Tony Yayo Speaks On 50 Cent And Other Rappers Being "Damaged"

During a conversation with DJ Vlad, Yayo opened up about how rappers struggle with pain.

BYGabriel Bras Nevares

Tony Yayo recently spoke about how 50 Cent is one of many damaged rappers working in the industry today. While many consult the New York rapper for his interesting takes and stories, he opened up about the struggle many rappers face. During an interview with DJ Vlad, he explained how artists who come from the streets face an uphill battle.

HOLLYWOOD, CA - JANUARY 30: Tony Yayo attends Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson's Star Ceremony on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame on January 30, 2020 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)

Furthermore, Yayo used the "In Da Club" rapper as an example.

"Listen [50] didn't know who his father was, and his moms was in the streets, and she got killed," he remarked. "There's no parents there, your grandparents are older, you're damaged, bro. You was outside, the streets taught n***as. A lot of shootings you see... You see an 18-year-old kid stab his 16-year-old girlfriend somewhere in New York because he thought she was cheating.

"It's what they see from parents," he continued. "It's f***ed up for certain places. Sometimes, you want to help and try to fix people, your mans say he do s**t for the youth. That's real s**t. 'Cause that's where it starts at, trying to help them, but some people can't be helped. They just f***in' bad seeds, bruh."

However, in the same interview with VladTV, he also remarked a lighter story about 50 spitting his first verse.

“‘Son said he was from O.T., sold ‘leven at O.Z.,'” he continued rapping. “‘His man brought him to me, but he ain’t really know B. Said it was time, dude was a cop, he was just trying to pop to put the new beams on the drop.’ That’s all I remember. But that rhyme to me was like, that’s when I was like, “Nah.” He had other s**t, but that was in my man’s basement… and I was just like ‘Yo, this n***a’s getting better by the minute.”

Still, what did you think of Tony Yayo's remarks about damaged rappers? Whatever the case, let us know in the comments down below. Also, as always, stay logged into HNHH for the latest insights, reflections, and tough conversations from titans of the hip-hop game.

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About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a music and pop culture news writer for HotNewHipHop. He started in 2022 as a weekend writer and, since joining the team full-time, has developed a strong knowledge in hip-hop news and releases. Whether it’s regular coverage or occasional interviews and album reviews, he continues to search for the most relevant news for his audience and find the best new releases in the genre. What excites him the most is finding pop culture stories of interest, as well as a deeper passion for the art form of hip-hop and its contemporary output. Specifically, Gabriel enjoys the fringes of rap music: the experimental, boundary-pushing, and raw alternatives to the mainstream sound. As a proud native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, he also stays up-to-date with the archipelago’s local scene and its biggest musical exponents in reggaetón, salsa, indie, and beyond. Before working at HotNewHipHop, Gabriel produced multiple short documentaries, artist interviews, venue spotlights, and audio podcasts on a variety of genres and musical figures. Hardcore punk and Go-go music defined much of his coverage during his time at the George Washington University in D.C. His favorite hip-hop artists working today are Tyler, The Creator, Boldy James, JPEGMAFIA, and Earl Sweatshirt.