Decades after cementing themselves as rap titans, 50 Cent and T.I. are at the center of hip-hop’s first blockbuster feud of 2026.
50 Cent and T.I. during BET Awards – Nominees, Host and Honorees Announcement at Renaissance Hollywood Hotel in Hollywood, California on May 16, 2007.
M. Phillips/WireImage
50 Cent is no stranger to contentious feuds and T.I. himself isn’t one to back down. Two decades after carving out decorated legacies inside rap’s pantheon, these two are now embroiled in an unlikely blockbuster feud to open 2026.
In terms of rapping, this has been a totally one-sided feud, as T.I. has been relentless in stacking diss tracks against 50 Cent while 50 has opted for social media fodder and trolling instead of heading to the booth.
Although the pair of rap titans peaked in the aughts from different rap capitals, they had some crossover but minimal static over the years. Certainly nothing that should’ve lingered over a decade later like Ja Rule’s war with G-Unit that led to a pillow fight on a flight last month.
Versuz was seemingly invented to settle beefs, not start them. The foundation of today’s feud was laid during the COVID-19 pandemic when T.I. repeatedly called out 50 for a battle, but the G-Unit mogul didn’t pay Tip much attention and scoffed at his requests.
Tensions were raised in February when Versuz became a topic of discussion once again after T.I. joined Nightcap during Super Bowl weekend and claimed that 50 was “ducking smoke.”
In typical fashion, 50 lived up to his king of pettiness title while turning to an array of social media jabs and memes. The floodgates opened when he went beyond T.I. and began taking shots at family members like Tip’s wife, Tiny Harris, and his son, King Harris.
In less than a week, T.I. peppered 50 Cent with a handful of diss tracks and doesn’t appear to be done with him just yet, as he’s parlayed the momentum into the rollout of his upcoming and final album, Kill the King.
Henceforth is the history of T.I. and 50 Cent’s relationship and what’s taken place in their current feud.
-
2007: 50 Cent Doesn’t See a ‘King’ of Hip-Hop
T.I., coming off his chart-topping King album in 2006 and being the self-proclaimed King of the South, was asked by Angie Martinez who he believed was running hip-hop during an interview at Hot 97. 50 didn’t believe any singular rapper was sitting atop the throne, especially when it’s a title contrived by the artist. “How you gonna be the king? Who decides that? The fans decide that — you can’t just call yourself the king,” he replied. At the time, many saw this as a subtle jab at Tip.
-
2008: 50 Cent Questions T.I.’s Sentencing on Federal Gun Charges
T.I. was arrested on federal gun charges in late 2007 and hit with a one-year sentence, leading to questions from 50 Cent about how Tip received such a lenient sentence. Many tied this jab to accusations that T.I. cooperated with authorities.
“What’s today’s mathematics? S—t ain’t adding up! Get knocked with ten machine guns, only get twelve months! Ooh weee, don’t talk to me,” rapped 50 on G-Unit cut “You So Tough.”
-
November 2011: T.I. Responds to 50
Following his release, T.I. and his wife, Tiny, were arrested on drug possession charges during a traffic stop in September 2010, resulting in Tip going back to prison for another eleven months. In response to questions about why Tiny didn’t take the fall for him from 50 Cent, Tip addressed these comments in a VIBE cover story in late 2011.
“I’ma tell you, fifty Cent and anybody else: we not gonna have no discussion about what my ole lady shoulda done for anything as it pertains to me,” he said. “We ain’t gonna do that. I’m the only one in my family that’s gonna take a lick when it pertains to the legal system.”
Tip continued: “Since me, none of my other family members have seen a jail cell. Nobody! I’m the last one! The buck stops here! I feel that a person that stands behind [his woman for a criminal charge] is a coward anyway.”
-
November 2011: 50 Addresses His Comments About T.I.’s Arrest
Upon seeing T.I.’s comments in VIBE, fifty hopped on X (formerly Twitter) to clarify his stance regarding the self-proclaimed King of the South. The G-Unit boss explained that the numbers didn’t add up for him concerning Tip’s sentencing.
“Man I just saw something T.I said in VIBE about a tweet I wrote when he caught his drug case,” he wrote on Twitter. “He just got outta jam and caught a new one! Any other time n—a done! Get caught with ten machine guns an silencer then catch a drug charge? You will f—k around and get natural life!”
Fifty continued: “This boy got a get outta jail FREE card! Don’t get emotional over your lady! It’ll get you into some s—t you don’t want to be in! If U can get five years easy for some shit and I’m the support of my family… why would it be wrong if ya lady had to take probation? S—t she ballin’ too lol!”
-
December 2011: Fifty and T.I. Squash Beef Over Phone Call
In light of heightened tensions, fifty and T.I. ended up hopping on the phone to prevent their feud from escalating further and squashed their beef.
“We got mutual friends and I was actually in conversation with one of them who was around him,” fifty said to VIBE. “I didn’t tell him to get [T.I.] on the phone and [T.I.] didn’t tell him to get me on the phone.”
-
July 2020: T.I. Wishes Fifty a Happy Birthday & Issues Verzuz Challenge
T.I wished fifty a happy forty-fifth birthday on Instagram along with a challenge for him to step into the Verzuz ring.
“Pull your ass up with twenty of your records man! Sit across from me man! And get this work!” Tip said. “But I understand if you don’t want to answer that challenge because last time you got challenged Kanye West dusted your ass off.”
Fifty didn’t take Tip too seriously and brushed off his summons: “Yo somebody passed T.I.the weed they gave Smokey in Friday LOL,” he replied.
-
July 2020: T.I Continues to Poke Fifty About Verzuz Challenge
T.I joined Hot97 for an interview where he continued poking at Fifty while instigating potential Verzuz battle.
“I just think [50] got an ego big enough to withstand my bravado,” he said.
-
September 2020: Fifty Still Won’t ‘Pick A Date’
T.I implored Fifty to “PICK A DATE” for potential Verzuz battle but Fifty continued scoffing at Tip while opting for jokes.
