Despite a two decade-long beef, Ja Rule wants to go up against 50 Cent in an Instagram Live song battle.
On Saturday (April 11), Fat Joe and Swizz Beatz were discussing Ja's love for hip-hop culture via IG Live when Joe put the Queens rapper on speaker phone to let it be known that he is ready to battle 50. “I want all the smoke but I’ll behave.” Ja said.
Swizz automatically picked up on the potential drama this edition of Verzuz could stir up. "That sounds like a devilish behave," the producer replied to Ja.
Ja Rule and 50 Cent's IG Live battle would be a moment for hip-hop considering their beef dates back to the late 90s.
Their beef began in 1999, when Ja was robbed at gunpoint for his chain in Southside Jamaica, Queens. 50 later alleged that Ja spotted him at the club with the culprit who stole his chain weeks later. Fif says this incident is what sparked their ill feelings towards one another. Ja later confirmed the robbery, but denied witnessing 50 with the person who took his chain.
That same year, Fif released, "Life's on the Line," a direct diss at Ja and his label, Murder Inc. In 2000, 50 and Ja Rule got into a fight while booked for the same show in Atlanta. Shortly after, Fif was stabbed at Hit Factory recording studio in New York City, resulting in the arrests of Ja Rule and Murder Inc. rapper Black Child. In 2002, 50 released "Wanksta," another diss at Ja.
Months later, Murder Inc. CEO, Irv Gotti, claimed that 50 Cent filed an order of protection against him and Ja following the stabbing incident that took place at Hit Factory. In 2002, with the help of his crew G-Unit, 50 released The Future is Now, which featured the record, "I Smell Pussy." Fif called out Ja Rule, Irv Gott, Black Child and Cadillac Tah on the diss.
In January 2003, the offices of Violator Records and Violator Management, who handled 50's career at the time, were shot up by an unknown gunman. The next month, Fif released his debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin', dissing Ja Rule and his label on the Dr. Dre-produced "Back Down." Ja fired back in April, dropping "Loose Change," aimed at 50 Cent. One week later, 50 teamed up with Eminem and Busta Rhymes for "Hail Mary," poking fun at Ja Rule's obsession with the late Tupac Shakur.
Ja Rule made a relentless comeback, releasing "Guess Who Shot Ya," over The Notorious B.I.G.'s classic instrumental. Ja also dropped, "Clap Back," which appeared on his 2003 effort, Blood in My Eye.
Ten years later, 50 and Ja Rule were on the same flight. Ja posted about the encounter on Twitter, noting that there weren't any issues between them, despite their documented beef.
Over the years, 50 and Ja have traded insults with diss tracks and social media posts further igniting their feud. Most recently, the two rappers found themselves in a short-lived back and forth after Ja Rule called the rapper a bad father.
50 Cent has yet to respond to Ja Rule's request to battle it out on IG. However, fans have sounded off on social media, sharing their thoughts on what they think of the potential match up.
See fans' reactions to Ja wanting to battle 50 on Instagram Live below.
See Hip-Hop Fans Name The Most Disrespectful Diss Track of All Time