50 Cent Says He’s Too Smart for Today’s “Stupid” Hip Hop, But a Comeback Could Be in the Works

50 Cent recently explained why he stepped away from rap, blaming what he sees as a decline in lyrical intelligence in modern hip hop. In an interview at Invest Fest, he joked that he’d have to “tap into his stupid side” to fit in with today’s music. Instead, he’s focused on film production, where he feels he can have a bigger impact. Despite his criticisms, he did hint at a possible music return with help from Dr. Dre. 

The G-Unit boss shared his thoughts on the current state of the genre, criticizing its repetitive structure and predictable melodies. According to him, younger artists should be the ones pushing the culture forward, but instead, many rely on simple formulas to produce their tracks. 

“I definitely agree with 50’s sentiment about music taking a temporary downturn or the quality diminishing,” says Davix Foreman, multi platinum award winning, Latin Grammy-nominated producer and one of ISINA’s mentors.

Highlighting the lack of originality in today’s music, Davix contrasted it with a time when artists like 50 Cent had distinct styles and the industry wasn’t flooded with similar sounds and songs.

“Back then, Fifty could turn on another station and hear amazing R&B and/or different expressions. There were great R&B and Hip Hop albums that inspired songs like ‘In da Club’, ‘Candy Shop’ and ‘21 Questions.’ A lot of it was musically intelligent.

“When 50 Cent was at the top, artists took pride in having their own identity. Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, DMX, and Ludacris, just to name a few, all had a different styles and vibes. You had artists like his predecessor, Eminem, who had his own completely different style than everyone else. There was variety. I can name so many hip-hop artists who were proud of being different. It was healthy competition—no one was copying anyone. That’s what 50 is talking about: there’s an identity crisis in today’s music, where everyone wants to be like everyone else.

“Back then, we didn’t have Instagram or social media, so artists could control their story and the narrative Now, it’s so easy to make music that it’s become oversaturated. There was no Spotify or streaming platforms when 50 was selling physical CDs—I actually bought Get Rich or Die Tryin’ myself. Along with that, I bought Usher’s Confessions and a few more albums that were totally different from the other. There was variety in what I could listen to. Today, all the artists blend together, using the same ‘type beats’, same sounds, Auto-Tune, and effects. The A&Rs just try to copy what they think seems to work without taking risks, and that’s why we have this oversaturated monotonous music cycle that all sounds the same.”

Davix points out that 50 Cent feels he’s accomplished enough in music and is now concentrating on film and TV.

“The thing is, 50, at this point in his career, he doesn’t have anything to prove musically or culturally. He knows this is a young man’s game, and we all know it. We all want to root for the younger artists, but we want to believe in the young artist who stands out, has something to say, and gives you something to believe in. 50 putting out an album or music right now probably wouldn’t make as much of an impact the way his tv shows and films do. He’s probably not interested in competing  with this influencer, Tik-Tok generation.

“It’s more like this: he’s not going to do more work on a musical project than he does on his film and TV projects. That’s where he probably finds his bread and butter when it comes to expressing himself—his ideas, his thoughts about the world. I’m sure he feels like this is the best way for him to artistically express himself now—through screenwriting, producing, and the visuals and stories that he believes connect with the culture.

”I believe if he did decided to make a comeback in music it would be from the executive position where he’s the producer, working to oversee a younger artist’s career and project just like he did with slane artist Pop Smoke, R.I.P..  Fifty was the influence for all of Pop's work, in the studio with him, guiding him.  He (Fifty) was all over that project and that’s why it was successful.”

Davix’s thoughts are partially echoed by Kentucky rapper Gods Only Villain (Heath Mays), known for his collaborations with Lil Wayne, Gucci Mane, and performances with Kevin Gates and G-Eazy. He agrees that today’s hip hop lacks originality. However, G.O.V. chose to share his opinion with a hint of irony.

“First, I personally will never forget how 50 exploded into the hip hop realm. At a time in my life I was young and impressionable, him and Eminem were undeniably influential. I do agree with Fif in a sense that a lot of today’s hip hop sounds the same and much of it lacks thought-provoking content or merit, but as an artist that studied every move of the 2000s Shady Aftermath label… wouldn’t it be something special to see them have one more run at it? I like content-driven music, but I ain’t hating on someone out there getting it.

“You know, when it comes to the conversation about longevity, I mean, look at the game… artists like 50, like Em, T.I., Luda… they have stood the test of time without ever having to water down their music. They were here when I was a kid falling in love with hip hop, and they are still here today. There is a certain sort of cement that builds and can’t be broken with that approach. I can maybe list a handful of artists that have impressed me in the last five years, and the most unsettling thought that crosses my mind is… we are allowing this to go on while some literally otherworldly talented emcees go overlooked to make room for it… so that I question the logic behind. 

“My final say on the matter is this: if you put me in a room with every single artist of the new era and 50, and I got to pick or choose, it’s G-Unit all day. I was prepping myself for the opportunity when I got a G tattooed on my neck (that’s not actually why), but yeah, holla at me Fif, let’s make a classic before you hang it up, man…"

As fate would have it, 50 Cent has teased a comeback in the past, and in a recent interview with Big Boy’s Neighborhood, he revealed that Dr. Dre has been working on some “crazy stuff” for him to hear, suggesting new music might just be on the horizon.