If rap beef were a literal sport, 50 Cent would be in its Hall of Fame. Through 25 or so years in the industry, Fif’s initiated and maintained a multitude of rap conflicts, showcasing a level of sustained ferocity that would’ve made 2Pac proud. Most recently, fif’s aimed his attention at Diddy, the disgraced hip-hop mogul who’s now the subject of several assault and misconduct allegations. While the allegations against Diddy are horrific, 50’s problems with the Bad Boy Records founder began a long time ago.
Over the last 18 or so years, Fif’s made time to throw intermittent shots at Diddy, with the topics ranging from childish jokes to murder accusations. It’s a layered history that’s only grown more complicated as 50’s let his inner idealist—or, some might say, opportunist—spur him to confront Diddy about all the allegations against him. In December, he announced plans to create a docuseries focusing on the allegations against the business titan, and by May, he’d sold Netflix the rights to the series. It’s all a level of intentionality and outright execution that begs the question: Why is 50 so invested in this? And where and when did his relationship with Diddy get so ugly? After all, they’re two New York stalwarts who helped transform hip-hop in their own respective ways. They both got started in the ’90s. They even both shared the late Chris Lighty as a manager.
The story of 50 Cent and Diddy is a complex labyrinth of machismo, failed record deals, ghostwriting and disrespectful memes. So let’s sift through it. Today, we take a look at the roots of their relationship, which now stretches well over 23 years.
April 2001: Diddy Spits Verse Allegedly Ghostwritten by 50
Less than a year after being shot nine times and dropped from Columbia Records, 50 Cent was trying to re-establish himself in the industry. Apparently, part of that process included ghostwriting. Speaking to The Breakfast Club in 2022, 50 explained that he wrote Diddy’s verse on G. Dep’s “Let’s Get It.” Due to the nature of ghostwriting being… well, ghostwriting, we don’t know a whole lot more info. But, it doesn’t take an expert to hear 50’s stylistic tics in Diddy’s verse.
May 2002: 50 Name-Drops Diddy on “U Not Like Me”
In a fairly innocuous bar, 50 took a brief moment to name-drop Diddy on “U Not Like Me,” a cut from that first appeared on his debut mixtape, Guess Who’s Back? “Hoes be like ’50, you so witty’/On the dick like they heard I ghostwrite for P. Diddy.”
Nothing harmful here, but it was still early, so plenty of time for more negativity to arise.
November 2002: 50 Cent Jumps on Posthumous Notorious B.I.G. Song, Diddy Vocals Appears
Like many fractured relationships, the connection between 50 Cent and Diddy started off casually enough. For G-Unit’s 2002 mixtape, God’s Plan, 50 jumped on a revamped version of The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Niggas,” a cut previously released on Big’s posthumous 1999 album, Born Again. For his end of things, Diddy pops up to announce the track as a “Shadyville Entertainment and Bad Boy collaboration” before Fif steals the show with the hook and a quippy verse. Somewhat tellingly, though, 50 serves up a line that, at least implicitly, mocks diddy: “I don't dance around like Diddy.”
August 2003: Diddy Presents 50 Cent With the Best Rap Video Trophy at 2003 MTV Video Music Awards
Back when things were still cool between the two superstars, Diddy presented 50 Cent the trophy for Best Rap Video for “In Da Club” at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards.
March 2004: 50 Cent and Lloyd Banks’ “Victory” Freestyle Appears on Bad Boy Anniversary Album
Diddy and 50 aren’t cool now, but like everyone else, once Fif blew up 21 years ago, Diddy was all in. He gave Fif yet another implicit cosign when he made 50 Cent and Lloyd Banks’ “Victory” freestyle verses official additions to the newly remixed “Victory 2004,” an update released on Bad Boy’s 10 year anniversary album.
