Here’s a Refresher on Why 50 Cent Has Beef With Irv Gotti

The beef between 50 Cent and Irv Gotti is deeper than rap. For over two decades, the two Queens, N.Y. natives have been in a dispute that has featured everything from violent brawls to accusations of snitching, diss songs and social media darts. As for the origin, it has multiple layers.

Things went left between 50 Cent and Irv Gotti back in 1999 with the infamous robbery of Ja Rule by one of 50 Cent’s associates in Southside Jamaica, Queens. At the time, Ja was the flagship artist on Irv Gotti’s Murder Inc. label and Fif was just breaking out as an MC. Naturally, the incident led to tension. That October, 50 released the song “Your Life’s on the Line” where he dissed Ja Rule and Murder Inc.

The following year, 50 and Ja bumped heads at a nightclub in Atlanta where a fight broke out. In March of 2000, the infamous fight at the Hit Factory studio in New York occurred between the G-Unit and Murda Inc. camps. 50 was stabbed during the brawl, with Murda Inc. rapper Black Child taking credit. Irv Gotti and Ja Rule would later vehimently claim 50 Cent filed a protective order against them due to the incident, a claim that has seemingly been debunked since then.

Irv’s association with the Ja Rule beef is just one of the tentacles in the situation. In May of 2000, 50 Cent was shot nine times while sitting in front of his grandmother’s house in Queens. A federal investigation later revealed that Queens drug lord Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff and members of Murder Inc. plotted to kill 50 in response to Fif mentioning McGriff in the 2000 song “Ghetto Qu’ran.”

Irv and McGriff are good friends. In 2003, Irv Gotti and his brother were indicted by the Feds and accused of laundering money for McGriff. Charges that they were acquitted of in 2005. In 2007, McGriff was sentenced to life in prison for murder conspiracy (in an unrelated case) and drug trafficking. He nor anyone associated with Murder Inc. has been charged with 50’s shooting.

Nevertheless, this has led to a tenuous situation between 50 Cent and Irv. Over the years, there has been no shortage of viral moments. In 2017, 50 threatened to slap Irv. The same year, they traded shots over their BET shows. In 2021, 50 called out Irv for commenting on DMX’s death. Most recently, in August of 2024, 50 went in on Irv when it was revealed that Irv recently suffered from a stroke and is walking with a cane.

“Damn homie, in high school you was the man homie, WTF happened to you?” referencing a line from his 2002 song “Wanksta.” “I want Irv to get well, so he can have to watch my next wave,” he added.

No mercy.