one. I forgive and forget and that’s life. One day you’re alive and the next day you die. So why spend it bitter and mad at the fuckin’ world, man? I don’t understand it.

Complex: 50’s been baiting Jay-Z recently. As someone who’s had issues with both of them, how do you feel about him going after Jay?

Game: Oh yeah, I already did that Jay-Z thing. 50’s just doing what I’m doing. Nobody went at Jay, I went at Jay. Now everybody wants to get at Jay, not saying anything about Beanie Sigel, that’s personal and I stay out of that. He’s just a man and he’s got all the right in the world, but I feel like I did something that people have been wanting to do, but everybody is scared because Jay-Z is so lyrically inclined to cut your throat and your career in half that nobody wanted to do it. But me? I just don’t give a fuck sometimes.

Complex: What do you think that the result of that battle would be?

Game: Jay-Z will fuck 50 up in a battle! It would be so fast and over with. 50 is funny, but Jay is witty. Jay-Z is not to be toyed with. If he fuckin’ responds, if he feels like you’re really pissing him off and he responds, he’s gonna fuck you up! He would fuck me up, I’m just glad he didn’t fuckin’ respond, so I didn’t have to go dig in my fuckin’ bag and try to fuck him up. I definitely think that Jay-Z didn’t come at me like he came at any other rappers because I definitely would have been more disrespectful and once you start a beef with me you better be ready to go the whole motherfuckin’ 12 rounds because I will try to chew your fuckin’ ear off like Mike Tyson. I’ll do it and I think he knew that—I’m disrespectful. So Jay, he did the right thing and just kinda let it die down and I let it die down ’cause it wasn’t anything really. It was fuckin’ fun and I really admire Jay’s career. I just really don’t care too much for the man himself.

Complex: Now, I saw on your Twitter that you were talking to Shyne recently.

Game: Yeah, I talked to him for about an hour. Just about his well being and both of our next moves. What I thought he should do and he listened and held me on my thoughts and he gave me a lot of insight on my career and what he thought of my career from the several years while he’s been locked down. He’s the reason why I’m not ready to jump into beefs and controversy today because he kind of shed light on some different situations and it gave me a different perspective. Which is one that I respect being that he’s been behind those bars. So we just chopped it up about life and issues and each other, man.

Complex: Last year we saw you on the cover of The Source with a gun to your head and you were saying some days are good, some days are bad. What is your mind frame like today?

Game: I’m in such a fuckin’ good mood man, you could damn near run in my front yard and blow up my car and I would just smile at you. I might fuckin’ shoot you with a sling-shot or something, but I’m definitely less drama filled and I’m just having a good time with my music and my life. I’ve been going out a couple of nights with my boys and drinkin’ and hangin’ and chillin’ and I’m just having fun. You know, the other night I was in a club out here with a couple of billionaire homies and we bought some Ace of Spades and joked about Jay-Z, but at least we contributed 17 grand. It costs 17 grand in the club and five grand on the fuckin’ street. We bought it and just balled out man. In the name of Jay-Z, H-O-V, R-O-C, ya heard? [Laughs]

Complex: [Laughs] I noticed that you Twitter a lot. What rap blogs do you read?

Game: Rap blogs? None. Man I don’t fuckin’ buy XXL anymore, unless I see them around in the studio anymore, [but] I won’t pick them up. I’m so lost, like people were telling me, “Yo, you gotta hear this new kid, J. Cole.” Like people had to force feed me Drake, I never even heard him until a while after he started blowing up and then I became a fan. But I’m so out of the fuckin’ loop. Like I got my Biggie greatest hits, my Makavelli, my fuckin’ EPMD albums in every car. So I don’t know what’s going on currently in hip-hop, unless it pertains to me and my career directly.

Complex: There’s not a young rapper who really impressed you?

Game: Oh, Drake’s the man! Drake is fuckin’ phenomenal. I like Drake, he’s dope as fuck. Lyrically that dude, the shit he says and where he gets it from is crazy. Drake is dope. I haven’t heard a bad song yet.

Complex: So going back to the label situation, it seems like everything is smooth with Interscope?

