http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1497750/20050303/50_cent.jhtml?headlines=true
50 Cent Makes First Public Comments Since Shooting Incident
03.03.2005 8:44 PM EST
Rapper downplays possibility that 'Piggy Bank' will lead to violence.
In his first public comments since the shooting at Hot 97 on Monday, 50 Cent denied the incident had anything to do with rap battles. 50 appeared with his artist Olivia on BET's "106 & Park" Thursday, the same day his LP The Massacre hit stores. But his new album has been bringing him fewer headlines lately than his dis record "Piggy Bank" (see "Jadakiss, Fat Joe Slicing Their 50 Cent Beef Different Ways") and his decision to kick the Game out of the G-Unit (see "50 Drops Game From G-Unit; Shots Fired At Radio Station").
On the show, he once again compared himself to a boxing champ whose title everybody wants. "Where I'm from is aggressive," 50 told the show's hosts. "I was taught to be aggressive, so I say these things."
Later he downplayed the threat of possible violent retaliation resulting from "Piggy Bank" (see "50 Cent's LP Pushed Up, Harsh 'Facts' Sound Like Disses On Leaked 'Piggy Bank' ").
"A lot of things you hear out there is being said for shock value and not really as serious as people make it out to be," said 50, who claimed he was unimpressed with the responses of the MCs he targeted. "The media gets it and they try to do what they can do with it to make money off of it and make it look as bad as possible. But hip-hop has always been competitive, and they should always look forward to us getting back and forth with words."
50 added that now that he's addressed all his issues on "Piggy Bank," he's ready to move on. Plus, he pointed out, "beef records don't really sell records. 'In Da Club's sell records."
Before 50's appearance on "106 & Park," a member of his entourage was arrested on weapons charges in front of the CBS building where the show is taped, CBS News reports, for allegedly carrying a concealed knife.
For an in-depth conversation with 50 and a recap of this week's events, check out "All Eyes on 50 Cent: The Sequel" Saturday, March 5, at 3 p.m. ET on MTV.
— Shaheem Reid