50 Cent knows all about drama. He's been shot, accused of murder, and his song "How To Rob" incited quite a few rappers back in the fall of 1999. A little over three years later, 50's back, and calling out all the fake gangsters on his new joint, "Wanksta." So how does one handle all of this drama? Well, according to the now 26 year old 50 Cent, "I'm special. Special people have a higher tolerance."

The biggest drama in 50 Cent's life right now is his war of words with Ja Rule. Ja has made statements that he could take out all of Aftermath, and comments like that just make 50 laugh. "I think he's a clown, all he's missin is a red nose, a wig, and the shoes." Ja Rule also claims that 50 Cent is scared of him due to an incident back in '99, an incident 50 describes as nothing more than a squabble that resulted in neither having to go to a hospital. 50 notes that most of what Ja Rule has been saying is simply another form of promotion. "Seven days before his album drops he goes to radio says I have an order of protection on him," 50 takes a second to laugh and continues, "c'mon, (Ja Rule) weighs 110 pounds wet, and with his pockets full of change."

One thing's for sure, 50 Cent, who's name is intentionally taken from the 50 Cent who was a gangster from the Fort Green Projects in Brooklyn, is biting his tongue for no man. His biggest problems with acts like Ja Rule is that he feels they're nothing but "studio gangsters." "There's a lot (of studio gangsters), I think that 90% of the population in hip-hop..... I don't believe them. Until I see them go through situations I ain't gonna believe it."

One situation that 50 went through recently was having his name thrown around in the Jam Master Jay murder investigation. "He got killed so close to where I grew up, and they don't have any answers and they say 'who's you're enemies, who's you're friends,' and cuz he was a good guy (and didn't have enemies) they have to say 'who's his friends?' They say 50 Cent, and then they say 'he's not an angel.'"

Friendship is almost an understatement for how 50 feels about Jam Master Jay. 50 explains, "Jam Master Jay is the first producer I ever recorded with, period. First record I ever record was with Jay in a studio in Rosedale. I didn't know how to count bars, write choruses, and I kinda learned that under him."

All that being said, 50 knew there were other reasons his name would come up in the murder investigation. "They (the police) think just because of prior situations, things before music, even things that didn't happen in the hood, they might call your name and it wasn't you. One time they were chasin me, (they) thought I killed two girls in Bricktown. I had the same motorcycle (as the suspect), and was accustomed to runnin from the cops. They thought I fit the description. The same detectives is in that unit. The same homicide detectives from the precinct Jay got hit at. They already had a perception of who I am."

A perception that wasn't aided by other events, such as 50 getting shot a few years back, just as he was signing his first publishing deal. "I actually got shot and signed the deal in the hospital. I received the first half of the deal, the other half I was supposed to get when the album was released, but right after I got it they found I got shot they dropped the deal, said I wouldn't be able to perform, and used it as a tax write-off." The money he received upfront, however, was enough to keep 50 happy for quite a while, hence the long layoff between hits. "I knew I was gonna be alright, and I never needed for anything during that time period from the finances."

Events such as shootings, and accusations of murder, have turned 50's life around. "Like everyone else, you have a past, a history, and people. They say in AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) to kick your habits you gotta change your people, places and things. I'm learnin, I'm growin, I mean everybody as a person should be."

A result of this growth was his linking up with Eminem. Paul Rosenberg was given a copy of 50's CD by 50's attorney, and Rosenberg, in turn, passed it on to Em. As soon as Em finished up "The Eminem Show" the conversations between him and 50 began, and it wouldn't be long before 50 became a member of the Shady Records roster.

Despite being on a label, 50 knows about pushing his product himself. If you can't find a 50 cent mixtape, you're probably not looking very hard; they're everywhere. "I look at it like the mixtape is entry level Hip-Hop," explains 50, who continued "I think people purchase that to hear what's hot and what's new, and I was able to market myself the way I wanted to market myself. If I wanted to put a gun on a CD it's OK. People haven't seen a gun on a CD since 'Criminal Minded.'"

Business minded would be a better description of 50 Cent, as he's already set to drop "In The Club," the first single off of his upcoming album, and "Wanksta" is still blazing up the charts. It seems Ja Rule won't be very happy, as, barring any more drama, we're going to be hearing a lot from 50 Cent in the near future.

by Adam Bernard, ReactMag