Game: Everything that happened in my career was nobody’s fault but mine. They run a business and I went against that business and, I paid for it. With the loss of the group aspect. Jimmy Iovine likes to say, “Thanks for breaking up the Beatles, Game. Thank you.”

Complex: And he’s referring to you…

Game: John Lennon and Paul McCartney. I’m John Lennon and 50 is Paul McCartney and Jimmy always says, “Thanks for breaking up the Beatles, man, you guys are worth more together. So I don’t know what the fuck you guys are doing. Whenever you guys want to fuckin’ get your heads out your asses. Come sit down and take a meeting, make some money, we can talk. Until then, just keep the shit out of my office.” That’s Jimmy Iovine for you, man.

RELATED: A History Of The Game’s Beefs
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Late last week, we caught up with the promising young artist on The Blueprint 3 Tour’s second-to-last stop in college town, Champaign, Illinois. We documented the entire night and captured everything from run-ins with Wale and Pharrell to Cole’s thoughts on fashion, groupies, and peer competition. Keep reading to check out a gang of photos and quotes that take you into BP3 Tour experience from a Complex perspective…

Photography by Olga Malkiman
Interview by Ernest Baker

6:30: Playing Video Games On The Tour Bus
“This is the only chance I get to play games, so lately, a lot of time has been going into NBA 2K10. At first it wasn’t that much because we were so caught up with the fact that we were on the road, but we started going at it once that settled down.”

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7:15: Getting Dressed For The Show
“I’m not crazy about fashion. I just pick some shit out. As long as I look presentable. I wanna be seen as the dude who’s fly, but doesn’t give a fuck.”

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7:30: Pre-Gaming On The Bus With Friends
“Some nights are more exciting than others, but we definitely sip before a lot of the shows. It makes watching Hov’s set more enjoyable.”

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7:45: Preparing Backstage
“This is when I start feeling anxious. I try to go through my lines and make sure I don’t fuck up. I wonder what the crowd is gonna look like, especially since I’m the opener.”

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7:50: J. Cole Hits The Stage
“It seemed like the stadium was set up weird tonight, but I still feel good about it. My goal every time is to leave with more fans than I started with.”

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8:45: Chillin’ With Wale After His Set While N.E.R.D Performs
“Originally, ‘Beautiful Bliss’ was gonna be J. Cole’s first mainstream look, because ‘A Star Is Born’ wasn’t even thought of yet. It was my way of saying, ‘Yeah, this is my man Cole. He’s on Roc Nation.’” – Wale

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Complex: What do you guys say to people who think J. Cole killed Wale on that record?

J. Cole: I wouldn’t say that. I got the obvious lines. His verses are still crazy if you really sit down and listen to them. And not to take anything away from my verse, because it’s definitely on point, but we’re in the day and age where niggas are so competitive and people got their favorites, that nobody wants to just enjoy it as a good song, which it is. They wanna say, ‘he killed him.’

Wale: It’s no way to not perceive it as such. He’s the new guy now. His verse is amazing. It’s like when AZ came on “Life’s A Bitch.” It’s a fresh face. I don’t stand a chance as far as perception goes, but I think they’re equally as good. Why can’t it just be a good song though? Everybody feels like they have to like one of us. Nobody was even on ‘who killed who’ 10 years ago.

9:30: Hitting The Blogs In Search Of New Music
“I’m on the blogs, but I don’t get to click as much. It has to be something I really wanna listen to. I go to the blogs almost every day though. I usually just skim and read the posts. Nah Right, 2DopeBoyz, Herfection, Pardon Me Duke, and DCtoBC are the sites I visit.”

10:15: Watching Jay-Z’s Set
“You can’t learn confidence, but I see how much it helps. When we first started I was really unsure of myself. I was all over the stage, trying to please everybody in the crowd. Then I see Jay and he’ll rap an entire verse from one spot if he wants. It’s like he has an invisible box up there. So the importance of confidence is probably the biggest thing I’ve learned from him, but also that you gotta have some hits to get there in the first place.”

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10:30: J. Cole Hits The Stage Again For “A Star Is Born”
“Playing for a crowd that’s still filling in and then coming back out to a full house with Jay is straight motivation. It’s like, ‘Oh. That’s what I want.’ I get to experience both of them in one night. I wanna get to that level, but standing next to Jay makes it clear that I got a long way to go.”

