50 Cent Says JAY-Z's '4:44' Made Him Feel Like Carlton Banks
While promoting his latest film Den of Thieves, 50 Cent revealed why he’s been critical of JAY-Z’s 4:44, calling it “golf course music.”
“Hip-hop culture is connected to youth culture,” he said during his appearance on “Conan,” before pointing at his suit. “You see the clothes? This is grown-man stuff going on. The kids are going to bring new innovative stuff and he just had the maturity [bleed] off into the material.”
The G-Unit General said he’s a fan of the album, despite his apparent knocks. “It’s cool for me,” he added. “In my car, I’m listening to it. But the kids, I don’t see them actually listening to it…He was like talking down to them a little bit, like, ‘I’m up here, baby.'”
Finally, he added: “I felt like Carlton Banks when I was listening to it.”
50 Cent and JAY-Z go way back with jabs. In 1999, Fif broke onto the scene with “How to Rob,” in which he fantasized about robbing Hov, among other celebrities. “Jigga just sold like four mill, he got something to live for,” he rapped. “Don’t want a ni**a putting four through that Bentley coupe door.”
The Roc-A-Fella boss swiftly responded to those taunts on “It’s Hot (Some Like It Hot)” that same year. “Go against Jigga? Your ass is dense,” he warned. “I’m about a dollar, what the fuck is 50 Cents?”
JAY would later explain the friendly competition to Hot 97’s Angie Martinez. “[I told him] ‘I respect the record, yeah, I liked that record, it was hot. But you know I gotta spank you, dog!’ That was the conversation,” he said. “[50 Cent replied] ‘No doubt, do your thing!’ I respect that conversation. It was real.”