Hot take: Peak 50 Cent was bigger than peak Eminem

[Tetris v2.0]

Close but 50 blowing up as much as he did was because Em had peaked in 2002 and 50 got all of the momentum from that plus his own buzz which was huge by itself

 

[BK The Great]

From 2003 to about 2006 he was at his hottest and probably on par with Em.

 

[Iverson_64]

In the Black community? Yes.

Overall, absolutely not. Eminem reached higher highs, had more than one classic album, and lasted way longer in relevance.

 

[newarkhiphop]

Eminem is the biggest rapper ever in his peak, 99 to 02 he had the globe in a chokehold.

so did 50

 

[BK The Great]

50 has his own specials on the release of Get Rich & Massacre on MTV, he was being pushed to the moon with Interscope. That elevated his fame.

 

[Womb Raider]

Wasn’t too many rappers bigger than GRODT 50 and I’m not sure Em was one of em. Yeah he had 8 mile and his music was at its hottest but 50 had GUNIT (way bigger than D12), video games, clothing line, sneakers, GRODT movie, vitamin water and beef where he was unanimously winner for most of it…OP has a point

 

[scorpino]

He really was. It’s hard to explain how big the 50 and gunit movement was at one point. When get rich dropped I remember they literally played the whole album on the radio. Only Kendrick has gotten that type of push/promotion.

50 had the streets on smash so crazy. Em never had the streets and even the hip hop purists really didn’t fukk with him. His mainstream introduction was hi my name is. Basically a joke single.

 

[big bun]

No rapper ever is bigger than Eminem at his peak, it is what it is

You a damn lie.

 

[Long Live The Kane]

Within the actual confines of hip hop, within “the culture” if you will…maybe, shyt probably…overall, nah…Eminem transcended hip hop…he was in regular rotation on rock stations that didn’t even play hip hop…the “I don’t like rap but i listen to Eminem” demographic was one 50 never fully touched and Em had millions of them as fans

 

[Iverson_64]

I think I sort of get what people are saying though.

50 seemed to embrace marketing himself and G-Unit to the mainstream more than Eminem did with himself and D12, barring 8 Mile. Hell, D12 hardly even felt like a real movement. They were more similar to the St. Lunatics in terms of being carried by one superstar rapper whereas the only true weed carrier in G-Unit was Tony Yayo. But even Tayo's album did almost as well as Obie Trice's debut and Obie was Em's biggest hometown protege at the time.

So, I can see how 50's peak could feel bigger when you factor in his mixtape run, the G Unit movement, the clothing, video games, spinners, people saying "G-G-G Unit!!", etc. As well as how he appealed to the streets and clubs more than Em.

But, factually, Eminem had a broader reach beyond hip hop itself. He was a modern day Elvis to suburban White America and a ton of foreign countries' 1st real exposure to hip hop on their radio/TV. And 50 himself credits Em for helping him reach global audiences after signing with him.

Then, you have the fact that Em's peak lasted longer. 50 was huge from 02-05 then and he had his last hurrah in 2007. Eminem's first peak was 99-05 in terms of domination. Even Encore sold as well as the Massacre(maybe even outsold it) despite it being mediocre and his 4th album. And Curtain Calls outsold the GRODT movie soundtrack.

So, yeah....in the words of Jay: "Women lie. Men lie. Numbers don't."

But Em didn't really penetrate Black America as much as many other Black rap stars like 50, Wayne, DMX, Tupac, etc.

 

[Yecht]

Eminem was the biggest pop-star out for quite some time. Ironically most of that time he was gaining and then maintaining his relevance by dissing pop stars.

50 the rapper was definitely a bigger peak than Em the rapper

 

[OrdaineD]

I think I sort of get what people are saying though.

50 seemed to embrace marketing himself and G-Unit to the mainstream more than Eminem did with himself and D12, barring 8 Mile. Hell, D12 hardly even felt like a real movement. They were more similar to the St. Lunatics in terms of being carried by one superstar rapper whereas the only true weed carrier in G-Unit was Tony Yayo. But even Tayo's album did almost as well as Obie Trice's debut and Obie was Em's biggest hometown protege at the time.

So, I can see how 50's peak could feel bigger when you factor in his mixtape run, the G Unit movement, the clothing, video games, spinners, people saying "G-G-G Unit!!", etc. As well as how he appealed to the streets and clubs more than Em.

But, factually, Eminem had a broader reach beyond hip hop itself. He was a modern day Elvis to suburban White America and a ton of foreign countries' 1st real exposure to hip hop on their radio/TV. And 50 himself credits Em for helping him reach global audiences after signing with him.

Then, you have the fact that Em's peak lasted longer. 50 was huge from 02-05 then and he had his last hurrah in 2007. Eminem's first peak was 99-05 in terms of domination. Even Encore sold as well as the Massacre(maybe even outsold it) despite it being mediocre and his 4th album. And Curtain Calls outsold the GRODT movie soundtrack.

So, yeah....in the words of Jay: "Women lie. Men lie. Numbers don't."

But Em didn't really penetrate Black America as much as many other Black rap stars like 50, Wayne, DMX, Tupac, etc.

Not true, Obie went platinum or double on the 1st album..... Yayo touched gold. Also remember Yayo came out after the Shady/Aftermath/Gunit wave started to show sign of exhaustion ( add all 50 beefs in too) by 06 it just wasnt good for Yayo.

Agree with everything else said.

 

[28 Gramz]

From 2003 to about 2006 he was at his hottest and probably on par with Em.

50s prime is exaggerated as far as longevity. He was the it guy in rap from 03 to 2005. By 06 the souths big 3 (Tip,Wayne and Jeezy) shifted the entire culture.

 

[General Mills]

No rapper ever is bigger than Eminem at his peak, it is what it is

This

 

[summwunn]

. . .. i went to a used-car lot in Baltimore in March 2003 and they were offering a free copy of GRODT with every vehicle . .. . the CD-R with the color xerox insert . .. but still . . . ..