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10:45: Talking To Pharrell
“It feels good to have someone like that compliment you. It doesn’t gas my head up or anything, but it lets me know I’m on the right path. He goes out of his way to let me know that he’s fucking with me or to have a talk with me. I see it as another sign that I’m doing the right thing.”

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11:30: Leaving The Venue
“I might go play more 2K. I don’t do groupies.”

Complex: I’m sure your girlfriend appreciates that. Do you at least have to deal with turning them down?

J. Cole: Not really because we leave so quick from cities. They don’t be backstage or anything like that. So the only time they would get a chance would be at a after-party or something. That’s another thing I thought about the road that wasn’t true. I was thinking it was nonstop. Girls backstage and parties every night, but it’s not. Maybe it’s because it’s Jay and he’s been doing it for so long, but they run a tight ship.

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We shouldn’t be too hard on A-Rod, though, there’s been tons of awkward Rocafella Diamond sightings anytime there’s a chance for a celebrity to get a photo-op with Hov. Don’t believe us? Check out the random assortment of celebrities who felt the need to throw the Roc up like they were bulimic, then check the Jay-Z songs we associated them with. Diamonds up!

OFFENDER: FRAN DRESCHER
ROC ANTHEM: “2 Many Hoes”

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OFFENDER: WRIGLEY’S EXECUTIVES
ROC ANTHEM:“D’evils”

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OFFENDER: TOM CRUISE
ROC ANTHEM: “Cashmere Thoughts”

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OFFENDER: JESSICA SIMPSON
ROC ANTHEM: “22 Two’s”

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OFFENDER: JOHN OLIVER
ROC ANTHEM: “Kingdom Come”

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OFFENDER: JOBA CHAMBERLAIN
ROC ANTHEM: “Imaginary Player”

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OFFENDER: TINA KNOWLES
ROC ANTHEM: “Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)”

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OFFENDER: NED GRABAVOY
ROC ANTHEM: “Crew Love”

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OFFENDER: KOBE BRYANT
ROC ANTHEM: “99 Problems”

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OFFENDER: DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE
ROC ANTHEM: “Diamonds are Forever Remix”

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OFFENDER: 50 CENT
ROC ANTHEM: “Friend or Foe”

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OFFENDER: JIM JONES
ROC ANTHEM: “Friend or Foe Part II (’98)”

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OFFENDER: ELLEN DEGENERES
ROC ANTHEM: “I Know What Girls Like”

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OFFENDER: DENZEL WASHINGTON
ROC ANTHEM: “American Gangster”

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OFFENDER: SLIM THUG
ROC ANTHEM: “Change Clothes”

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OFFENDER: AL SHARPTON
ROC ANTHEM: “Politics as Usual”

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OFFENDER: DESHAWN STEVENSON
ROC ANTHEM:“Hate”

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OFFENDER: RYAN BAKER
ROC ANTHEM:“Public Service Announcement”

In the visual for his latest single from Blueprint 3, “Empire State of Mind,”, rap’s Frank Sinatra trades in the baggy jeans for some clean wool trousers, and goes with a navy-inspired duffle coat instead of North Face snorkel. Real classy. Read on to watch the video and learn how to get the look. But hurry before he’s on the next one…

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WATCH THE VIDEO:

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10 years later, the New York-Philly alliance is finally over. After floundering in the wake of the Roc-A-Fella breakup, Beans finally put out a diss song directed at Jay-Z last night, along with an in-depth interview about his reasons. We can’t say we didn’t see it coming, but it’s still a sad day for old fans of the Roc. Follow us as we look back at the good days with The 10 Best Jay-Z/Beanie Sigel Collaborations…

#10:
Jay-Z f/ Beanie Sigel, The LOX and Sauce Money “Reservoir Dogs” (1998)

Hova’s young gunner from Philly first popped up on this Eric Sermon-produced posse cut from Vol. 2…Hard Knock Life. When we heard him rhyme “testicle” and “vestibule,” we knew Beans was onto something.

