50 Cent received his very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Thursday. And his acceptance speech was very on brand.
The 44-year-old hip-hop mogul reflected on evolution of his career, highlighting his biggest accomplishments and the mindset that got him to where he is today. But 50 also made sure to address one of his most notable Ls of his career: losing Best New Artist at the 2004 Grammys.
Fif was one of the most popular names in rap at the time, having made huge waves with his debut studio album Get Rich or Die Tryin' in the year prior. Due to his commercial and critical success, many believed 50 was a shoo-in for Best New Artist; however, on the night of the ceremony, he ended up losing to the rock outfit Evanescence. 50 is still scratching his head over the perceived snub.
"You got the largest debut hip hop album [but] you don’t got no Best New Artist trophy," he said during the Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony. "The Best New Artis, they gave that shit to Evanescence. Can you find fucking Evanescence? I ain’t seen Evanescence since that night. Since that night they gave them the trophy."
It wouldn't be a 50 Cent speech, without some shade, right?
Fif then spoke about his expansion into film and TV, revealing he was making just $17,000 per episode during Power's first season. He told the crowd he would've made more money by simply booking a nightclub gig in which he would have to just show up and wave.
He, of course, made sure to shout out Eminem and Dr. Dre, whom he credits for launching his career nearly two decades ago.
"I have to thank both Em and Dre. I don't honestly think my career would've been what it was without their support," he said. "Dre's a mentor for the whole squad ... he's able to guide us in different ways, without even knowing that he's doing it at points."
Eminem, who signed 50 to Shady Records in 2002, also took the mic and shared a few heartfelt words about his protégé. The Detroit rapper recognized Fif not only as a great businessman, artist, and Scrabble player, but also as a great friend who has stood by his side throughout the years.
"He's also helped me through a lot of hard times in my own life, and he's always been there when I needed him," Em said. "So, 50, contgrats on your star, man. Hollywood is making official what I knew from the beginning and Dre know from the beginning. Thank you!"
Check out clips from Em's speech below.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony went down just 10 days before the Power series finale on Starz.
