50 Cent has confirmed that J. Cole was at one point in the mix to sign to G-Unit, and how the North Carolina rapper's fashion sense ended up being the dealbreaker.
On Wednesday (March 25), Cole's much anticipated interview with Cam'ron went live on YouTube, and besides the pair discussing their lawsuit drama, they talked about Cole's come-up and how there was a time he was being shopped to Fif's G-Unit imprint.
"There was a time that Sha Money XL, and shout out to G-Unit Hov from Queens, they was trying to put, I think, 50 onto my shit," Cole explained to Cam around the 22:18 mark in the video below. "This was around the time, right before, when I was knowing Mark [Pitts], before Jay[-Z] had heard my shit. I think they played my shit for 50."
Cole then revealed that he had heard that despite him being a solid rapper, 50 reportedly didn't want to sign him because his jeans were "too tight." "I mean, I get it, too" he added. "That shit would have made no sense, me going to G-Unit."
Taking to social media on Thursday (March 26) to respond to Cole's claim, 50 confirmed that what the "No Role Modelz" rapper had heard was in fact correct.
"I’m a J Cole fan man," 50 wrote, captioning a photograph of him standing next to Cole. "The boy just had on denim spandex 🤷WTF 🤨 how was I supposed to know that was gonna work. @phlivenyc."
This isn’t the first time 50 Cent has spoken about passing up on the opportunity to sign a young J. Cole.
During an interview with The Breakfast Club back in 2022, Fif explained that he wasn’t sure if fans were ready for more "conscious" rappers at that time — which is part reason he claims he didn't sign Cole.
Tony Yayo has also spoken in the past about the time he brought Cole to 50's house in Connecticut, and had him play music for the G-Unit mogul.
"That’s one of my talents is finding the next ones, it’s easy," Yayo told VladTV at the time, while recalling Cole playing his song "Simba" during the visit.