#9:
Memphis Bleek f/ Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel “Murda Murda” (2003)

This joint was originally a Jay-Z-only outtake from The Blueprint, but it always seemed a little weird that Beans wasn’t on it, since the chorus includes the line “South Philly muthafuckas kill at will!” Luckily they recorded an official version for Bleek’s third album with the Broad Street Bully.

#8:
Beanie Sigel f/ Jay-Z “It’s On” (2003)

This stand-out track from the second State Property album is a laid-back duet from Hov and Beans. Jay even spits the line, “Young Vito, voice of the young people/If my life a movie, then Sieg gon’ be the sequel.” Damn.

#7:
Jay-Z f/ Beanie Sigel & Memphis Bleek “Change The Game” (2000)

Hov’s fourth album The Dynasty: Roc La Familia prominently featured Beans on nine songs, including this West Coast-flavored hit that was produced by Rick Rock. Something about Beans on a crip-walk beat just works.

#6:
Jay-Z f/ Beanie Sigel “Ignorant Shit” (2007)

This Just Blaze-produced outtake from The Black Album popped up as an official version on Hov’s American Gangster concept album in 2007. With the exception of a forgettable album cut on Beanie’s The Solution, which dropped a month after American Gangster, this stands as their final collaboration.

#5:
Scarface f/ Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel “Guess Who’s Back” (2002)

There’s something magical that happens every time these three get on the same track, most famously on this hit collaboration from Scarface’s sole Def Jam album, The Fix. We’re still smellin’ crack on our clothes.

#4:
Jay-Z f/ Beanie Sigel “Where Have You Been?” (2000)

The emotional crux from The Dynasty features Jay and Beans rapping about their twisted relationships to their fathers. You thought Ghostface and The Game were the only rappers crazy enough to actually cry on tracks? Think again.

#3:
Freeway f/ Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel “What We Do” (2003)

This classic posse cut from Freeway’s debut Philadelphia Freeway features an amazing performance from both MC’s. Their chemistry is especially apparent in the way that they actually flow from one verse to the other. “B. Sieg in the third lane!” MAYNE.

#2:
Jay-Z f/ Beanie Sigel & Amil “Do It Again (Throw Your Hands Up)” (1999)

The lead single from Vol. 3…The Life & Times of S. Carter seemed to catch people a little off-guard when it came out, with its unusual beat that sampled a go-go song. But as the years have gone by, this stands as one of Hov’s most reliable club-bangers, aided greatly by Beans’ memorable verse: “Got bitches in the back bounce-in-to-Jig-ga-what. Got ya hands up and I ain’t even stick ya’ll up.” Just make sure you change the record before Amil comes on!

#1:
Jay-Z f/ Beanie Sigel & Scarface “This Can’t Be Life” (2000)

The original Jay/Beans/Face collabo from The Dynasty remains one of Jay-Z’s greatest songs ever. On the classic early Kanye beat, each MC shows their vulnerable side, telling autobiographical stories about loss and personal frustrations. “Don’t worry, if it was meant to be, it’ll be soon.”

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You’re probably still debating over whether New York or Philadelphia has hotter girls (vote here), but there is a baseball series going on between both cities, you know? We kid. Of course you know. That’s not to say that you’ve been watching all the games though, no matter how sports savvy you try to act around your friends. In case you missed out, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys opened up Game 2 of the World Series last night with their NYC anthem, “Empire State Of Mind.” The boys in blue might wanna get Hov on the bill for all their games, because they walked away with the win. Watch the performance above.

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He just did a New York reunion show at Governor’s Island where he embraced Jadakiss (whom he’s had problems with in the past), he hasn’t flown off the handle about his placement on the MTV list like he two years ago—and yesterday, as we sat down with 50 Cent in his unfinished new office, his answers to our questions seemed more methodical than ever. While he preps to release his oft-delayed album Before I Self Destruct on November 23, we spoke to 50 about possible tension with Dre, Fat Joe’s first-week sales, pulling a gun on Diddy, and how he really feels about Jay-Z’s “no one is scared of 50 Cent” comment. Yup, some things will never change…

Interview By Joe La Puma

Complex: Okay, as far as the the new album, we’ve heard a radio-friendly single with Ne-Yo, but you also have gritty tracks like “Flight 187″….