August 2005: Diddy Says He Would Approve of 50 Cent Buying Out Mase’s Bad Boy Records Contract, Signing to G-Unit
Back in 2005, Mase found himself on the rap comeback trail after ending his career as a minister. With that in mind, he was looking for a new deal—one that had nothing to do with Bad Boy Records. Speaking to MTV in 2005, Mase mentioned that Jay-Z and 50 Cent had been the only people to reach out to him about a deal. For his part in the matter, Diddy told MTV he’d be cool with 50 working his magic and getting Mase on G-Unit.
"He's definitely got enough money to set everything right," Diddy said of 50 with a smile. "50 hasn't called me about signing Mase. If he's interested in signing him, we could always have a discussion. At the end of the day, I want everybody to be happy and where they want to be. But I'm available, I'm free, he's got my number."
Diddy might have seemed cool with the potential signing at the time, but the deal never materialized, even after Mase appeared on the soundtrack for 50 Cent’s semi-autobiographical film, Get Rich or Die Tryin’. Speaking on the matter years later, 50 claimed that Diddy was being “unreasonable” with terms of the buyout, so the deal fell through.
September 2006: 50 Cent Disses Diddy, Suggests That Bad Boy Founder Had The Notorious B.I.G. Killed
Now, this is where things began getting interesting. For his G-Unit Radio 22 Hip Hop Is Dead Verse Two cut “Hip Hop,” 50 actually dissed Diddy while suggesting that he had something to do with The Notorious B.I.G. being shot and killed. “Who shot Biggie Smalls?/We don't get 'em/They gon' kill us all/Man Puffy know who hit that nigga/Man that nigga soft/He scared them boys from the Westside'll break him off/Dump on his ass/So he run to Harlem shake 'em off,” 50 rapped over the dead prez “Hip-Hop” instrumental. This marked the point when 50 actually got aggressive, and it was a clear response to Diddy playing hardball on the Mase deal.
September 2007: Diddy Jumps on 50 Cent’s “I Get Money” Remix
Aside from being rappers from New York City, 50 and Diddy never really had much in common. But in October 2007, they did intersect in at least one other important way: They were both exceedingly rich and more than ready to brag about it. They did just that on 50’s “I Get Money (Forbes 1, 2, 3 Remix),” which also features Jay-Z. In an interview with AllHipHop, Diddy spoke on the remix in a report that acknowledged that himself, Jay-Z and 50, or some combo of them, had all had problems with each other at one point or another, but they were able to put it aside for the track. “The beauty about it, at the end of the day we all love to make music,” Diddy explained at the time. “It wasn’t no real egos involved, we all played our positions.”
Sometime in 2008: 50 Cent Playfully Interrupts Diddy Interview
At some point in ’08, Diddy and 50 engaged in some friendly banter when 50 interrupted Diddy’s interview. But looking back with the context we have now, parts of the interaction seem just a tad more intense. “50 Cent is not going to outdo me,” Diddy says in the clip. Hmmm…
November 2009: 50 Cent and Diddy Hang Out With Rick Ross’ Son and Baby’s Mother at Floyd Mayweather’s House
At the height of his beef with Rick Ross, 50 took petty to then-unseen heights by having Rozay’s son and his baby’s mother, Tia Kemp, pull up to Floyd Mayweather’s Las Vegas home. Interestingly enough, Diddy pulled up, too. It was an awkward moment for Diddy, who would align himself with Rick Ross soon after.
April 15 2014: 50 Cent Calls Diddy’s Single “Big Homie” “Garbage”
Speaking to 92Q Jams in 2014, 50 took on the role of music critic when he offered up a not-so-generous review of Diddy’s new single at the time, “Big Homie,” which featured Rick Ross and French Montana. “Puff still out there, he don’t even need a record, ’cause he don’t got one,” 50 said at the time. “You know Puff ain’t got no music that you want to hear, that ‘Big Homie’ shit is garbage.”
April 30, 2014: 50 Cent Doubles Down on “Big Homie” Criticism, Recalls Failed Mase Deal
During an interview with Funkmaster Flex, 50 calls Diddy a “sucker” for how he handled the Mase deal. Describing the terms he thought to be unreasonable, 50 remembers Diddy trying to sell 50 Mase’s contract for $2 million. But, according to himself, 50 responded with an emphatic dismissal: “He asked me for $2 million. [I was] like, 'Mase ain't worth $2 million with $2 million in his pocket.'”
