The Game

Hip-hop feuds have always been good money-makers, but in the past, many of the people who cashed in were rappers' relatives, since the MCs themselves had already been perforated. Today, in contrast, rhymers such as the Game, né Jayceon Taylor, have found a way to capitalize on beefs without dying...

By Michael Roberts

April 14, 2005

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Hip-hop feuds have always been good money-makers, but in the past, many of the people who cashed in were rappers' relatives, since the MCs themselves had already been perforated. Today, in contrast, rhymers such as the Game, né Jayceon Taylor, have found a way to capitalize on beefs without dying in the process. In February, after 50 Cent, who executive-produced The Documentary, the Game's debut, announced that he'd expelled Taylor from his G-Unit crew, the pair's respective posses tangled outside an NYC radio station. Rather than allowing this conflict to escalate, however, the men subsequently reconciled at a made-for-MTV press conference. This event provided a nice boost for 50 Cent's second disc, The Massacre, which sold more than a million copies its first week, and got the Game back in the news on the eve of his first major tour, which teams him with Snoop Dogg at Magness. Predictably, cynics wonder if the quarrel was bogus from the start -- but even if it was, 50 and the Game deserve props for the scheme. After all, pretending to fight over bad blood can be just as lucrative as spilling it.

Become A Member

BEFORE YOU GO...
Can you help us continue to share our stories? Since the beginning, Westword has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver — and we'd like to keep it that way. Our members allow us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls.

Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

Contact: Michael Roberts

Follow:

Facebook: 111180895657427

Twitter: @mikerobertscolo