More than two years after his Super Bowl halftime show, 50 Cent has revealed that he only performed that night because Eminem insisted on his presence.
The rapper’s participation was somewhat surprising as he delivered some of his iconic hits at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
50 Cent joined a star-studded lineup that included Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, and Eminem, creating a halftime show that will be remembered for years.
Despite this, the 49-year-old artist claims that Jay-Z’s entertainment company, Roc Nation, initially tried to exclude him from the event.
“They wanted to leave me out of it. They didn’t want me there,” he recently told the Hollywood Reporter.
When asked to clarify who he meant by ‘they’, 50 Cent confirmed it was Roc Nation.
“Yeah, they didn’t want me there,” he continued, explaining that it was Eminem’s insistence that ensured his inclusion.
50 Cent elaborated: “Eminem wouldn’t do it without me. That’s how I ended up on the show because he was not coming if I didn’t do it.
“When that happens, you go, ‘Damn, so you just lost Eminem because you didn’t bring 50? Damn. All right. Bring 50 then.'”
He added: “But if it was up to them, they would not have me there. I’m the surprise. I’m not on the bill at all. But they couldn’t get Em to do it without me.”
UNILAD has reached out to Roc Nation for comment.
During the unforgettable Super Bowl performance, 50 Cent paid homage to his 2003 hit ‘In Da Club’ by hanging upside down, reminiscent of the music video.
However, in a previous interview with USA Today, he admitted that hanging upside down ‘was a mistake’.
He noted: “Everybody else walked in regular, the songs still went over and they got the trophy too.”
The rapper also faced body-shaming comments following his performance.
In response, he posted an article on his Instagram with the caption: “I call this teasing me.”
He added: “They’re just teasing me because they know I can drop the weight.
“That’s why I laugh with them.
“Fat shaming only applies when you’re ashamed of your fat.”
While 50 Cent was a special guest during the Super Bowl performance, artists like Eminem took the lead as headliners.