August 2015: The Vodka Wars Start, French Montana Throws 50 Cent’s Effen Vodka Into a Dumpster
50 and Diddy’s general cold war has gone on for so long, it’s even got subdivisions. In 2015, it was a battle of liquor, a struggle Bad Boy artist and “ciroc boy” French Montana gladly adopted. After initially showing some tacit love to 50 Cent’s then liquor brand Effen Vodka, 50 Cent issued his own snarky social media response, which led to French posting a video of himself throwing numerous Effen bottles into the garbage. "This what I feel about your bullsit Effen Vodka," French said at the time. Taking the joke in stride, 50 clapped back by posting a video of himself mimicking a conversation he imagined took place with Diddy to get French to trash his liquor.
February 2016: 50 Accuses Diddy of Killing 2Pac
Responding to Greg Kading’s documentary, Murder Rap, where it's speculated that Diddy paid to have 2Pac killed, 50 uploaded an Instagram post agreeing with the theory. “LMAO SO PUFFY WIT THE SH** HUN ? ? SEE YOU GOTTA WATCH THESE PUNKS,? SCARY A** NI**AS A TRY YOU. #nopuffyjuice he killed Tupac lol.” This wouldn’t be the last time Diddy approached this idea.
December 2017: 50 Cent Posts Homophobic Meme About Diddy
While promoting his then new movie Den of Thieves, 50 posted an image of himself surrounded by a whole crew of stuffed animals. The text plastered onto the image read, “Recovering From Pettiness,” an appropriate message for the interminably petty 50. For the caption, he took more shots at Diddy: “Sorry I can no longer help you guys, soon you will all be gay and happy,” 50 wrote at the time. “You are all now left under leadership of PUFFY DADDY. Report to the nearest rainbow. #denofthieves jan19.”
January 2018: 50 Cent Suggests That Diddy Is Gay During an Interview
Addressing the homophobic post he uploaded to Instagram, 50 went on the Breakfast Club and recalled a somewhat awkward conversation Fabolous had with N.O.R.E. while on Drink Champs—using that moment as an explanation for the inflammatory post. “When he says things, he doesn’t even know what he’s saying is, like, fruity. He says to Fabolous, ‘Me and you, we need to party,’” 50 Cent recalled. “What is you talking about? When people say that to me I get a little uncomfortable.”
Fif continued: “He said something to me a long time ago, at Chris Lighty‘s wedding. He told me he’d take me shopping. I looked at him like, ‘What’d you just say? Let me move, man, before I do something. You gon’ make me mess up the wedding.’ No. That’s something a guy says to a girl.”
January 2018: Diddy Dismisses Potential Beef With 50 Cent
Despite 50’s barrage of homophobic disses, Diddy used his own Breakfast Club appearance to dismiss any notion of a potential feud with the rapper. “I don’t have no beef with Fif. He loves me,” said Diddy, who was all smiles. “Y’all can’t see that he loves me? You really think that’s hate? You know he loves me.”
November 2018: 50 Cent Sends Condolences to Diddy Following the Death of Kim Porter
In a rare moment of overt compassion, 50 Cent used a tweet to send some comforting words to Diddy following the sudden death of his on-again-off-again lover three Kim Porter, who died of pneumonia in 2018. “R.I.P to Kim Porter, I send my condolences to her friends and family. She was loved and will be missed dearly. I know Puff is hit right now, he loved her for real, soul mate type shit. Chin up puff, Positive vibes only,” 50 tweeted at the time.
November 2019: 50 Cent Supports Diddy’s Comcast Racism Claims
Back in 2019, businessman Byron Allen sued Comcast for discrimination, and in response, Comcast cited their inclusion of Diddy’s TV network, Revolt, as evidence that they were inclusive. Diddy subsequently accused them of racism, and 50 used an Instagram post to back up the claim. "♂️I’m with Diddy on this one Comcast bugging out they are racist.
