In 2003, when 50 Cent rocketed onto the scene and up the charts with his hit single “In da Club,” the world lost its collective mind. The song was everywhere, from rap to Top-40 radio stations, on your friends’ stereos, car CD players, MP3 players, and, yes, in every club from Boston to Oakland, California. Even today, the track boasts over 2.2 billion views on YouTube alone and it’s lyrics remain a staple of celebration: Go, shawty, it’s your birthday / We gon’ party like it’s your birthday / We gon’ sip Bacardí like it’s your birthday!
But the world would not have had that song or perhaps not even known who 50 Cent was if it wasn’t for the man who discovered him and put him on in a major way: Eminem. For the Detroit-based rapper, who himself burst onto the scene in the late 1990s with Dr. Dre-produced songs like “My Name Is,” not only was he at the pinnacle of rap music but he was also discovering his successor. And their relationship led to the iconic song “Patiently Waiting,” which boasts one of the greatest features ever from Em on 50’s track.
Now with news the two could eventually be working on a new album together, hip-hop fans will be waiting with bated breath. What will it sound like? What can we expect? Well, here below, we wanted to explore four things we’d LOVE to see from the duo.
A Return to the Glory Days
When the two rappers were at their peak around the turn of the century, both were in their late 20s. Today, their combined age is over 100. But with maturity did come success as together the two are worth hundreds of millions of dollars. With that kind of cushion, it can be hard to expect two of the most popular and profitable rappers to dig deep and bring their A-game, such as it was decades ago. But we can still dream, right?
Eminem may be the greatest rapper ever. Certainly he’s up there as a pure lyricist, using internal rhymes, shocking images, and compelling metaphors. But his latest project, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), sadly for fans bombed. And he hasn’t put out a great song since perhaps those MGK diss tracks. Similarly, 50 Cent has been producing TV shows and making money via Vitaminwater. So, given all that, can we really believe their new album will be a return to form?
Sure, why not! And everyone will be on board if they just release …
A Song Like “Patiently Waiting”
When “Patiently Waiting” came out on 50 Cent’s 2003 album Get Rich or Die Tryin’, real rap heads nearly fainted. It wasn’t quite the commercial success as “In da Club,” but for those who like hard-hitting songs it was even better. Forget an entire album, if the two can put a track like THAT together just one more time, if they can get the rap gods to sprinkle just one more bit of rap god dust onto their pens just one more time, if they can muster up the chemistry, the passion, the fire, and the ability just one more time, then this will all be worth it. Perhaps it will be with a Dr. Dre-produced song or maybe Em will make the beat. Either way, cross all your fingers!
A Tour
But now Hailie is 29 years old and an adult. She can FaceTime with he dad if they want to check in with one another. And if the new album with Em and 50 is really going to happen, the massive cherry on that rap sundae would be if 50 and Em hit the road for a dozen or three tour dates, bringing their new and old catalogs to fans around the country (or world). OK, maybe the new music might not be Hall of Fame-worthy. But on a tour, we can relive the past!
Something New
The old saying, of course, is you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Well, what about old rappers? Surely with their talent, there is a possibility. And if Em and 50 can somehow reinvent the wheel, then their status as rap icons would be elevated to something we might not even have a name for. Can they bring something new? Maybe a new artist to discover does a killer feature? Maybe a new music video that kills? Who knows. But if Em’s recent connection with LL Cool J proves anything, there is always some magic to be had if the stars align.
