50 Cent vs. Kanye West

What can be said about the rivalry that has suddenly spawned between 50 Cent and Kanye West? Simply that after Kanye’s outburst before and after the MTV Video Music Awards and album sales on Tuesday, the better and bigger man will win out in the end.

At a pre-show for the VMA’s West free styled to the crowd that he should be the one to open the show, not Britney Spears. He continued his rant, this time referring to last years opener Justin Timberlake, by taking out portions of his song and replacing them with “I gotta get my money right/ Or maybe I gotta get my skin white.”

Obviously this man is bitter, but why? MTV asked him to perform, however West was not happy with the accommodations that were provided. Hugh Heffner’s suite isn’t good enough for Kanye West, no he wanted to perform onstage like Justin Timberlake.

That wasn’t all he was unhappy about. Of the five VMA’s West was nominated for, he won none of them. He was reported to have yelled “That’s two years in a row, man…I’m trying hard, man, I have the… #1 record, man.” So, just because you have the #1 record means you should automatically get every VMA you’re nominated for, right? And all those other people haven’t been working hard on their stuff, right? It just magically came together for them? Oh, and by the way, Kanye West is #2, not #1. At least according to Billboard Top 100, and that was for top songs, not albums.

Back to the 50 Cent and Kanye West rivalry. Both artists put out a new album Sept. 11. 50 said that he’ll be the top seller and West said it was his idea for the multiple releases. Looking back at past record sales 50 beats West hands down. 50’s debut Get Rich or Die Tryin’ has sold 7 million copies and the follow-up to that The Massacre has sold 5 million. West’s debut album The College Dropout sold 2.5 million copies, and Late Registration sold about the same. Numbers don’t lie, and 50 has West beat in the numbers department. West might be #2 right now, but just wait until the record sells come in and the fans have their say.
I have personally listened to the new 50 Cent Curtis album and it is awesome; a new sound for 50. He has branched out and is working with new artists, which are away from the G-Unit posse. I think this will set him apart from West, who seems to be afraid to collaborate with new people. Maybe it’s just that new people don’t want to work with tantrum-throwing, all-about-me, possibly racist West? I haven’t heard Kanye’s new album, just what’s played repeatedly on the radio and it sounds like the same old stuff with a new twist.

Posted in Opinion