Grammy-nominated rapper Rick Ross recently reflected on his past issues with 50 Cent and said he is responsible for polluting music.
Ross says he has learned to move forward and focus on making business moves.
"That's the beauty of art," Ross told us. "You can take it and channel it any way you want to. Of course, I realize I put a lot of pollution out there as well that I wouldn't this year. That was a part of me learning. I'll forever be attracted to some form or fashion of war. I feel it's competitive but at the same time, I'm focused on my numbers. I'm focused on my business. I'm focused on my brand. I wanna see other things blossom around me, versus back-and-forth with nothing. For the most part, I feel when you prioritize your business, that's the result -- that's the advice I've been given for so long. I'm trying it out."
Last month, 50 said he never reached out to make a truce with Ross.
"I never had a conversation with him. My focus shifted during that record. A lot of times, earlier in my career, I was competing with artists because that was what I loved about hip-hop: The idea that battling someone was necessary to defend your spot and you had to take on all challengers -- so I did that constantly. No one thinks that way now and everyone looks at me like I'm the Broad Street Bully. The younger kids coming up missed that time frame, and even the conscious rap is gone too. The stuff that Common Sense and Talib Kweli and Mos Def were rhyming about. What was socially conscious and responsible about the music has been replaced by hipster kids in skinny jeans and mohawks. Of course, that's always been around, but it was usually confined to the Village. Artists have always had the opportunity to influence the culture, but now it's the other way around: They're trying to look like their audience to attract their audience. Now you can't tell the difference between a Led Zeppelin fan and a hip-hop fan."
Last year, Bun B talked with SOHH about the seriousness behind the duo's beef.
"This is rap. We've had beef in rap since the beginning of rap. There are very few of the early artists in the music industry that didn't have some kind of an issue with another artist at some point. As long as nobody gets physically hurt, I don't see why anybody really should have a problem with it. I think everybody will come out of it alright. 50 is going to be alright. Ross will be alright."
Ross and 50's dispute took over in January 2009.
How it started: on Saturday January 24, 2009, Rick Ross came out with "Mafia Music" taking shots at 50 Cent. 50 Cent responded with "Officer Ricky (Go Ahead Try Me)" on Thursday January 29. Rick Ross went on radio the next day (Friday January 30) and gave 50 24hrs to come up with something better. 50 Cent, before going To Venezuela, responded with "Warning Shot."
Check out Rick Ross speaking on 50 Cent below:
