Ja Rule participated in a video interview with Hot 97 on Sunday (April 19) and discussed the Versuz Instagram Live battles curated by Timbaland and Swizz Beatz. The Murder Inc. founder had been toying with the idea battling his longtime foe 50 Cent for over a week.
“I never back down from a battle, man. I love it,” he explained in the clip. “My catalog speaks for itself. I have a great catalog. It would be dope for hip-hop. It would be fun, and it’s for the culture. Versuz is about love and respect for each other’s catalog, and what you’ve done for music, and what you contributed.”
But in terms actually battling 50, Ja has appeared to resign to the fact it will never happen.
“I don’t know if me and him can do that,” he said. “I don’t know if that would work. Just for respect the culture. I would never want to disrespect the culture and let me and his little thing get into the love and respect what Versuz has brought to the culture, for each other’s catalog and the artistry. I would never want to tarnish that.”
The idea for a Ja Rule versus 50 Cent battle was birthed during an Instagram Live chat between Swizz and Fat Joe earlier this month. But less than 24 hours later, 50 shot down the notion with a meme Ja’s head on a homeless person’s body holding a sign that reads, “Will battle 50 Cent for attention.”
He followed up with another popular meme that shows 50 laughing as he drives away.
“who want to battle,” he wrote in the caption. “and here’s a moment silence for the still sick and suffering. LOL #abcforlife #starz #powerbook2,3,4,5 #Fox #BMF #needattention call 50 #bransoncognac #lecheminduroi #g-unitfilms #g-unitbooks #g-unitrecords.”
who want to battle, ?and here’s a moment silence for the still sick and suffering. LOL #abcforlife #starz #powerbook2,3,4,5 #Fox #BMF #needattention call 50 #bransoncognac #lecheminduroi #g-unitfilms #g-unitbooks #g-unitrecords pic.twitter.com/8xYtkKUOwb
— 50cent (@50cent) April 14, 2020
From there, the social media jabs continued to fly and culminated with Ja calling 50 a “rat” — again.
“Oh you wanna make memes,” he wrote in a since-deleted post. “Curtis Ratson!!! Bored in the house and I’m in the house bored.. this post will self destruct. #PettyMurphy #peopleschamp #Iconn #NyStars.”
Judging by Ja’s recent sentiments, a battle between himself and Fiddy is likely pure fantasy.