It's common knowledge that Eminem is 50 Cent's "favorite white boy," and fans know that the two have forged a solid friendship both inside and outside the studio. Not only that, but the pair have recorded some great material together, like "Patiently Waiting," "Love Me," "Gatman & Robbin'," "Warrior Part 2," "We All Die One Day," and "Psycho." And while 50 Cent hasn't been present on an Em album since the Relapse cut "Crack A Bottle," Curtis Jackson is still tuned into Em's career. In fact, 50 recently hit up Boy Boy's neighborhood, where conversation turned to Em and the lukewarm critical response to Revival.
In the interview, 50 revealed that Eminem has always been in tune with what the critics were saying, sometimes taking it to heart. "Being criticized about the music actually effects him," says 50. "We had a whole other album when he did Relapse. He didn't like the response so he didn't even put out the whole Relapse 2. So it's like, if he doesn't like the response, he can change it."
50 goes on to express disappointment in the younger generation's tendency to brush off the legends, stating "I never heard a new rnb singer come out and say Prince wasn't hot. The new guys should pay homage to Em. He's a big part of why we grew as fast as we grew." Clearly, the bond is still strong, and it's disappointing to hear that Relapse 2 is still sitting on some hard-drive somewhere, never to see the light of day.
While Revival was met with mixed reviews from critics, one of the tracks that earned near-universal acclaim was "Framed," a clear homage to the Relapse era. As a fan of the first Relapse, I'm still holding out hope that Eminem can see the fans actually want it. In the event that he, Paul Rosenberg, Denaun Porter, or Royce Da 5'9" ever stumble upon this article - spread the word. The fans want Relapse 2.
