In a recent interview on Cam Capone News, veteran Jamaica, Queens rapper and lyricist Domination shared an intriguing behind-the-scenes look at the early days of the 2000s East Coast hip-hop scene. Best known for his deep ties to the Silverback Guerillaz and his extensive collaborations with fellow Queens native Bang ‘Em Smurf, Domination offered a candid perspective on the shifting dynamics of street loyalty, fame, and industry politics. Specifically, the lyricist pulled back the curtain on how 50 Cent and his immediate circle originally viewed Detroit rap phenomenon Eminem before the historic Shady/Aftermath record deal changed the landscape of hip-hop forever.

According to Domination, long before the multi-platinum success of “In Da Club” and the iconic partnership that defined an era, Eminem’s hyper-lyrical, shock-rap style was not well-received by the street-oriented artists holding down the blocks of Queens. While Domination recognized Eminem’s lyrical prowess early on, he faced intense pushback from his peers, including 50 Cent and Bang ‘Em Smurf, who favored the gritty, localized realities of traditional New York boom-bap and hardcore street rap.

Reflecting on the stark contrast in musical tastes on the block at the time, Domination gave a detailed breakdown of the collective skepticism he faced from his crew, stating: “I’mma be real with you. 50 Cent didn’t even like Eminem, originally. We were on the block, I used to listen Eminem and when his first album came out I wanted to play it on the boom box.

Murder Music had came out around this time and dudes were like ‘nah, that dude wack.’ Smurk was the part of it. 50 was a part of it. Everybody on the block were against me. They didn’t want me to bump Em’s music. They wanted to bump Mobb Deep. However, I liked Eminem and I’m like ‘he got some s–t to say right here!’ They weren’t jacking it.”

The narrative changed drastically, however, when Eminem publicly championed 50 Cent during the height of 50’s mixtape buzz, ultimately leading to a massive joint venture between Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope. Domination noted with a sense of irony how quickly the block’s tune changed once the lucrative co-sign and financial backing entered the equation.

Highlighting the sudden shift in perspective, Domination concluded: “When Eminem said 50 Cent is his favorite rapper, guess what? Now all of a sudden Eminem is his favorite white boy. And I just laughed. A second ago, y’all didn’t like him. He spittin’ unrealistic. He talking some bullsh-t. He’s a joker. But as soon as he say ‘yo, this my favorite rapper,’ y’all jackin’ it.”

While Domination’s firsthand account offers a fascinating glimpse into the competitive climate of early-2000s New York, hip-hop purists and historians might take his claims with a grain of salt. It is well-documented that 50 Cent was a meticulous strategist who respected raw lyrical talent, famously studying the industry’s top tier to perfect his own formula.

Furthermore, given the highly publicized and bitter fallout that later occurred between 50 Cent and the Silverback Guerillaz faction—including Bang ‘Em Smurf—stories emerging from that camp regarding 50’s early motivations can often be colored by years of personal and professional grievances. Whether 50 truly disliked Eminem’s style initially or was simply locked into the dominant New York sound of the era, the undeniable chemistry the two displayed the moment they locked in the studio suggests that, at the very least, mutual artistic respect was established much faster than the streets might remember.