How New Generation Hip-Hop Values Saved Rick Ross's Career from 50 Cent

One of the most emblematic beefs in hip-hop history has been the never-ending grudge between 50 Cent and Rick Ross.
While rap beefs are traditionally characterized by savage diss tracks, the heat between the two heavyweights highlighted a whole new dimension of rap beefs.
From disrespectful taunts and clowning on social media to bringing the families of both rappers into the crosshairs, both artists showed how other means of disrespect can be as effective as diss tracks.
This can be seen in the several career-threatening secrets that both artists released on each other, with the situation even escalating into legal action.
However, the rivalry has equally produced several acid-laced diss tracks such as "Mafia Music" by Rick Ross and "Officer Ricky" by 50 Cent.

Of all the secrets revealed by both artists, the biggest was the confirmation by 50 Cent that Rick Ross is a former corrections officer.
This information will ordinarily not be harmful to most rappers.
However, for Rick Ross, this meant that his gangsta, drug-pushing, crime boss persona and all of his lyrics were fake.
This kind of revelation should be enough to destroy the credibility and career of a rapper like Rick Ross who has built his whole empire on the image of a rich crime boss.
Imagine this! If in the late 90's it was proven that Snoop Dogg was not the real-life gangsta he was known to be, that was have meant the certain end of Snoop's career.

Well, hip-hop is in a different place from where it was in the 90's and 2000's.
The rise of trap music and other blended genres of hip-hop music has lowered the standards and expectations of most hip-hop lovers.
Values like rappers' authenticity and lyrical content just don't matter anymore.
Most hip-hop lovers don't care if its fake or real, original or borrowed.
This is why the biggest rappers of today make their hits by either repeating the same words throughout the entire track or talking about experiences they know nothing about.

That's how Rick Ross and many other rappers survived and continued thriving even after being exposed as fakes.
However, if the Rick Ross vs. 50 Cent beef happened in the late 90s or early 2000s, it is highly unlikely Rick Ross's credibility and career would have survived.
The Miami rapper also handled the situation in the worst possible way, making mistakes that could have helped destroy his credibility and career even faster.

This video lists 5 of them.
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