50 Cent stirred conversation this week by resurfacing a Jay-Z lyric from a 2006 collaboration, reframing it through a meme and a pointed caption. The post featured Jay-Z’s face edited onto the Predator character from the film franchise and referenced his verse on Pharrell’s song “Young Girl / I Really Like You,” released two years before Jay-Z married Beyoncé.
The line at the center of the post reads, “Hov got a young girl / Still not quite 21.” When the song first arrived, the lyric attracted little attention. Seen today, it has been reassessed through a more critical lens, largely because of how it was reintroduced rather than any new context from the artist himself.
50 Cent added his own commentary in the caption, writing, “I know you’re gonna say I’m a hater, but what do you say about what he’s saying fool? LOL get yo ass down the street!” The tone matched his long-standing social media style, blending humor with provocation and offering no further explanation.
The exchange sits within a history of one-sided commentary between the two rappers. Their disconnect traces back to 50 Cent’s 1999 song “How to Rob,” which mentioned Jay-Z among several peers. While Jay-Z has largely stayed silent, 50 has continued to speak publicly, including recalling a past disagreement where Beyoncé intervened.
That pattern has continued in recent years. Last December, 50 shared a caricature of Jay-Z with the caption, “Please stop sending me stuff like this I’m not gonna post it!” He has also questioned Jay-Z’s awards success and discussed differing philosophies in a conversation with Brian J. Roberts, saying, “I end up beating myself up looking out for them.”
The latest post does not signal a new chapter, but rather reinforces a familiar dynamic that resurfaces whenever their paths briefly cross.