50 Cent admits Jay-Z is technically a better businessman because he stayed off artists’ singles until they could succeed independently.
50 Cent just gave Jay-Z his flowers in a way that might surprise fans. The Queens rapper admitted that Hov is technically a better businessman than he is.
The revelation came during an October 2025 interview with Brian J. Roberts that was previously unreleased and just hit the internet. 50 broke down the key difference between their artist development strategies.
“Jay-Z was not on his artist’s singles until they were doing well enough to not need him on the singles,” 50 explained. “So that helps him. When you’re an older artist and you with a new artist, it makes you current and makes his new audience accept you.”
The Get Rich or Die Tryin’ rapper said Jay-Z’s approach was purely strategic. Hov positioned everything as a business decision rather than as personal loyalty.
“This would make him technically a better businessman because I beat myself up looking out for them,” 50 continued. “He’s positioning it as business and working with you when it’s good for business.”
50 Cent took a different route with G-Unit artists like Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo. He jumped on their singles from day one to help launch their careers.
“I’m positioning it as they’re my people. I have to get them into the right space,” he said. “So I work them into a good space regardless.”
The approach worked initially. 50 was selling 13 million records with Get Rich or Die Tryin’ when he wanted to do a G-Unit group album. But the label wanted his solo follow-up instead.
“When you look at Young Buck getting these different records, I was on the singles to launch them properly,” 50 explained. “I don’t have to be involved at all.”
Some G-Unit members later felt resentful about 50’s heavy involvement. They believed he made them stars rather than recognizing their own talent.
“I’ve had guys be angry with me because it felt like you made them a star,” 50 revealed. “And I’m like, what? They had talent and it was the timing of it made it happen like that.”
The conversation also touched on Diddy’s artist development style. 50 said Puff needed to stay visible with his acts to maintain relevance.
“Diddy needed to be in the video. Diddy needed to be in everything,” 50 observed. “He stayed next to the artist and kept warm and did what he had to do.”
50 acknowledged Diddy maximized his artists’ potential despite the hands-on approach. But he noted the stark contrast with Jay-Z’s more calculated distance. The interview shows 50’s growth as an executive.
He can analyze business decisions objectively rather than just insulting and trolling people, which he can do as well.
