50 Cent Expresses Regret Over How Lloyd Banks & Tony Yayo's Careers Played Out

BY Erika Marie 69.7K Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Fernando Leon / Stringer / Getty Images
50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo
In 50 Cent's book "Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter," he spoke about why Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo never were able to amass the same amount of success as himself.

In an effort to continue his world domination, 50 Cent has released a memoir-ish book, Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter. The media mogul shares stories of his rise to fame and his ability to go from running the streets to owning multiple businesses, having a successful rap career, and elevating a media company that has produced a number of hit shows. Also inside of Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter, Fif speaks on his days with G-Unit—specifically, Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo's inability to reach the same levels of success that he was able to attain.

“I always felt that if I had maybe done a better job teaching Banks and Yayo how to evolve and change their habits, they each would be in better places right now,” 50 Cent shares in his book. He felt that as the leader of G-Unit, he should have been a better guide. “While I was out hustling (I actually hustled with his father), Banks was more content staying on his porch and watching the world from there. Banks wanted things to come to him, as opposed to going out and getting them for himself. That’s not me trying to assassinate his character—the guy has 'Lazy Lloyd' tattooed on his arm. He literally wears his laziness on his sleeve."

Fif went on to say that he did try to get Lloyd Banks to adapt to the changing times, especially as social media advanced, but it didn't work. “To me, one answer was to change how he interacted with the culture," the rapper reportedly wrote. "That’s why years ago I told Banks to film a video of his life and post it on YouTube. Introduce people to his lifestyle. Let the camera follow him around for a while and see how he moves. Maybe something he says or does will create a spark, go viral, and then he’ll have some heat around him again."

When that didn't work, 50 Cent attempted to get Banks to be more active on Instagram, especially because he could be "a little awkward in person." Banks wasn't having it. It was then that Fif decided he didn't want to invest in Banks anymore. “Age isn’t about what year you were born—it’s about how you approach the year you’re in right now. If you’re open to new experiences, willing to take chances, and curious about new topics, you’re young. Period.”

Tony Yayo, on the other hand, was allegedly still caught in operating by the code of the streets. “If I got into a disagreement with another artist, Yayo’s reaction was 'Let’s just bang ’em,' because that would have been his response back in the neighborhood. If we got $100,000 for a series of club appearances, Yayo wasn’t thinking about putting it in the bank. His first thought would be 'Hey, this could get us three and a half kilos of cocaine. Let’s flip those, and we’ll be sitting on some real money.'"

That wasn't how Fif wanted to do business, and ultimately, things began to fall apart. He also added that the things he'd written about were all issues that he'd spoken with his cohorts about, so he isn't saying anything they haven't already heard.

[via]


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

Comments 18
Page was generated in 0.15470504760742