Credit: Alamy

50 Cent signed to Shady Records in 2002 and enjoyed the best part of his career signed to Eminem’s label. Through a joint venture with Dr Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records, the New York rapper released four albums, including 2003’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’, 2006’s The Massacre, 2007’s Curtis, and 2009’s Before I Self-Destruct.

However, 50 was eager to get out of the deal and got his way in 2014, parting ways with the Universal businesses he had been involved with for over a decade. Although he had a successful run on Em and Dre’s labels, he was ready to move on to the next chapter.

“I have lost all faith in the team I’m on,” he wrote on social media in 2012. “I have nothing left to say. I will not be promoting my music. I’m going to deliver this album then. I have a film I wrote to focus on. I’m not upset, I’m just convinced this is not how I want to [be] remembered.”

When his departure was announced, 50 said, “I have had great success to date with Shady/Aftermath/Interscope and I’d like to thank Eminem and Dr Dre for giving me an incredible opportunity. I’ve learned so much from them through the years. I am excited to enter this new era where I can carry out my creative vision.”

50, unlike most cases in the music industry, was lucky enough to be released from his contract due to his close relationship with Em and Dre. “I’m a special case and situation,” he told Forbes. “It’s also because of the leverage of having the strong relationships with Eminem and Dr Dre. They don’t want me to be uncomfortable. They value our friendship to the point that they would never want [to jeopardise] it over that little bit of money.”

There were no hard feelings on Eminem’s part, either. He said on the move, “I’ve developed a great friendship with 50 over the years, and that’s not going to change. We know 50 will have success in his new situation, and we remain supporters of both him and G-Unit.”

50 released his last album, Animal Ambition, in June 2014. The project debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 with features from Jadakiss, Styles P, Prodigy, ScHoolboy Q, Yo Gotti, Trey Songz, and more. Released through G-Unit Records, the album sold 46,000 copies in its first week.

Em and 50 have maintained a tight-knit bond throughout their careers, with 50 even comparing him to his grandmother regarding his importance to him. “What helped me not have a big head at any point, was I had Eminem around,” he told XXL. “So when I’m doing 13 million records on my first album, I have the Marshall Mathers LP to look at that’s doing 23 million records.”

He added, “Em, I put him next to my grandmother and I’ma tell you why. He was always a place where I could go and just talk to him, and know that he has my best interest at heart.”