VS.
Who won?
West's Graduation shifted 957,000 copies in its first week of sales while 50 Cent's album, Curtis, only sold 691,000, according to Billboard.
Before the albums went on sale 50 Cent vowed he would retire from making solo albums if he was outsold by West.
On Sunday Sept 16, it was announced that West had also beaten 50 Cent in the UK album charts. Kanye has made an incredible album and I’ve always maintained that great music will always win.” “This is a great day for Kanye West and Roc-A-Fella Records and a fantastic day for hip hop and artistry,” said Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter, President and CEO, Def Jam Recordings. Hip-hop wouldn’t be anything without competition. From the Tupac and Biggie, the West Coast versus East Coast feud to today where Kanye West and 50 cent have created a modern day, yet friendlier competition. As everyone seems to know, Kanye and 50’s new albums, “Graduation” and “Curtis” respectively, both were released on September 11 50 cent declared he would “quit his solo career” if West’s album moved more copies than his during the first week of sale. We know today that in fact, “Graduation” did sell out “Curtis”… and not surprisingly 50 cent is still in the music business.
Before the albums went on sale 50 Cent vowed he would retire from making solo albums if he was outsold by West.
On Sunday Sept 16, it was announced that West had also beaten 50 Cent in the UK album charts. Kanye has made an incredible album and I’ve always maintained that great music will always win.” “This is a great day for Kanye West and Roc-A-Fella Records and a fantastic day for hip hop and artistry,” said Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter, President and CEO, Def Jam Recordings. Hip-hop wouldn’t be anything without competition. From the Tupac and Biggie, the West Coast versus East Coast feud to today where Kanye West and 50 cent have created a modern day, yet friendlier competition. As everyone seems to know, Kanye and 50’s new albums, “Graduation” and “Curtis” respectively, both were released on September 11 50 cent declared he would “quit his solo career” if West’s album moved more copies than his during the first week of sale. We know today that in fact, “Graduation” did sell out “Curtis”… and not surprisingly 50 cent is still in the music business.
Both rappers have admitted that they are in the business for money and nothing else. 50 cent was even quoted in Rolling Stone calling anyone who said they were in the music for their own satisfaction a “liar.” 50 has a multimillion dollar deal with vitamin water, and is making quite a bit of cash off of that deal. Kanye doesn’t have an endorsement like that, but he now has the number one selling album in the country.
I guess it’s a toss up for these two hip-hop stars. By no stretch of the imagination is this rap “battle” of sorts anywhere near the Biggie/Tupac level. I mean, 50 cent and Kanye West both showed up for interviews and their Rolling Stone cover story together- and seemed pretty pleasant to each other regardless of the competition.
Then again, West and 50 cent are very different rappers and seem to make music for very different demographics. Even my mom knows and willingly likes Kanye West. Maybe that’s because of his weekend “performance” with Rainn Wilson who plays Dwight Shrute on NBC’s “The Office” at the Emmy’s. But it just seems West is more accessible to the average American, no matter what race or age. He’s not a cookie-cutter rapper in my opinion. West doesn’t dress the part- and I mean, rapping about the diamond trade in Africa is nowhere near the regular standard, or anywhere close to rap like “A Bay Bay” or “Crank That.” I don’t think that Kanye West wants to be like other rappers- I mean he’s an arrogant guy and would probably admit and flaunt that but he seems like he’s got a lot of depth as a person. 50 cent seems like a decent guy as well.
Then again, West and 50 cent are very different rappers and seem to make music for very different demographics. Even my mom knows and willingly likes Kanye West. Maybe that’s because of his weekend “performance” with Rainn Wilson who plays Dwight Shrute on NBC’s “The Office” at the Emmy’s. But it just seems West is more accessible to the average American, no matter what race or age. He’s not a cookie-cutter rapper in my opinion. West doesn’t dress the part- and I mean, rapping about the diamond trade in Africa is nowhere near the regular standard, or anywhere close to rap like “A Bay Bay” or “Crank That.” I don’t think that Kanye West wants to be like other rappers- I mean he’s an arrogant guy and would probably admit and flaunt that but he seems like he’s got a lot of depth as a person. 50 cent seems like a decent guy as well.
posted by P-AIR @ 7:50 AM
