A few of Kanye West‘s close relationships have fallen by the wayside in recent years. He had a falling out with Drake that the OVO Sound rapper pretty much declared irreconcilable, and the talk about his strained relationship with Jay-Z has drawn speculation. Media mogul 50 Cent recently released his book Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter, and inside, Fif reportedly speaks on why he believes Jay has become “disappointed” with his friend Kanye.

Astrid Stawiarz / Stringer / Getty Images

“I salute Jay for a sophisticated strategy. There was nothing unethical or disloyal about it. A lot of people hesitate to make those moves,” 50 Cent wrote about Jay-Z becoming a leader of Def Jam. “They’d rather stay connected with the same group of people, even if those people aren’t getting them any closer to success. Jay didn’t fall into that trap. Still hasn’t.”

Fif spoke on a time when he was pitted against Kanye West musically, calling it a stunt that he created to help with promotion. According to 50 Cent, Jay-Z stood in Kanye’s corner because he was “uncomfortable” with Fif’s rise as the new “it” rapper from New York City. “Jimmy Iovine might not have cared about beating Kanye, but Jay-Z, who was the head of Def Jam at the time, damn sure cared about beating me,” he penned. “Jay had been extremely uncomfortable with my run in NYC for years. So he did everything under the sun to make sure he could beat me through Kanye.”

“Jay took a lot of pride in Kanye’s victory,” Fif added. “I think that’s one of the reasons he’s so disappointed in Kanye today.”

[]

In an effort to continue his world domination, 50 Cent has released a memoir-ish book, Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter. The media mogul shares stories of his rise to fame and his ability to go from running the streets to owning multiple businesses, having a successful rap career, and elevating a media company that has produced a number of hit shows. Also inside of Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter, Fif speaks on his days with G-Unit—specifically, Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo’s inability to reach the same levels of success that he was able to attain.

“I always felt that if I had maybe done a better job teaching Banks and Yayo how to evolve and change their habits, they each would be in better places right now,” 50 Cent shares in his book. He felt that as the leader of G-Unit, he should have been a better guide. “While I was out hustling (I actually hustled with his father), Banks was more content staying on his porch and watching the world from there. Banks wanted things to come to him, as opposed to going out and getting them for himself. That’s not me trying to assassinate his character—the guy has ‘Lazy Lloyd‘ tattooed on his arm. He literally wears his laziness on his sleeve.”

Fif went on to say that he did try to get Lloyd Banks to adapt to the changing times, especially as social media advanced, but it didn’t work. “To me, one answer was to change how he interacted with the culture,” the rapper reportedly wrote. “That’s why years ago I told Banks to film a video of his life and post it on YouTube. Introduce people to his lifestyle. Let the camera follow him around for a while and see how he moves. Maybe something he says or does will create a spark, go viral, and then he’ll have some heat around him again.”

When that didn’t work, 50 Cent attempted to get Banks to be more active on Instagram, especially because he could be “a little awkward in person.” Banks wasn’t having it. It was then that Fif decided he didn’t want to invest in Banks anymore. “Age isn’t about what year you were born—it’s about how you approach the year you’re in right now. If you’re open to new experiences, willing to take chances, and curious about new topics, you’re young. Period.”

Tony Yayo, on the other hand, was allegedly still caught in operating by the code of the streets. “If I got into a disagreement with another artist, Yayo’s reaction was ‘Let’s just bang ’em,’ because that would have been his response back in the neighborhood. If we got $100,000 for a series of club appearances, Yayo wasn’t thinking about putting it in the bank. His first thought would be ‘Hey, this could get us three and a half kilos of cocaine. Let’s flip those, and we’ll be sitting on some real money.'”

That wasn’t how Fif wanted to do business, and ultimately, things began to fall apart. He also added that the things he’d written about were all issues that he’d spoken with his cohorts about, so he isn’t saying anything they haven’t already heard.

[]

Over their years as friends and collaborative partners, Eminem and 50 Cent have amassed quite a repertoire of classic tunes under their belt. From “Patiently Waiting” to “Don’t Push Me,” “Jimmy Crack Corn” to “Gatman & Robbin,” “Psycho” to “You Don’t Know,” the Shady and Fif connection has often manifested into dark and menacing bangers. It’s ultimately helped make them one of hip-hop’s surefire teams, never failing to deliver quality when called upon. It’s no wonder that fans hold their bromance in high regard to this day.

Scott Gries/Getty Images

And while it’s been a while since they united for a proper collaboration (the Ed Sheeran led “Remember The Name” notwithstanding), the friendship has remained as sturdy as ever. Today, Slim took to Instagram to proudly endorse 50’s latest endeavor, his new book Hustle Harder Hustle Smarter. 

Alongside the cover, Em channeled his inner infomercial in the caption: “Like he said: Get Rich or die tryin’!! Get my friend @50Cent’s new book Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter to help learn how!” The kind gesture did not go unnoticed by 50, who came through in the replies to show some appreciation. “Thanks EM Love you dog,” he wrote, a departure from his traditionally hard-nosed Instagram antics. Such is the power of the 50 Cent/Eminem partnership — some things run deeper than rap. 

50 Cent is far from the same person he was when he emerged into the airwaves in the early aughts. The rapper was regarded as one of the most controversial figures in music with violent and misogynistic messages being fed into the ears of the youth. In comparison to some of the music coming out today, Fif was relatively PG but at the time, he was facing backlash from across the board including from one of the biggest media personalities in America.

50 Cent recently spoke about his feud with Oprah Winfrey in an interview with The Guardian. Fresh off of the release of his new book, Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter, Fif reflected on his feud with Oprah and how it ultimately impacted him. From a dealer in South Side Jamaica, Queens, he wanted to solidify his star status and prove to his grandma he has a legitimate career with an appearance on Oprah but she wasn’t interested.

