50 Cent, Fabolous, Jim Jones, Maino and Dave East stir up old-school fear, but is it really the beef?
For years, the narrative about New York hip-hop has leaned toward dysfunction. The beef is soaked in water. There have always been alliance breakdowns, tensions and fierce rivalries in a city that has always been considered the best.
Yet late last year, when “Fabolous” set 50 Cent on fire with a jam session that included his podcast friends, it was like the start of World War III for the city. However, after the 50-year-old pregnancy pause and the ominous announcement that we’re collectively ringing in 2026… it’s already crickets. Sort of.
“Fabs and Banks [side-eye emoji]”, 50 Cent wrote on Twitter/X in response to the ongoing debate about Lloyd Banks vs. Fab. “None of them put any effort into it themselves. Neither of them are likely to sell at this stage of their careers. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a tie [shrug emoji] They are the same. “
It seems like once you hear directly from the artist himself, the version of events in our collective heads as rap fans starts to fall apart.
AllHipHop reporter SlopsShotYa recently caught up with Fabolous, Maino, Jim Jones and Dave East at their Bronx home, and the conversation quickly shifted from online narrative to real life.
50 Cent has been at the center of much of the recent negotiations, with their online trolling often being mistaken for actual conflicts. That assumption could not be further from the truth, according to those closest to the situation.
Fabolous said the notion that New York hip-hop is divided is largely exaggerated.
“I think in a sense, New York — if you look at podcasts — this (“Let’s Rap About It” podcast) is an example of New York unifying,” Fab explained. “Joe and Jada have their pod, and that’s the unity of New York. I don’t think it’s as fragmented as the media makes it out to be.”
When it comes to the online controversy involving 50 Cent, Fab made it clear that the matter never turned into real-world animosity.
“There were 50 trolls online. We had a freestyle pushback and that’s the rest of it. Other than that, I saw no real disagreement.”
Maino echoed the sentiment. He also said they could restore it if needed.
“We’re leaving it there – unless they want to restart it.”
For Jim Jones, the disconnect stems from outsiders’ misunderstanding of how New York culture works.
“If you’re from here, you understand,” he said. “But there’s a lot of solidarity and camaraderie among artists in New York.”
Dave East, the youngest member of the crew, pointed out the source of the confusion.
“People have to stop confusing the internet with real life,” East added. “New York is full of love. It’s full of energy. I personally have no problem with anyone.”
Today’s New York hip-hop isn’t driven by forced solidarity or even viral controversy. Veterans—those who have been through cycles of competition, collaboration, and growth—understand. They understand the difference between performance and reality. It wasn’t the case in the past that someone could be shot if they were outside a radio station.
When 50 Cent speaks – even as a troll – the whole city reacts. When Mythology takes the mic, it takes on real weight. When Jim Jones showed us his look in BX, it struck a chord. when Meno and Dave East started talking.
New York hip-hop is not broken.
It’s doing what it’s always done.
Now, we only need 50 cents to reply to Fab. [Smiley-face emoji.]
