50 Cent has been a loyal friend to Eminem since he was signed to his Shady Records label.
But despite these complicated relationships, Eminem has remained good friends with 50 Cent since he discovered him. Early this year, they reportedly teamed up to produce a TV series inspired by 8 Mile.
Prior to the project, the two were rumored to be feuding as well. Here’s the truth about their friendship.
How Eminem Discovered 50 Cent
In 2022, Eminem and Dr. Dre signed 50 Cent under Shady Records after hearing his 2002 compilation album Guess Who’s Back? “Theo, my attorney, and Paul Rosenberg work close together like they know each other,” 50 said of that time (via Hip Hop 24×7). “They came up together so, I had a CD called Guess Who’s Back?”
“And Em, right got a copy of it and he was in the middle of completing The Eminem Show, so he didn’t get a chance to properly listen to it,” he continued, “but after he got that done he heard it and he was like ‘Ya’ll need to come out here now!’ so they flew me out on like Friday night, I fly to Los Angeles the next day and I met wit him and Dre and then after we met it was kinda all alright.”
The In da Club hitmaker signed a $1 million deal with the two rappers. He became one of the world’s best-selling hip-hop artists right after the release of his first album with the label, Get Rich or Die Tryin’. It made it to no. 1 on the Billboard 200 and went 9x Platinum in 2020. His next album, The Massacre earned the same success and was the sixth-largest opening week for a record back then.
When 50 received his Hollywood Fall of Fame star in 2020, both Dre and Eminem were there at the ceremony with him. “I’m here today because he’s not only a business partner to me, this is one of the best friends I’ve known in the world,” said The Real Slim Shady performer at that time. “I would say it’s much more fun to be his friend than it is to be his enemy, ’cause this guy is f**king relentless.”
He continued: “And he won’t stop. He pretty much does it all. And he’s also helped me through a lot of hard times in my own life and he’s always been there when I need him. So, 50, congrats on your star, man. Hollywood is making it official what I knew from the beginning and Dre knew from the beginning.”
50 Cent Was Happy To See Eminem Backstage At The 2009 AMAs\
In a behind-the-scenes video, 50’s face lit up when he saw Eminem backstage at the 2009 VMAs during rehearsals. The two immediately hugged when they met in a dressing room. The pair also had a hilarious moment where Em calls 50 a “broke a**” while holding up a wad of cash.
“You can really see how much 50 appreciates eminem,” a fan wrote under the comments. Another one said that they “Love how 50 meets em, that love he’s got for Em just out of this world, the way he greets him with respect and love, shows how much respect he’s got for people who gave him the opportunity. Never forget the people who made you.”
Someone even noted that the rappers chose to rise above their competitive industry and even treat each other like family. “The enduring, decades long friendship and loyalty these two share is truly beautiful,” they said. “It’s beyond just music and business. Even beyond just friendship. It’s brotherhood. It’s family.”
They explained that “In a cutthroat world of everyone out for themselves, f humility, f appreciation, just gonna get mine and f everyone else who’s stood by me on the come up, these two actually renew my faith in humanity.”
50 Cent Said His Friendship With Eminem Is “Never Gonna Change”
In 2022, Amid rumors of a feud, 50 posted a throwback photo of him and Em from 2003 alongside a photo of them at the historical Super Bowl that year. “This friendship is never gonna change,” he wrote of their 19-year friendship in the caption. In 2014, 50 also expressed how the Rap God had “so much value for him, not just in my career, just in my life.”
“He’s a guy that’s one of my best friends because I can trust that he’s gonna be honest in his constructive criticism,” he told Music Choice at that time. The Candy Shop rapper went on to praise Em’s MC skills, saying:
“Hip-hop is Black music, without question. And unfortunately for some people, it’s tough to accept that you got a white artist that does it better than a Black artist. You can get whoever you feel like is the best Black artist and stand them face to face in a room with Em and he will eat that s**t alive.”
