History of Ja Rule's feud with 50 Cent explored as 'Mesmerize' rapper wishes there was internet during his beef

The long-standing rivalry between Ja Rule and 50 Cent remains one of hip-hop's most notorious feuds. Ja Rule recently revisited the history of their beef in a candid reflection.

On March 17, 2025, during an interview with Hot 97's TT Torrez, Queens-born rapper Jeffrey Bruce Atkins, known professionally as Ja Rule, reflected on his long-standing feud with 50 Cent.

He shared that if social media had been as prevalent during their rivalry as it is today, then their dispute would have escalated to an entirely different level.

The infamous rap between the two hip hop heavyweights started in the late 1990s, during an alleged incident that happened in Queens, New York, when Ja Rule was robbed while shooting a music video. Later, he saw 50 Cent with their associates, which upset the Queens-born rapper as he thought 50 Cent's associates robbed him.

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Revisiting Ja Rule's feud with 50 Cent and what could have been with social media:

On Monday, March 17, 2025, Ja Rule appeared in an interview at Hot 97, where he shed light on his long-standing beef with the American rapper 50 Cent.

During the interview, he wished to have an "internet" at the time when he had his beef going with 50 Cent. He suggested that with the internet, the "outlook" of the beef would have been different.

"I kind of wish I had the internet when I had my beef going on. I would've seen things in real time, you know what I'm saying? They would've seen who this guy is in real time and then then it would have been a different outlook on what this is," Rule said.

Furthermore, the Always on Time hitmaker suggested that if the internet had existed at the time, netizens may have known that 50 Cent was not genuine.

"You would've been like, 'Oh, now I get it. This guy's a f*cking fraud.' You don't get a chance to see that, feel that … ‘cuz there was no internet," Rule added.

As mentioned, the feud started in the late 1990s, most specifically in 1999, when Rule, during a music video shoot, was allegedly robbed for his chain by one of 50 Cent's affiliates.

Later the same year, 50 released a diss track aimed at Rule, titled Life's On The Line, which escalated the beef between the two.

Furthermore, in 2000, the two rappers were signed as performers at the Atlanta nightclub. Then both rappers engaged in a verbal fight, but later, an alleged physical brawl happened between the two.

From 2002 to 2003, the two rappers were engaged in back-to-back diss tracks aimed at each other, with 50 releasing tracks like I Smell P*ssy, Back Down, and Hail Mary, whereas Rule released Loose Change and Guess Who Shot Ya.

Then, in 2007, during an interview with Angie Martinez on Hot 97, Ja Rule claimed that 50 Cent had been influenced by his music style. In a 2013 interview on Hot 97, Rule indicated that he had lost the rap battle against 50 and suggested that there is no further beef between the two.

However, the same year, 50 seemingly mocked Rule again by performing I Smell P*ssy at Hot 97 Summer Jam.

In 2018, 50 claimed that he bought 200 tickets to Ja’s Las Vegas show so that there would be empty seats at his concert. In response, Ja Rule tweeted that he loves to see 50 Cent annoyed.

Since then, the two rappers have periodically dissed each other back and forth, suggesting that the beef between the two never went to rest.