50 Cent boots platinum-selling protege The Game from G-Unit clique

Received by Newsfinder from APMar 2, 2005 1:28 Eastern Time * Editors Note Note rapper lives in Farmington, Conn. * Photo Advisory NYET376 By NEKESA MUMBI MOODYAP Music WriterNEW YORK (AP) _ Another day, another feud for 50 Cent. This time, he’s beefing with his own protege, the best-selling rapper The Game. Actually, make that former protege. In an interview on hip-hop radio station Hot 97 Monday night, 50 announced that he was kicking The Game out of his G-Unit clique because of disloyalty _ for refusing to take 50’s side in his latest battles with high-profile rappers. Then a shooting occurred outside the radio station, wounding one man, police said. At the time, 50 Cent was inside speaking on the radio _ the interview ended abruptly as security people escorted the rapper out the building, a spokesman for the radio station said. “No one from Hot 97 witnessed this incident,” said Alex Dudley, the Hot 97 (WQHT-FM in New York) spokesman. Investigators, still trying to sort out the chaotic scene, suspected 50’s comments were heard on the radio by associates of The Game, including the shooting victim. The associates allegedly went to the radio station, where they were met outside by members of 50 Cent’s entourage and the violence erupted, police said. It was unclear whether The Game was directly involved, police said. No arrests have been made. An unidentified, 24-year-old Los Angeles man was in stable condition with a gunshot wound to the upper thigh. Police also were investigating a report of a second shooting incident about two hours later outside a building where the company that manages 50 Cent _ named Violator _ has offices. Witnesses said two men fired eight shots through the building’s front door, then fled. No one was injured. Representatives for 50 had no comment when contacted by The Associated Press on Tuesday. All this comes as 50 prepares to release the album “The Massacre” Thursday. It’s the follow-up to 2003’s “Get Rich or Die Tryin’,” which not only made the bullet-scarred, brash rapper an international superstar, but an empire. The rapper’s debut sold more than 8 million copies, and his G-Unit umbrella has launched the careers of three top-selling rappers _ The Game, Young Buck and Lloyd Banks. In addition, there’s a G-Unit fashion line and other enterprises. “The Massacre” was scheduled for release March 8 but was moved up to Thursday because it’s so hotly anticipated. The first single from the album, “Candy Shop,” is already No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Elliott Wilson, the editor in chief of the hip-hop magazine XXL, says the publicity will give a boost to what is already expected to be a blockbuster album. “It helps him obviously in terms of exposure. You can’t ask for better promotion. Now he’s literally making history by beefing with his own artist,” Wilson said. “This is more the boss of the clique dismissing his own artist.” 50 Cent built much of his stature on feuds _ his battle with Ja Rule helped demolish Ja Rule’s star power. As his new album approached, he’s also picked feuds with Fat Joe, Nas and Jadakiss. The Los Angeles-based rapper The Game seemed to be following in 50’s footsteps. Like 50, he was a former drug dealer, had been shot several times and used rap as his way out of a life of crime. And like 50, who was introduced under the wings of Eminem, The Game rode 50’s coattails into the rap world. The Game’s album “The Documentary” debuted at No. 1 when it was released in January and features 50 on several songs, including the album’s hit “How We Do.” The Game apparently drew 50 Cent’s ire after an interview appearance on Hot 97 Saturday night, in which he supported 50’s enemies. “I ain’t gonna turn on my friends and Nas is one of my friends, and Jada’s really a homie … 50’s beef is 50’s beef and I really don’t know where all this stems from.” On Monday’s show, 50 said The Game was no longer part of G-Unit and claimed responsibility for his success. “Every record he’s selling is based on me being on his record with him,” he said. In the short-term, 50’s presence on his album may end up hurting The Game, who brags about his affiliation with G-Unit in songs like “How We Do.” But ultimately, Wilson said the feud may end up boosting his career by showing he’s not a 50 puppet. “I think that Game obviously feels like he’s his own man already,” said Wilson. As for 50 Cent, Wilson said all the drama surrounding the star may turn into a negative. It has certainly caused some waves for both 50 and The Game’s parent label, Interscope _ and for Eminem and Dr. Dre, who are both affiliated with The Game (Dr. Dre produced much of the album). “I think he’s making more and more enemies,” Wilson said of 50. “You definitely feel like is he doing too much of a Tupac spiral, like me against the world. You bring more people wanting to see you fail.”