February 2020: 50 Cent Addresses Mase’s Diddy Complaints About Owning Masters
As he accepted the Recording Academy’s Icon Award at the 2020 Grammy Awards, Diddy made a point to call out the awards committee for snubbing Black performers. This led Mase to call out Diddy for his own perceived business dealings, namely, an unfavorable deal he signed with Bad Boy years beforehand. Speaking on the matter on Cigar Talk, 50 actually seemed to defend Diddy—or, at least add context that pushed back on Mase’s claims, claiming that Mase was practicing the same business methods with a then-rising Fivio Foreign.
"This is just personal shit between the two of them," 50 said. "They have dealt with each other for years...when he's pointing out the publishing shit, he's doing the same shit to young boys now. Fivio. He's doing the same thing that they did to you, boy. What the fuck you crying about some shit that somebody did to you and you doing it to someone else?"
May 2020: 50 Suggests That Terry “Southwest T” Flenory Collected on a Debt Diddy Owed Him
Back when Black Mafia Family leader Terry “Southwest T” Flenory was getting out of prison, there was a lot of excitement, with some of that buzz coming from Southwest T himself. 50 began by using his Instagram account to repost a Big T post where T shouted out Diddy for reaching out to him. In the caption, 50 wrote: “see diddy reached out to @bmfboss_swt_263 now everything good. #starz #BMF coming soon!”
October 2023: 50 Cent Claims That Diddy Had 2Pac Killed
Before Cassie made her allegations, 50 Cent used a stop of his Final Lap tour to reflect on his Diddy-trolling tendencies. Amid his explanation, which arrived the same month that notorious MOB Piru Bloods member Duane “Keffe D” Davis was arrested for the murder of Tupac Shakur, 50 claimed that Diddy had ’Pac killed. “I hate when they leave me to talk because I always say the wrong thing,” 50 said. “Last time they left me, I said something about Puffy. You saw that clip? I gotta stop doing that kinda shit. I been talking to a therapist to try to help me with the sh*t I been saying… It’s some crazy shit on my mind. Maybe I said that shit about Puffy because he got Tupac killed.” 50’s reference is seemingly tied to Keffe D’s own claim that Diddy had, in fact, approached him about a paid hit on the rapper years ago.
November 2022: Diddy Rumored to Be Dating 50’s Baby’s Mother
While they’ve never been a confirmed couple, it does seem that Diddy has a legitimate connection to Daphne Joy, an actress-model who had a son with 50 back in 2012. For a November 2022 Instagram post, Diddy uploaded a photo of Daphne cutting a cake for his birthday. 50’s initial response to the connection was to troll, posting then deleting a post on Instagram.
November 2023: 50 Cent Trolls Diddy After He Settles Cassie Lawsuit
Up to this point, 50 had thrown intermittent shots at Diddy for years, but this one was particularly opportunistic. Shortly after Cassie filed a lawsuit against him, Diddy settled, and 50 continued letting loose his Diddy barbs. In an Instagram post, he included an image of an X post of Diddy and Cassie together, with the tweet saying, "If I text you this, it means I want my money by tomorrow." "I'm not waiting till Monday," 50 captioned the post on IG. That same month, he, used IG to announce his interest in buying Revolt from Diddy. (Revolt has since been sold).
December 2023: 50 Cent Announces Plans to Create Documentary About Diddy Allegations
Last December, 50 announced plans for his G-Unit Film & Television to create a docuseries based on the many assault allegations leveled against Diddy. The proceeds will reportedly go to victims of sexual assault.
March 2024: 50 Cent Compares Diddy to Jeffrey Epstein
50 continued trolling by posting an image of Diddy’s face mixed with accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. This shot came shortly after authorities raided Diddy’s Los Angeles and Miami homes for evidence regarding the charges against him. “Boosie said where the fuck is his friends,” Fif wrote in the X caption. “They not saying nothing because they didn’t know he was recording everything. LOL Wait till I get the tapes.”
