50 Cent vs. New York
The Let’s Rap About It podcast, featuring Jim Jones, Maino, Fabolous, and Dave East recently shared some unfavorable opinions about Sean Combs: The Reckoning, a docuseries executive-produced by 50 Cent. Naturally, the G-Unit general wasn’t going to treat their criticism as just another opinion. To 50, it was a declaration of war.
And in classic 50 Cent fashion, he responded by going straight to hell with the trolling.After hearing the podcast’s feedback, 50 allegedly received a call from the owner of the building where Let’s Rap About It is recorded, claiming the hosts were behind on their rent. 50 took this information and immediately ran to social media, calling them “squatters” and threatening to pay their debt himself; effectively saying he would own them. A payment was reportedly made shortly after. He then told the building owner that if the podcasters ever had trouble paying rent again, to contact him directly and he’d handle it. Petty? Absolutely. On brand? Completely.
What began as opinions quickly escalated into trolling, and eventually returned to what New York hip hop knows best: rap.
Maino, Jim Jones, Dave East, and Fabolous took the issue to the booth and released a diss track titled “Christmas Special” on Christmas Day via the podcast. Each artist rapped over a different classic 50 Cent instrumental, immediately igniting conversation among hip-hop fans across the internet.
Maino, known for hits like “Hi Hater” and “All of the Above” featuring T-Pain, kicked things off with the “Squatter Rights” freestyle over 50’s “Back Down” beat. While the verse contained solid wordplay, it wasn’t particularly direct. It leaned more toward standard braggadocio being fly, street credibility, and personal loss. Nothing new, but effective enough to set the tone and keep listeners engaged.
Jim Jones followed, rapping over “I’ll Whip Ya Head Boy.” He dropped a few bars that could be interpreted as shots at 50, including a reference to the “squatter” narrative, but again, nothing sharply pointed. While Jones found a decent pocket with his signature staggered flow, his verse fizzled out toward the end, turning into unfocused freestyling that lacked a strong conclusion.
Next was Dave East, who clearly wasn’t interested in beefing with 50 Cent at all. Rapping over “A Baltimore Love Thing,” East delivered a solid, non-confrontational verse that sounded more like something he already had in the vault. If this were a drive-by, Dave East was definitely the getaway driver. Dope verse..but not relevant to the battle.
Then came Fabolous.
We’ve all heard the phrase “save the best for last,” and that’s exactly what happened. Fab’s verse was the first thing I saw on my timeline when I woke up, and it instantly felt like vintage Brooklyn Fab..the chipped-tooth, oversized throwback jersey era. He rapped like the rent was due. Using clever references to 50 Cent’s catalog (“Magic Stick,” “Window Shopper”) and his hit TV series Power, Fab delivered the most direct, sharp, and impactful verse on the track. If this were a drive-by, Fabolous fired the kill shot.
Now the question everyone’s asking: Will 50 Cent respond musically, or will he continue trolling?
Somehow, in the middle of all this, 50 shifted his attention to Papoose and his girlfriend, undisputed female boxing heavyweight champion Claressa Shields. Why? No one seems to know. Papoose responded by telling 50 to address the “Squatter Rights” freestyle instead of redirecting. He then posted AI-generated videos of 50’s face on a woman’s body dancing in a club, calling him out for acting “like a bitch.”
50, never missing a beat, fired back by saying the woman looked like Papoose’s type because, according to him, Pap’s women are always “handsome.” Disrespectful? Yes. Hilarious? Also yes.
So now I’ll ask the real question: Is New York hip hop back?
At its core, New York hip hop was built on battle rap. If that spirit still lives, then 50 Cent should absolutely respond with music. Starting off 2026 with a diss record could build massive anticipation for a new 50 Cent or G-Unit album or mixtape, and I know I’m not alone in wanting that.
Let’s not forget: 50 is the king of diss records.
From “How to Rob,” where he dissed the entire industry, to “Wanksta” aimed at Ja Rule, to “Piggy Bank,” where he went at Ja Rule, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, and Nas..this is his lane.
If this situation motivates 50 to get back in the booth, it would be a huge win for New York hip hop.
Why?
Because if 50 responds, we could realistically see:
A new 50 Cent album
A Lobby Boyz project from Jim Jones and Maino
Another Fabolous album
Papoose and Uncle Murda’s past beef led to projects from both of them, so history shows us that competition breeds creativity.
The online trolling is funny, but none of these guys are comedians.
It’s time to rap.
So… LET’S RAP ABOUT IT.
Justin C. Hamby
@deycallmesoul
