In the early 2000s, *Murder Inc.* and Ja Rule were on top of the world. Their records were dominating the charts, their music videos were on every TV screen, and Ja Rule’s gritty voice and hit collaborations with stars like Ashanti and Jennifer Lopez made him a global icon. Behind this empire stood Irv Gotti and his brother Chris, the brains behind Murder Inc. But behind all the success was a storm brewing—one made up of federal investigations, street ties, and a relentless rival: 50 Cent.

In 2003, federal agents raided Murder Inc.’s offices at Worldwide Plaza, confiscating computers and financial documents. Authorities believed Murder Inc. was being funded by Supreme McGriff, the infamous kingpin of the Supreme Team—a crack empire that had once raked in \$200,000 a day in the 80s. Supreme had deep ties to Irv Gotti, and Ja Rule eventually fell into that circle too. The feds alleged Murder Inc. was laundering drug money through music.

But despite a three-year investigation by the FBI, IRS, and NYPD, Irv and Chris Lorenzo were eventually found **not guilty** in 2005. They walked free from money laundering charges, thanks in part to strong legal defense and lack of direct evidence linking them to Supreme’s crimes.

Universal Records received letters warning that giving even **\$1 to Irv Lorenzo** could make them co-defendants. Murder Inc.’s funding dried up. The industry closed its doors. Award shows and media outlets like MTV and BET allegedly blackballed the label due to their association with Supreme—and also because of pressure from the competition.

The beef between Ja Rule and 50 Cent began around 1999, when Ja was robbed at gunpoint in Queens. Not long after, he spotted 50 hanging with the guy who allegedly did it. Tension exploded. There were fights, chains snatched, and it escalated into a legendary hip-hop war. 50 was later shot **nine times**, and shortly after, he was stabbed at the Hit Factory studio in an altercation tied to Murder Inc. associates.

But 50 Cent didn’t just fight in the streets—he fought with strategy. He released *Ghetto Quran*, a song detailing the street history of major New York players—including Supreme. Many called it dry snitching. Others said it was just storytelling. Either way, it pissed people off, especially those in Ja Rule’s camp.

Now here’s where the **“destroyed career”** narrative comes in. During the investigation, the feds found **unseen video footage** that tied Supreme to multiple crimes—including the 2001 killing of rapper *E-Moneybags*. According to sources, this footage came from a videotape discovered in a Baltimore stash house, where a woman was filming a man while reporting his movements—later matching it to the time of E-Money’s assassination.

Although no one from Murder Inc. was **ever charged** in relation to that murder, the association with Supreme tainted the brand. It was enough to scare business partners, freeze accounts, and cause serious reputational damage.

Murder Inc. rebranded as *The Inc.*, but they never recovered the momentum they had. Meanwhile, 50 Cent used every opportunity to pour gasoline on the fire. He famously tweeted in 2021:

**”I put the whole label out of business.”**

Petty? Maybe. But effective.

The beef didn’t end. In **February 2025**, when Irv Gotti passed away, 50 posted a picture next to a plastic tombstone with the caption:

**“I’m smoking on that Gotti pack.”**

Ja Rule was livid. In a *Breakfast Club* interview, he admitted he almost went “nuclear” on 50. But he held back out of respect for Supreme. Still, Ja couldn’t hold his tongue. He took to X (formerly Twitter) and blasted 50, calling him a **rat**, claiming 50 filed for an **order of protection** against Murder Inc.

To prove his point, Ja even posted what he claimed were official court documents. But prominent attorney **Bradford Cohen** (who’s worked with Lil Wayne, Drake, and Kodak Black) shut it down. He picked apart the paperwork in a detailed Instagram post, showing the accusations didn’t hold legal weight.

To this day, the so-called **“leaked footage”** that destroyed Ja Rule has never gone public. In many ways, it’s become more of a myth than reality. What *did* destroy Ja’s career wasn’t one tape—it was a combination of bad press, criminal associations, frozen assets, and a rival who never let him breathe.

50 Cent played the long game. He used the media, the law, and his music to keep the spotlight on Ja Rule’s worst moments—and the world ate it up.