March 2024: Stevie J Challenges 50 Cent to a Fight, and 50 Responds
As one of Bad Boy’s go-to producers in the ’90s, it was only a matter of time before Stevie J chimed into this whole deal. Jumping onto social media, Stevie suggested that 50 was upset with Diddy because Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones, who was filing a lawsuit against Diddy, claimed that one of 50’s baby’s mothers, Daphne Joy, was one of Diddy’s sex workers, and that she received a monthly stipend from the Bad Boy founder. After having a few introductory words, Stevie J challenged 50 to “shoot the fade.” On another homophobic note, 50 responded by uploading social media posts claiming that Diddy used videos of Stevie J having sex with a man in order to “groom” other men.
March 28, 2024: 50 Cent Reacts to Reports of Diddy Filming Alleged Sex Parties
In March, Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones presented an amended lawsuit accusing Diddy of various misdeeds, which included the use of hidden cameras to record sex acts. 50 posted an excerpt from the lawsuit, along with the caption: "Smh this is gonna be so good, what you want to bet I’m a get these tapes. I’ll pay top dollar for them , you been over there? I don’t go to puffy party’s."
April 3, 2024: 50 Cent Shades Cîroc After Speculation That He’d Replace Diddy in Role With the Brand.
With Diddy’s reputation in ruin, some began speculating that 50 could take over Diddy’s role with the brand. But 50 was quick to put that notion to bed. “I own my brands I wouldn’t be an ambassador for Ciroc, I haven’t seen anybody drinking that shit lately it’s over. LOL,” he wrote in an Instagram post. Well there you have it.
May 12, 2024: 50 Cent Responds to King Combs’ Diss
In May, Diddy’s son, King Combs, served up his 50 diss “Pick a Side,” but naturally, 50 wasn’t too impressed, and he hopped onto IG to let the young Combs know it. "I feel so threatened by the things Christian is saying on his record," 50 wrote on Instagram and X. "I’m afraid for my life, please don’t hurt me guys. I never mentioned or posted anything about puffy’s kids because KEEFE D said he killed 2Pac."
May 17, 2024: 50 Cent Reacts to Footage of Diddy Assaulting Cassie
Shortly after footage of Diddy assaulting Cassie hit the internet, 50 jumped onto Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter) to mock the disgraced rap mogul. "Now I'm sure puffy didn’t do it, he is innocent this proves nothing!" 50 Cent captioned a sarcastic Instagram post that included footage of some of the assault. "This is what his lawyers are gonna say, God help us all." For his X post, 50 posted a screenshot of Diddy’s statement denying Cassie’s claims: "The lie detector test has determined this was a lie…. Maury vibes,” Fif wrote in the post.
May 21, 2024: 50 Cent Sells Diddy Documentary to Netflix
When 50 used an Instagram post to claim that he would make a documentary about Diddy allegations, it was easy to sort of brush off as a joke. But folks realized just how serious 50 was being when TMZ reported that he sold the docuseries to Netflix, after a “massive” bidding war.
June 7 2024: 50 Cent Calls Out Diageo Over Diddy Treatment
In a surprise move, 50 used a tweet to defend Diddy over the way he says he was mistreated by Diageo. In the tweet, which includes a screenshot of a news article about 50 Cent’s mission to “advocate for Black representation in luxury spirits,” Fif drew a parallel between himself and Diddy. “Puffy made Diageo a lot of money with ciroc,they were fine with that because he didn’t own anything. Soon as he owns Deleón their relationship can’t work. I made @SuntoryGlobal a lot of money with Effen soon as I own my own brands they did me dirty. They want black consumers, but they don’t want black business owners. True story.”
June 8 2024: 50 Cent Shows Up to Diddy Roast
A month after selling his Diddy docuseries to Netflix, 50 continued his dutiful trolling by showing up at a Diddy roast on June 8. The proceeds for the Miami event reportedly went to victims of sexual assault.
