50 Cent surprises Brooklyn with Fat Joe joining his show
During his Final Lap Tour's Brooklyn stop, 50 Cent surprised the audience by bringing out Fat Joe. The two artists, who were once rivals, performed a medley of Fat Joe's hit songs together. The special moment took place at the Barclays Center on Thursday, August 9, marking the first of two shows 50 Cent had scheduled at the arena.
The two artists exchanged a friendly greeting before Fat Joe launched into energetic renditions of "Lean Back" and "All The Way Up," with 50 Cent enthusiastically supporting him as his hypeman throughout the performances.
As the night progressed, the G-Unit frontman also invited Young MA to the stage, where she delivered her hit track "Ooouuu!" in a smashing performance.
Formerly fierce rivals, Fat Joe and 50 Cent expressed their animosity through a series of diss tracks during the early 2000s. This feud stemmed from 50 Cent's intense conflict with Ja Rule, which Fat Joe, as the leader of Terror Squad, became a part of due to his collaborations with Ja Rule on tracks like "What's Luv?" (2002) and "New York" (2004), featuring Jadakiss.
The tension escalated dramatically at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, where Fat Joe and 50 Cent engaged in a public exchange of verbal shots. Onstage, Joe took the initial dig by sarcastically acknowledging G-Unit's apparent need for "police protection" within Miami's American Airlines Arena, while presenting the Best Hip Hop Video award to Missy Elliott. This remark triggered an altercation between the two camps later, as G-Unit members confronted Terror Squad as they exited the venue. Law enforcement intervened to prevent any physical confrontation, averting a potential brawl.
In due course, Fat Joe and 50 Cent set aside their differences at the 2012 BET Hip Hop Awards, prompted by the heartrending loss of their mutual friend, music executive Chris Lighty. This tragic event acted as a catalyst for a reconciliation between the once-feuding rap adversaries.
Earlier in the week, on Wednesday, August 9, 50 Cent had already invited J. Cole to join him on stage during his performance. Together, they delivered a rendition of "No Role Modelz." As he wrapped up his time on stage, J. Cole took a moment to declare "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" as the paramount album of all time, while placing Michael Jackson's widely successful "Thriller" just slightly behind.
"Before I step away from the spotlight, can I share something?" J. Cole initiated. "Let's give a round of applause for one of the most exceptional individuals to ever grace the music industry: 50 Cent, Curtis Jackson. 'Get Rich or Die Tryin'' stands as the greatest album ever created. I don't care what anyone else says!"
He continued, "In my ranking, 'Get Rich or Die Tryin'' takes the number one spot, and 'Thriller' follows closely at number two, and you know how much respect I hold for Michael Jackson. But I can promise you this, Curtis Jackson, 50 Cent, your influence and impact are deeply appreciated."
Alongside J. Cole's appearance, 50 Cent also brought Jadakiss, DaBaby, Moneybagg Yo, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Yung Bleu, Flo Rida, Tony Yayo, and Uncle Murda onto the stage during his performance.
Starting on July 21 in Salt Lake City, Utah, 50 Cent embarked on an extensive 64-date tour that will traverse North America until September 17. This journey will encompass various cities including Toronto, Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Detroit, among others.