50 Cent: “Flight 187″ is a bonus track, it’s not on the album. I started the project, and I wrote exactly what I wanted on it, and then I thought out the actual singles at the very end. The album changed, because there was a time period around December of last year, that I was ready to put my record out and I was a little anxious. I usually release on schedule; it’s usually a two-year cycle for me before I release a record. In December, I put out the “Get Up” record, and then Interscope had a transition, like the entire music business did. So the majority of the delays of this project have been readjustments to what’s actually going on, not [because] the material wasn’t up to par or completed. There’s been a transition that we experience in technology—for instance, right now we’re talking to Complex.com instead of Complex magazine. That right there shows you that things are totally changing around. Instead of fighting things, I embrace them.

Complex: Are there any other guest appearances on the album?

50 Cent: R.Kelly, that’s also a bonus cut. I kept this album shorter. I kept it down to 16 songs, so people could continuously play these songs and fall in love with them. I’d rather jump in the car from Banks’ house to Manhattan listening to my entire album. Listen to the entire record and then on our way back, listen again. I was getting that a lot when I was talking about the War Angel LP, creating content that directly impacts the actual environment—I wrote that for them. Most artists’ first album is like that because they don’t think “world music.” They think “let me make the coolest thing here, right now.” And the influences and their surroundings make them write something that reflects their experience.

Complex: Right…

50 Cent: If you looked at Ready to Die, Reasonable Doubt, Illmatic, those artists would probably tell you that that record was written for their neighborhood. Those are the records that they are working to live up to and can’t quite match because they got big. Reasonable Doubt wasn’t even a gold record. It went gold after the other albums were successful. Illmatic too. Imagine 50 Cent now with a gold record. It just doesn’t work. Those artists no longer can create the aggressive content, because they shifted their lives to where they can’t create from a genuine space.

Complex: So that’s the big difference between you and those artists?

50: The way I responded to the financial stability, it comes with being successful as an artist. My interests reflect on the struggle and how far I’ve came, versus indulging in how great it is where I’m at now. A lot of these artists write “I’m rich,” the coolest shit about being rich, “I’m at the clearport, I’m doing this, I’m doing that.” They aspire to write about luxury and to excite an audience and the demographic that comes from where they come from, saying “I want to be like him.” I write material that makes [the listener] feel like he’s like me. The guys on the corner can relate to 50 Cent in a different way because they knows that I’ve had the same experience and I’ll be inspiring to them.

Complex: People said that Blueprint 3 came off very braggadocious, just like you alluded to—Jay bragging about the stuff he has.

50: But that’s a career trait. That’s a style. The choice that he’s made as an artist. He’s done that his entire career. He felt he could shift trends with the things he’s actually saying. I mean, it’s cool, it’s an option to write that when you’re that successful. I just feel like writing imperfection instead of creating a superhero is interesting. I’ll write the things they’re not willing to say because they think it affects their “cool factor” to the point where they feel like it puts them in the box. They’re limited to what they can say and do. I don’t give a fuck. I can say and do what I want. So I write those defective characters.

Complex: So you had the big “50 Fest” show in New York recently, where you reunited with a lot of artists. Seems like that was a big step for you. Is that part of the maturation process?

50 Cent: Well, for me the New York show was an opportunity. It was actually branched revenue for Thisis50.com. And at the same time, an opportunity for me to work with artists and have them seen in the same light. There’s no middle ground in hip-hop. It’s either you’re rocking arenas or you’re getting top dollar, getting money out a nightclub. You can’t really get more than that $75,000 threshold, that’s really it in the nightclub circuit.

Complex: You originally had problems with Jadakiss because he did a song with Ja Rule. How would you feel if, after this concert, he went out and did a song with someone like Rick Ross?

50 Cent: You know what? Check this out. I have an issue with anyone who’s trying to keep someone who I deem my enemy in a good position. Where I’m from, if you have an issue with one guy and someone keeps standing next to them, just hit him too. Just kill him too. It’s just the way I use my gut. I use my moral compass to tell me when to go in on somebody. I dealt with that, it doesn’t make sense for me to continue to beat that dead horse. When the artist that I intended to destroy has completely been destroyed, why would I be bothering him? I could tell you as soon as I wrote “Piggy Bank” what was going to happen.

