Nah? You don't remember? Let me refreshen your memory then. The beef started because Jadakiss was featured on Ja Rule's "New York" track. Ja Rule was attempting a comeback from the grave like the Bride after 50 buried his career six feet deep. 50 wasn't having it because he's petty. That's why I love him. But I also knew he was going to run out of raps eventually, and didn't stand a chance against the likes of the Lox. And that's exactly what happened. Rule let 50 get into his head about singing on tracks even though 50 did the same exact thing. Ja's fall from grace was a marvel to watch.
Jada wasn't finna let history repeat itself. The Lox spit for sport and are not to be fucked with.
Fif' wasn't feelin' 'Kiss and Fat Joe "helping" Ja while he was "destroying him." So he responded with "Piggy Bank," a track off his multi-platinum sophomore album Massacre. His shot at Jada?
"Jada' don't fuck with me, if you wanna eat/Cause I'll do yo' little ass like Jay did Mobb Deep/Yeah, homey, in New York niggas like your vocals, But that's only New York dawg, yo' ass is local"
My, and everyone else's, response:
1.
Not too long after, Jada fired back with "Checkmate" and basically tried to tuck in his whole shit. He let it loose after The Massacre sold 1.4 million in its first week, and even congratulated him in the song's intro: "You did it baby! Congratulations, homie! You made history! 1.1 million in a short week! *Jada laugh* Screw a press conference, press this on your conscience!" Come on, dawg. This shit was over before it started.
"Yeah, you got a felony, but you ain't a predicate/Never the King of New York, you live in Connecticut."
So many quotables on that joint. And you know what? To me, Massacre was a weed plate. I only like a couple tracks off it. Not to say Jada doesn't have duds. I've been upset with every Jada album that I've purchased after Kiss that Game Goodbye. All them shits were weed plates, too, before you stans get your drawers in a bunch.
Anyway, 50 and Tony Yayo responded with "I Run New York" threatening to purchase Jada's publishing from Puffy.
Honestly—and we're being honest here, right? 50's shit-talking did more damage than his raps on this song. He put Jada's business all in the street:
"Hey, get Puffy on the phone! Tell him I said, tell that nigga Puffy I said, 'Get out the mirror for a second let me talk to him.' Puffy own the nigga motherfuckin publishing! Tell him I wanna buy the nigga Jadakiss publishing! Nigga still ain't recoup! Awww nigga you in the red, you owe money nigga! Awww man! Now why you made me put your business in the streets!"
This prompted Kiss to really go in. He fired back with a goddamn arsenal of records while 50 and G-Unit answered with some uninspired responses.
"Problem Child" versus the lazy-ass diss version of "Window Shopper" where 50 added Jada's, Fat Joe's, and Nas' name to the hook? No fucking contest. Jada and Style's "Shot's Fired" versus Lloyd Banks' "Death Wish?" Please. What is this amateur hour? And last but certainly not least "Sorry Ms. Jackson" a.k.a. the nail in the coffin.
Styles and Jada talked about 50 in the third as if he was a she. Immature? No doubt. Hilarious? You betcha. Jada hit him with a truth bomb at the end:
"I did the song with Ja Rule bigging the city up/She did the "Magic Stick" remix with Olivia/She got more money but I get busier/Think somebody going to end up killing her
What's the "Magic Stick" remix with Olivia, you ask? "Candy Shop." Remember that? That's the same shit he accused Ja Rule of doing.
And that my friends is the time Jadakiss ethered 50 Cent. Sure, 50 was still capable of giving us a hit here and there. "I Get Money" was big, I fucks with "Ayo Technology," "Flight 187" is hard, and the War Angel LP and Forever King tapes were cool, but he's never been the same since his beef with Jadakiss. The Lox exposed him for what he is, a semi-lyrical rapper that creates drama to stay relevant. There's nothing wrong with that, though, because that strategy and the ability to make hits—something the Lox can't do consistently—has 50 a very rich man.
The lesson we all learned here today? Jadakiss is top five, dead or alive.
Angel Diaz is a staff writer for Complex Media. Follow him @ADiaz456.
