The Bizarre Story of 50 Cent Getting Called Out From Beyond the Grave 26 Years Ago Today
50 Cent has earned a reputation as someone who enjoys feuding with other rappers. While fans know all about his beefs with people like Diddy, T.I., and Ja Rule, most have forgotten about the time 50 Cent got called out by someone who'd already died, Big Pun.
The Jab That Sparked the Bizarre Timeline
Before Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson became a household name, he was already making waves by dissing some of the biggest rap stars around. In late 1999, he dropped the track "How to Rob,' which was full of over-the-top lines about stealing from famous artists. One of the people he rapped about robbing was Christopher "Big Pun" Lee Rios, who he joked would be too slow to catch him because of his size.
"I'll rob Pun without a gun, snatch his piece then run. This n***a weigh four hundred pounds, how he gon' catch me, son?"
The Tragic Passing of a Rap Star
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After Big Pun made a name for himself, he seemed to be poised to record multiple hit albums that would have gone down in music history. Sadly, his career was cut short far too early when he passed away in February 2000, at the age of only 28.
A New York Times article reported that Christopher "Big Pun" Lee Rios began having trouble breathing while he was staying at a hotel in White Plains, New York. After an ambulance arrived, paramedics responded but couldn't revive him, and he was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
How 'Big Pun' Called Out '50 Cent' From Beyond the Grave
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Before he passed away, Big Pun recorded his second album, "Yeeeah Baby," which was released on April 4, 2000. In one standout track that came out 26 years ago today, "My Turn," the rapper demanded respect and called 50 Cent out for his "How to Rob" lines. The sharpest part of Big Pun's response came when he rapped:
"And to the 50 Cent rapper, very funny, get your nut off. Cause in real life, you don't know I'll blow your m**********n' head off (ooh yeah). That's my m**********n' word, you understand? Thought we was a f****n' joke? S**t."
Since Big Pun died in February and his album was released in April, "My Turn" became a posthumous diss track. For fans, it was strange enough to hear a dead rapper still firing shots. But it must have been extremely surreal for 50 Cent himself to realize he was getting hit from beyond the grave.