Credit: Mikamote

Alongside Damon Dash, Jay-Z built one of the most powerful hip-hop empires of the 2000s. Following the era of Bad Boy and Death Row, Roc-a-Fella Records was a powerhouse of rap music. With talent such as Kanye West, Beanie Sigel, Just Blaze and more, the label was unstoppable.

From its inception in 1996 as a vehicle to release Reasonable Doubt to 2002, Roc-a-Fella was the ultimate success story. A label built from the ground up by hustlers with undeniable business acumen. That said, there was a threat lurking in the background the entire time.

Co-founded with the legendary music executive and mogul Jimmy Iovine, Dr Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment was able to properly develop its artists and carefully cultivate a roster of quality that wouldn’t get bogged down in politics as Death Row did.

Artists signed to Aftermath were often given their own imprints, and Dre was always able to impart his wealth of knowledge. One of the first artists signed by Dr Dre was Eminem, who was an unbridled success. 

When he released his major label debut, The Slim Shady LP, in 1999, he became an unstoppable force. Eminem’s momentum was only accelerated by the release of his diamond-certified sophomore project, The Marshall Mathers LP.

That said, although Eminem had been a success story, Aftermath didn’t pose a threat to Roc-a-Fella as it only boasted one chart-topping artist. However, at the turn of the millennium, a new rapper was rising in the Big Apple, and, as a native New Yorker, Jay-Z knew this.

By 2000, 50 Cent had become so powerful on the New York underground that he ended up signing a deal with Columbia Records. While working on his debut, Power Of The Dollar, Fifty and his project were quickly shelved in 2000. However, scouted by Eminem as a free agent, 50 Cent signed with Shady Records and Aftermath Entertainment in 2002 and quickly began working on his debut project, Get Rich Or Die Tryin’.

Jay-Z caught wind of this and, having seen the impact of Eminem, he knew that the release of 50 Cent’s debut single would dominate the mainstream and deflect attention from all other artists. As such, he warned his peers.

In a 2013 interview with New York radio show The Breakfast Club, Jay-Z reflected on his career and recalled the arrival of 50 Cent in hip-hop. Speaking to hosts Charlamagne Tha God, DJ Envy and Angela Yee, Jay recounted, “I remember one time walking into the studio and it was a small gap. [Memphis] Bleek, Beanie, everybody was in there, and I was like, “Man, I’m telling you, you gotta chance right now. Just flood it! Put out a lot of music because 50 Cent is coming!”

He continued, “Four months later, ‘In Da Club’ hit, and it was over [for them].” ‘In Da Club’ became a huge hit, debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained there for nine weeks. The album that followed is still considered a classic, and, unfortunately, many Roc-a-Fella artists never managed to pick up steam again.