Few rappers start beef as often Joe Budden—and few squash beef as often, for that matter. The Jersey MC did the latter when he went for a stroll through some Jones Beach, NY shrubbery with Method Man to sort out their problems (luckily Mel D. Cole was there to snap the above photo). How touching.
You might not guess it, but rappers do have the ability to be nicer, more understanding guys than they're given credit for, as these type of peace talks aren't all that uncommon. There have been several in the recent years, in fact. Here are the five most heartwarming of the bunch...
RAPPERS: 50 Cent & The Game
CONFLICT: Game's disloyalty to G-Unit, blah blah, do we really have to go over this again?
RESOLUTION: The two publicly squashed their beef at a March 2005 press conference in Harlem. The peace didn't last, but the warmth of the embrace (and kiss?) pictured above will live on forever.
RAPPERS: Diddy & The Lox
CONFLICT: Diddy owning half of The Lox's publishing despite them only releasing one album on Bad Boy.
RESOLUTION: Just one month after performing with Diddy in late 2005, The Lox went on Hot 97 to complain about him owning so much of their music (and threatening to push a fridge over a skyscraper on his head) before Mr. Combs himself called in to counter their claims. After all the tough talk, both parties heavily co-signed one another while promoting Jadakiss' The Last Kiss on 106 & Park earlier this year.
RAPPERS: Common & Ice Cube
CONFLICT: Ice Cube took offense to Common's portrayal of gangster rap on "I Used To Love H.E.R." and dissed him on "Westside Slaughterhouse." Com then ethered the whole click with "The Bitch In Yoo."
RESOLUTION: The death of Tupac and Biggie inspired Minister Louis Farrakhan to host The Nation of Islam Peace Summit aimed at deterring violence in hip-hop. Multiple feuds were resolved, but the pivotal moment came when Ice Cube got up and hugged Common. They didn't have to "pause" that back then.
RAPPERS: Snoop Dogg & West Coast rappers
CONFLICT: Left Coast inter-conflicts in general.
RESOLUTION: Lots of rappers no one really cares about were in attendance to settle beefs no one really cares about at the 2005 "Protect The West" peace conference (organized by Snoop and Steve Harvey), but it's the thought that counts. Snoop told MTV: "I felt we should come together as one, organize, unify and start making records with each other and be about a cause." Lil' Eazy E later claimed it was a PR stunt on Snoop's part. As if him telling the press that was any different.
RAPPERS: Jay-Z & Nas
CONFLICT: "Takeover," "Ether," Carmen, condoms on the baby seat, etc.
RESOLUTION: There was no overblown media event to signal the end of this beef (the MTV interview was after the fact), but inviting the guy who said you had "dick sucking lips" to perform on stage with you is pretty peaceful. Dare we say, Jay's "I Declare War' concert was heartwarming?
