LL COOL J & 50 Cent: Ghostwriting Rumor Gets Fact Check
LL COOL J and 50 Cent just gave Hip-Hop a healthy dose of rumor control with a side of maniacal laughter.
So here’s the scoop. LL COOL J, the legendary Queens-bred MC, is still out here protecting his pen game like it’s sacred scripture. And respectfully so—this is LL we’re talking about. He’s one of the few remaining OGs who’s been active since the literal birth of recorded rap music. The convo about the “Mount Rushmore of Hip-Hop” is picking up steam, and he’s clearly not letting people trash his good name.
Now let’s rewind. Ghostwriting used to be part of the game, straight up. In the early days of Hip-Hop, that’s what they did. But somewhere in the transition from the carefree ’80s to the hardcore ’90s, it became a no-no. The streets wanted their rappers writing every single bar themselves. That’s when accusations turned to slander, and ghostwriting became the cardinal sin.
Enter Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson.
50 claims he wrote for LL COOL J. That rumor started from 50 himself—and it wasn’t the first time Mr. Get Rich or Die Tryin’ stirred a pot like this. He also once said he ghostwrote for G. Dep. But G. Dep didn’t just deny it, he fought back. He called it straight CAP and stood firm.
So, back to LL. Instead of wildin’ out, LL responded like a man who’s seen it all—with that legendary sinister chuckle. You know the one. If you’re a real LL fan, you know that laugh says, “I’m too seasoned for this foolishness, but keep playin’ if you want to.”
Then came the facts. LL clarified that yes, 50 wrote a hook for him on a particular track. But that’s it. The verses? All LL. That’s industry standard. A hook is a vibe. The verses are what we are judging you on. And LL made it clear he was the one writing those lyrics.
He didn’t diss 50 either. LL actually showed him love for enhancing the final product. There was no beef. Just real talk and respect. Maybe he was also saying “FAFO,” but I doubt it.
Hip-Hop has always been collaborative. Writers, producers, engineers and more like photographers, marketers help create classics. The lone-wolf MC narrative is just storytelling.
Shout out to LL for keeping the record straight, and salute to 50 for helping the OG continue his reign of terror.