In an interview with respected music magazine NME, ‘In Da Club’ rapper 50 Cent revealed that he wants Biggie Smalls to be played at his funeral and explained the kind of vibe he desires at his wake. However, he didn’t say he wanted all of the Brooklyn emcee’s music to be played but did want one particular track to be heard.
Speaking with NME journalist Gavin Haynes, the rapper turned media mogul (real name Curtis Jackson) discussed the songs of his childhood and his musical influences. Reflecting on his adolescence, the tycoon highlighted his sentimental connection to a variety of well-known songs, such as The Jackson 5’s ‘ABC’ and Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller.’
Putting the lyricist on the spot, Haynes asked 50 to name a song he would like to get played at his funeral. In response, the rapper chose Biggie Smalls’ iconic 1997 track, ‘Hypnotize.’
The emcee elaborated why ‘Hypnotize’ was his definitive choice, stating, “I’d just want everyone to have as much of a party as possible. We’re only here for a moment. Life is fast, man! And the only thing that really counts is how many happy moments you can get out of it. Obviously, on one level, what I’m doing with my music and my company matters, but in another way, it doesn’t matter at all. When I’m gone, I’m gone. Whatever.”
However, Jackson himself is not the only person who has associated his death with Biggie Smalls (real name Christopher Wallace). 50 Cent’s friend turned for The Game has also previously drawn parallels. In a 2019 interview with Revolt, the Compton rapper addressed his feud with Jackson, stating that if it’s going to end, he would like it to be in true hip-hop fashion like the beef between Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur.
The West Coast emcee explained his sentiment as he expounded, “I just felt like, in a weird way, this was hip-hop. We were supposed to die in this sh*t. My mindset was like, ‘If I get killed out here in New York,’ cause I recorded the whole The Doctor’s Advocate in New York…. I thought even if I get killed in the east when 50 goes to the west like my homies my coast, my fans are gonna kill him.”
50 Cent doesn’t just love Biggie’s music. He has also appeared on one of his songs. Called ‘Realest Niggas’ the explicit version of the track was released on the 2003 50 Cent compilation mixtape 24 Shots. However, the cut also features on the soundtrack of Bad Boys II and White Chicks.