Complex: How so?

50 Cent: I knew Fat Joe’s pride would bring him out first, even if he wasn’t in the position to win. And he would go and go and go because he has the tough-guy aura. He’s tougher in his head than he is in reality, as far as his Don Cartagena shit is concerned. It feels great because everybody’s paying attention to them and talking on the radio about them. Mind you, while they’re going out and doing all of this talking, I’m just chilling. I’ll send them out like they’re a rap fan so they can market me. So everywhere they go, nobody cares about your record or what you’re doing. The number one question is “So what’s up with you and 50?” They’re not smart enough to come up with a new disrespectful way to talk to me because I’ve heard everything you could fucking think of. Then I move away because I’m competing with another artist, and the spotlight moves with me because I’m actually creating the material and generating the interest. So when I move to do that, you’re in darkness…to the point where you drop your album sales to 8,000 copies.

Complex: Were you surprised that Fat Joe only sold that many his first week?

50 Cent: Well, I have 8,000 friends. So that’s extremely low.

Complex: It’s very low…

50 Cent: Watch this. Want a prediction from me? I’ll tell you what a psychic told me. Triple Cs is next. And then Rick Ross is going to follow that failure. Def Jam dumped a whole lot of marketing dollars into trying combat me with Rick Ross. More money than they should have. What his numbers were versus what Jadakiss did, didn’t make financial sense. So the next go-around, they’re going to give him his fair share instead that extra piece of pie. Then you’re going to see where he really is.

Complex: You told people not to hold their breath about a collaboration with The Game. Are there still real issues with him?

50 Cent: I really don’t know Game. I worked with the kid for six days. I have bigger issues with the actual system, the company, people who work in it. Initially, people would be like, “Yo, we know you wrote the fucking records! You think we give a fuck about that?” Game built this thing on the West Coast, they desperately needed him to come out—they didn’t have anybody since Snoop. That’s what made it a good business opportunity to begin with. But I had to make sacrifices in order to have Dre put the record out, the same way they waited eight years for Dre to put his album out.

Complex: Is there tension between you and Dre?

50 Cent: There’s no tension. There will never be a beef between 50 Cent and Dre. And it’s not based on 50 and Dre’s relationship, it’s based on Eminem and Dre’s relationship. My relationship with Em is what Em’s relationship is to Dre. If I was to say something disrespectful to Dre, it would effect Em and I value that relationship too much. So I won’t say anything, I’ll never say anything negative about Dre.

Complex: Does it bother you that it can take Dre so long to mix your records?

50 Cent: Oh no, that’s just him as a producer. He takes his time. He loses interest in shit. I don’t care how great you are. He’s great, but he loses interest in himself at points. So the making of the record at this point is motivation. He’ll tell you himself that that’s what he feels.

Complex: How do you feel about him working with Game?

50: I don’t care. It’s better that you shut up sometimes than for you to actually express your judgments when you’re close to home.

Complex: Shifting gears, in your VH1 Behind The Music episode, there was a part that talked about Diddy taking a meeting with you, and him getting shook because you brought a gun to the office…

50 Cent: This is what happened. Jennifer Lopez told Puffy that I was a great writer because Corey Rooney signed me to Columbia Records. Jennifer had been exposed to my material, so she told Puff she thinks I’m somebody he should work with. I came down to write and I was in there writing a couple of joints and Puff left the actual room. There was rustling and rambling at the door and shit like that. I jumped up—when you get hurt as bad as I got hurt, either your fear consumes you or you become insensitive. So I jumped up and figured “as you come through the door, I’ll shoot your ass down right there in the door.” The paranoia heightens your senses. You start to see every little detail, every little thing. You don’t want to miss anything and have it turn out there’s someone shooting you again. When I heard the rambling outside, I jumped up, I had a Mac-10 on me. Pulled the joint out and Puff came in and looked, said, “Oh shit, I can’t do this.”As a matter fact, it was Shyne and Wolf, wrestling outside. Puff was going through that actual case when he called me in to write and I’m in his office with a Mac-10. He was like, “I can’t do that.” After the fact, I looked at it and was like, That’s a legitimate call.