“She was completely against everything that was in my music,” Fif said. “So she ain’t never going to have me on that show. I’m never going to reach that platform, which is confirmation of you being a huge success. So I just said: OK, if we can’t be friends, then at least let’s be enemies.” 

Though we’ve seen the levels of Fif’s savagery through Instagram, he was equally as vicious back in the day. However, they would later patch things up but he never admitted that his lyrics may have been misogynistic.

“Well, no. Did you hear what I said? They are misogynistic, but the world is not under the same circumstances. Are you going to tell a painter what to paint? I’m an artist. Why am I limited to what you feel should be said? In film and television, they will show art imitates life. Are you not aware of those situations taking place?” He said, though he admitted this wasn’t how he phrased his feelings to Oprah.

“She never asked me the question in the way you did,” he continued. “The truth is, all things come from your experience. Like, I got shot nine times and I wrote music about it. Everyone writes something that can connect in a big way based on a painful moment, so you’re saying we’re not supposed to articulate or write it the way we experienced?”

50 Cent may not be a big drinker, but he’s not going to let that create bad optics for his liquor businesses. If you follow Fif on Instagram, you’re definitely familiar with his multiple liquor brands, including Branson Cognac and Le Chemin Du Roi champagne. Fif is so dedicated to promoting these beverages, he adds a hashtag for each brand on every single one of his Instagram posts. Although the rap mogul may be passionate about selling alcohol, he’s not so fond of drinking it. In his new book, Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter, Fif explains how he prefers not to drink in order to keep a clear, but still manages to use his star power to promote his brand of bubbly in the club. His solution: ginger ale.

Brad Barket/Getty Images for STARZ

“First I’ll pour drinks from a bottle of Champagne for everyone who is in VIP with me,” he explains in the book. “When the bottle is empty, I’ll give it to one of my guys and have him quietly refill it with ginger ale. For the rest of the night I’ll have that bottle in my hand. I’ll take swigs every now and then just to keep the vibe right, but I’m not drinking anything but Canada Dry.”

Presley Ann/Getty Images for STARZ

His sobriety-by-choice also includes weed, which presented a dilemma when Snoop Dogg offered him a joint during his Tycoon Pool Party last summer. “Everyone around us started cheering for me to hit it,” he recalled. “Not wanting to kill the mood, I took a big hit…and then just let the smoke swirl around in my mouth before I blew it back out. That’s as far as it went. Bill Clinton has probably inhaled more weed smoke than me.” For more strategies on how to stay sober while keeping up appearances, grab a copy of Hustler Harder, Hustle Smarter, available April 28th.

It’s no secret that 50 Cent has made a fair number of enemies throughout his tenure in the rap game, ranging from his fellow artists to those foolish enough to borrow his money and duck out on the repayment plan. Given that one cannot convincingly handle feuds without being a formidable opponent, many have grown to reluctantly respect Fif’s ruthless and relentless battle measures. Some have even come to fear them — but not everybody. According to his own testimony in Hustle Harder Hustle Smarter, Gayle King actually took the fight directly to him.

Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images

Page Six managed to snag an excerpt from the book, due out on April 28th, detailing a confrontation between 50 and King. Apparently, King wasn’t crazy about the way 50 was disrespecting her friend Oprah Winfrey, and decided to have some words during Bette Midler’s black-tie charity event. “Gayle is the real deal — a very sophisticated, secure, and smart lady,” praises Fif. “She’s never afraid of a situation. So she marched right up to me and basically said, ‘Why you talking shit about my girl?'” 

Apparently, Fif believed that Winfrey didn’t like him, nor the attributes he portrayed within his music. Ever the opportunist, he decided to make an enemy in the good name of publicity. As the book explains, Fif has made a habit of engaging in “faux beef” to remain in the spotlight. “Listen, I’d love to be Oprah’s friend,” he allegedly responded to King. “But if we can’t be friends, could we at least be enemies?” Apparently, Oprah and King respected Fif’s understanding of strategy, and he went on to appear on “Oprah’s Next Chapter” in 2012. 

Perhaps we oughta start treating all of 50 Cent’s feuds with a grain of salt — even his neverending battle with Ja Rule, who recently challenged him to a hit-battle on Instagram Live. Should he indeed seek further publicity, perhaps he’ll find himself accepting the challenge with open arms. Look for Hustle Harder Hustle Smarter to land on April 28th — will you be reading this one?

[]

Say what you will about 50 Cent, but few artists have come to encapsulate the started-from-the-bottom journey like the Get Rich Or Die Tryin rapper. Currently reaping the spoils of his ever-growing television empire, all while keeping the Instagram feed immeasurably spicy, Fif has deemed it due time to impart his wisdom upon us. Enter Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter, his first book since teaming with Robert Greene for The 50th Law in 2009.

Roy Rochlin/Getty Images  

"I’ve had my share of setbacks, but I knew that I was never gonna stay there long," captions Fif, revealing both the cover and April 28th release date in one fell swoop. It's unclear as to how much time will be spent reflecting on his music career, but seeing as this one is marketed as "self-help" rather than biography, expect this one to be more of a guidebook on the key principles of hustle; albeit one lined with enough personal anecdotes to keep 50's fanbase entertained.  

The official Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter description reads as follows: "For the first time, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson opens up about his amazing comeback—from tragic personal loss to thriving businessman and cable's highest-paid executive—in this unique self-help guide, his first since his blockbuster New York Times bestseller The 50th Law." Should you be so inclined to pre-order the hardcover edition, you can do so right here.