Few artists have shaped hip-hop the way Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson has. From his record-breaking debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, to becoming a TV mogul and cultural commentator, Fif has stayed relevant in an ever-changing industry. His career spans decades, but he still knows how to spark conversation, challenge norms, and make fans and critics alike take notice.
Recently, 50 Cent opened up in a rare Esquire interview about three major topics that continue to define his public image: the state of rap culture, his ongoing controversy with Diddy, and an unexpected shout-out from pop superstar Taylor Swift. His insights give fans a deeper look at the mind of a man who has lived hip-hop at every level.
What makes this interview so compelling is the mix of personal reflection and cultural critique. Fif doesn’t just talk about his past or present achievements; he reflects on the lessons learned from surviving near-death experiences, navigating industry politics, and witnessing hip-hop’s evolution firsthand. In doing so, he reminds everyone why his voice remains essential in the music world.
50 Cent speaks on rap, Diddy and his viral Taylor Swift shout-out
In a rare and revealing conversation, 50 Cent sat down with Esquire for an interview, opening up about the state of rap culture, his personal beliefs, and the dramatic controversies that continue to follow him. Even after more than two decades at the top of the hip-hop world, the “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” legend proves he still knows how to spark global conversations.
The rap icon, who has evolved from chart-topping artist to TV boss, producer, and cultural critic, spoke openly about his long-running issues with Diddy, his views on the industry, and the unexpected Taylor Swift shout-out that sent the internet into a frenzy. Throughout the interview, he reflected on personal stories, old habits, success, survival, and the complicated layers of hip-hop culture.
But at the center of his words were three standout themes: his relationship with rap culture today, his unapologetic criticism of Diddy, and his surprise reaction to Taylor Swift mentioning him on her latest album.
Below is a complete breakdown of 50 Cent’s most powerful insights.
50 Cent on the state of rap culture
Even as a veteran, 50 Cent’s presence in rap remains strong. In the Esquire interview, he opened up about how he views the culture he helped shape.
He reflected on how hip-hop embraces intensity and imperfection, saying, “Hip-hop culture loves things that are damaged.” He explained that fans know how to separate the raw emotion in music from real life, adding that listeners understand when a line like “F*ck that b*tch” comes from a moment of feeling, not a rule for living.
50 also shared his thoughts on the evolution of women in rap, noting how confident female artists are reshaping the narrative, “There’s a lot of new female artists who have a strong woman energy… They’ll go, ‘He’s a trick,’ and by them calling him a trick, they don’t feel like they’re a ho.”
To him, rap has always been a space where identity shifts quickly and where “gangster” doesn’t mean what it used to. He explained that the real meaning of gangster has changed, adding, “To me, gangster means to live the way you like without answering to anyone. But today, gangster is a k*ller.”
From cultural shifts to personal evolution, 50 Cent made one thing clear: staying the same in rap means falling behind. “We evolve. If you stay the same, then you just falling behind.”
50 Cent speaks on the Diddy controversy
One of the boldest parts of the interview came when 50 Cent addressed the viral Diddy situation and explained why he continues to speak out.
He admitted that while he doesn’t “hate” Diddy, he strongly disapproves of his behavior, saying: “I dislike Puffy. I don’t hate him. I think he has developed this king complex.”
He doubled down on why he refuses to stay silent: “If I didn’t say anything when he got in trouble, you might assume that hip-hop culture is fine with everything that he did. I’m the only person saying something about it the entire time.”
50 emphasized that silence in moments like this has meaning: “If you’re silent about something, it means you might be all right with it.”
He even commented on how Diddy might view him now, saying, “If you asked Puffy in jail who’s his enemy, I would come up in conversation. But I’m not his enemy.”
The theme in his words? Accountability. 50 believes someone in hip-hop must speak up, and he’s more than willing to be that voice.
50 Cent reacts to his Taylor Swift shout-out
Another unexpected moment in the interview was 50’s reaction to hearing his name on Taylor Swift’s newest album.
He explained that the moment surprised him, especially since Taylor only mentioned one artist on the entire project, “You know what’s so cool about the shout-out on Taylor Swift’s record?… I listened to her whole album, and that’s the only shout-out she made on the whole record.”
To him, it wasn’t a stunt, it was a moment of genuine awareness from one megastar to another. He described it as Taylor simply being conscious of “what was happening at the time.”
A seasoned legend still evolving
Throughout the interview, 50 Cent shared personal reflections, memories of his grandmother’s advice, stories about growing up broke, and the belief that surviving being shot nine times was nothing short of divine intervention.
Now reaching his fifties, he views life with a new perspective: “We fifty. We ain’t old. We are seasoned.” And as he put it, many people he grew up with never got the chance to reach this age. That reality fuels his gratitude and his drive.
From calling out industry giants to embracing new interpretations of AI versions of himself, 50 Cent proves he’s still one of the sharpest voices in hip-hop, always evolving, always outspoken, and never afraid to shake the room.