Complex: How do you feel about MTV’s Hottest MCs list?

50 Cent: Well, I try to figure out what they’re looking at and what their criteria is. They pick trying to be aware of the art form. For you to leave off the highest selling rap album of the year in your Top 10, I don’t know what the fuck your criteria is. That’s Em’s project. If you don’t have a rap record sell more copies, how could you miss that rap record? It’s just people’s personal preference. Fuck if MTV does a Top 10, everybody has their own Top 10. As long as you’re on the list, you’re straight.

Complex: A lot of people felt that Eminem should’ve been on the list, just off of the strength of his verse on “Forever.” You said a few weeks ago that Em didn’t even know who was going to be on that record…

50 Cent: He didn’t know everyone who was on the record. And it was remixed, they remixed his vocals. When I make records with Em, Dre mixes my vocals in the beat, then sends the beat, and Em sends his vocals until it sounds the way he wants it. Then we wrap it up. So he did his verse on the actual song, they moved it around, put other people on and he didn’t even mix his vocals back yet.

Complex: He didn’t like that?

50 Cent: Well he doesn’t like not being able to hear himself the way he wants to hear himself. So those are somebody else’s ears saying “this sounds like good Eminem” instead of Em’s.

Complex: Someone who made the list who has actually been through some real street shit like you have is Gucci Mane—how do you feel about his placement at #6?

50 Cent: I understand Gucci Mane has something that the other artists don’t have, and that’s authenticity. Because he’s had the experience, they’ll glorify it. Think about how many times I’ve been asked, “How does it feel to be shot?” That’s their personal interest, their amazement in the situation. I don’t ask people, “Ask me how did it feel to be shot. Could you ask me what I was thinking when I was shot?” If it was up to me, it would’ve never happened. I see where they see significance in the content, based on them knowing that the backdrop of a story has some truth to it. These are the things other artists completely lack. Like Rick Ross is exactly the opposite of a Gucci Mane. I’ll listen to Gucci Mane despite what his cadence choices are. As opposed to listening to a Rick Ross, who is talented rapper but is lying. I just don’t want to hear rappers rapping lies. I don’t want to hear that shit.

Complex: Getting back to Jay-Z, who ended up #1 on the list. Much has been made of his recent comment saying “no one is afraid of 50 Cent.” Regardless, it seems like the general public agrees that Kanye wouldn’t have pulled that stunt if you were on stage instead of Taylor Swift…

50 Cent: He wouldn’t. You can’t convince the public, you can’t convince Kanye to say he would’ve did that. If I was there and he did that to me we would have had an altercation. Right there. It’s clear. He [Kanye] would have avoided that, just being intelligent. The interviewer who asked [Jay-Z] about the Kanye situation made him feel like a punk. His presentation is really simple and you can’t have both. You can’t be gangster Jay from Marcy and be the good guy Jay-Z on Oprah. You just can’t. They don’t let you in. That’s Mr. Knowles, he just got that pass. There ain’t any tickets to an inauguration ball with niggas. If you’re from the hood, you have that element or that aura around you, there’s no tickets for you. It’s “safe” people there. This is why those things are happening. This is why he has to convince the person that he’s talking to he’s not afraid of anyone.

RELATED: 50 Cent Talks “Power” Cologne And Drake Comparisons (June 2009)

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The 21-year-old Roc Nation signee and NYC local (she graduated from LaGuardia H.S. in Manhattan, the place that Fame was based on) is obviously easy on the ears, and it turns out she’s not so hard on the eyes, either. The resemblance to our girl Ms. Keys is a good start, but we went one better and scrounged up some clips of B.K. going hard. Listen, learn, and fall in love…

THE MSG SHOW (IN CASE YOU MISSED IT)

COMING OFF THE HIGH

ON FRIDAY NIGHT WITH JONATHAN ROSS IN THE UK

IN THE STUDIO

PERFORMING A COVER OF KINGS OF LEON’S “USE SOMEBODY”