Fifty Cent and Fat Joe laid to rest eight years of feuding this weekend when the two came together for a tribute honoring the late Chris Lighty. The rap powerhouses peacefully shared the stage during the event which will air October 9.
The peace process was simple. “While we were there, 50 whispered some things in my ear that was gentleman-like,” Joe said. “He just said the right things and a handshake was involved and that was that. It was two grown men that just said, ‘This is for Chris Lighty, this is for hip-hop, let’s move on with our lives.’ ”
Lighty took his own life on August 30. His death was officially ruled a suicide, but members of the music mogul’s family are launching a private investigation. The September 29 tribute taping, drew other Lighty protégés, including A Tribe Called Quest, Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes.
Fat Joe and 50’s feud began back in 2004 after the Bronx, New York, rapper collaborated with 50’s rival Ja Rule on “New York.” The G-Unit CEO believed that his enemy’s friend was now his enemy and fired lyrical shots the following year on “Piggy Bank” which was a diss record directed at Fat Joe and Jadakiss. Fat Joe responded with “My Fofo,” where he alleged that 50 had close ties to the New York Police department. Ego outrage ensued, lasting nearly a decade.
“[Chris] always wanted me and 50 Cent to make peace forever, but we were just being stubborn and ignoring him,” Fat Joe said in an interview on Monday with Philadelphia Hot 107.9 DJ Q Deezy.
50 Cent has since found another rapper to mix it up with. During the 2012 BET awards at the Atlanta Civic Center, 50 and his G-Unit posse got into a fight with Gunplay outside the building.
In an interview with Philadelphia’s Hot 107.9, Mike Knox was unapologetic for what happened and insisted 50 Cent was not involved in the scuffle. As for Gunplay, he said: “The only thing I can tell you is he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and he was acting a certain kinda way that he shouldn’t have been actin’ and he got dealt with.”
Gunplay told TMZ: “I don’t know [why it started], it’s just what happens.”
