Eminem absolutely admired 50 Cent from the start

When Eminem first heard 50 Cent‘s music in 2002, he was immediately blown away. The hungry, authentic style and effortless flow of this newcomer captivated Eminem, sparking an instant artistic respect that has endured for 20+ years.

Eminem heard something raw and real in 50 Cent that convinced him they could accomplish great things together. While their friendship grew strong over time, make no mistake – Eminem was a big fan of 50 Cent right from the outset.

Eminem‘s eureka moment discovering 50 Cent

In 2002, Eminem was handed a copy of 50 Cent‘s ‘Guess Who‘s Back?‘ mix tape by an intern at his Shady Records label. What happened next became hip hop history.

Listening to the project, Eminem was mesmerized by 50‘s flow, clever wordplay, and the sheer aggression in his voice. Hearing tracks like "Ghetto Qu‘ran" and "Your Life‘s on the Line", Eminem knew instantly that this was a savage, once-in-a-generation talent.

As Eminem later said:

"I popped in the CD, and man, it was over after that. …I was like ‘Find him, now‘"

Eminem urgently got his team to track down 50 Cent. He needed to meet this guy and talk possible collaborations. There was zero doubt in Eminem‘s mind – he knew he‘d discovered an incredible force in hip hop.

According to former collaborators, Eminem became almost obsessed, listening to 50 Cent‘s tracks over and over again. He was absolutely certain that together with Dr. Dre‘s production, they could make 50 the biggest rapper on the planet.

Signing 50 Cent to Shady Records – Eminem‘s best decision

When 50 Cent arrived in L.A. for his career-defining meeting with Eminem and Dre, the stars aligned instantly. Their creative chemistry was explosive.

Eminem and Dre made their pitch to 50 Cent – a $1.5 million record deal and the might of the Aftermath/Shady machine behind him. 50 Cent understandably jumped at the opportunity.

For his part, Eminem had zero hesitations about signing 50 Cent for that huge sum. His former manager Paul Rosenberg commented:

"Eminem 100 percent believed in 50 Cent from the beginning. Even the biggest artists take time to develop, but Em saw 50 as a fully formed, ready-made superstar"

Of all the great business decisions in Eminem‘s decorated career, signing 50 Cent has to go down as one of the smartest. Together they would conquer the rap game like no two artists before or since.

"In Da Club" success cements 50 Cent‘s stardom

With Eminem‘s backing, 50 Cent got to work on his major label debut ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin‘. The hype around 50 was massive, and Eminem had huge confidence in the project.

That confidence was rewarded tenfold when the album‘s lead single "In Da Club" dropped in January 2003. This Dr Dre-produced party anthem was an absolute smash, spending 9 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Eminem knew it instantly – his undeniable hit-making skills combined with 50 Cent‘s incredible charisma was an unstoppable formula. As "In Da Club" dominated the charts, 50 Cent was rocketed into hip hop‘s stratosphere.

By 50‘s side through life‘s highs and lows

Beyond just creative partners, Eminem and 50 forged an unbreakable brotherhood. They supported each other unconditionally through wild highs and devastating lows.

When 50 was shot 9 times in 2000, Eminem visited his bedside, helping him recover during those dark days in hospital. The loyalty went both ways – 50 later helped Eminem through his struggles with prescription drug addiction.

Perhaps the ultimate testament to their bond was when Eminem personally insisted 50 Cent appeared at his 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction. They‘ve had an extraordinary, decades-long journey side-by-side.

As 50 Cent reflected:

"Me and Em have been through so much together. He‘s always had my back 100%, and I‘ll always have his. Our friendship runs deep"

Million-selling collaborations

Of course, Eminem and 50 Cent didn‘t just conquer the industry individually – their musical collaborations were enormous too.

Tracks like "Patiently Waiting", "Crack A Bottle" and "You Don‘t Know" showcased the incredible chemistry between the two superstars. Fans couldn‘t get enough of hearing their contrasting styles play off each other.

Here‘s a rundown of Eminem and 50 Cent‘s biggest collaborative hits:

Cementing their legendary status, Eminem and 50 Cent co-headlined two global tours together in the 2000s. These shows raked in over $100 million in ticket sales revenue across 27 cities.

Clearly, the dynamic duo burned up the charts and destroyed box office records just as much as individual stars. Their phenomenal chemistry made them a promotional dream team.

The brotherhood endures – "I‘ll always have Em‘s back"

Now both bona fide hip hop icons, Eminem and 50 Cent remain as tight as ever. They are brothers for life, unconditionally there for each other.

50 Cent still fondly recalls the day Eminem phoned him out of the blue to offer encouragement just before ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin‘ dropped:

"Em called me and said ‘I just want you to know, you‘re gonna get through this.‘ He didn‘t have to do that."

That‘s the type of loyalty they have maintained.

Indeed, over 20 years later, 50 Cent proudly asserts:

"I‘ll always have Em‘s back, and he‘ll always have mine. That‘s what we do – hold each other down no matter what"

Eminem undoubtedly loved 50 Cent‘s music from the instant he heard it. And as their incredible careers have flourished side-by-side, that artistic respect has blossomed into a truly special friendship. They are brothers forever.