Mikey T sat down with Joffy the Mac—better known on the streets as the “Top Tiger”—for an explosive, raw and unfiltered conversation that dove deep into the origins of G-Unit’s inner circle, Queens street politics, and why 50 Cent’s relationship with Lloyd Banks and Bang ‘Em Smurf ultimately fractured.

“I’m from Westside Merrick. I’m from 114th and America,” Joffy opened, laying down his Queens roots. “I rep American Towers—legendary building. That’s where it all started.”

As a kid, Joffy stood out for being fearless. Even OGs like the late Maserati Fox saw the fire in him early on. “Fox used to point his finger at me like, ‘You up to something,’” Joffy recalled, describing the early street respect he earned. He’d later build a music relationship with Fox, even recording multiple tracks together—some never released.

But the defining shift came when G-Unit came recruiting. Back then, 50 Cent was building his empire, and his scouts—like Lloyd Banks, L, and Wheezy—were combing Queens for raw talent and respected names in the streets. That’s when they pulled up to Joffy’s spot.

“They came to the Towers looking for me. I had like 15 young bulls in front of the building. They didn’t know who was who until I looked out the window and came down.”

That night, he went with them to 50’s grandma’s house on 134th. “That’s where I met 50. We vibed in the basement. He saw what we brought to the table and he rocked with us. We were the youngest on tour—me, Ho, Money, Ron—18, 19 years old.”

Joffy credits Wheezy and others for telling 50 about him. “They said, ‘Yo, we gotta go get Jesse’—that’s my real name. Rest in peace to Fat Sha, he used to call me Westside Jesse.”

Joffy eventually hit the road with G-Unit during the iconic mixtape tour era. “That was history, bro. Thousands of people, all off of mixtapes. Nobody else was doing it like that back then.”

So why did things go sour with Lloyd Banks?

According to Joffy, the fracture didn’t start between him and Banks directly—but came from petty internal tensions. A minor beef over a *Mitchell & Ness* jersey escalated into something more. “It wasn’t even serious. Two of us had the same jersey. One of the guys got emotional over it. We were fighting over free stuff that was being handed to 50 anyway.”

But the consequences were real. The altercation led to Joffy and Bang ‘Em Smurf being sent home from tour. 50 had always told them: “We’re not here to embarrass ourselves in front of these people.” Fighting among each other violated that code.

“That could’ve been avoided. But once we got sent home, Fifth still bailed me out later after I got locked up over some dumb sh\*t, shooting out the window. There was a big brawl outside the Towers—police grabbed me up.”

Joffy admits he was wild back then. “I was doing dumb sh\*t. I was angry at myself. I was emotional. But 50 still looked out. He knew I wasn’t disloyal, I was just dealing with stuff. I never disrespected him, and I never went online talking crazy about nobody.”

Joffy also revealed he played a key role in 50 considering Maserati Fox for a deal.

“We were in LA shooting the Mobb Deep video for ‘Have a Party’ or ‘Outta Control.’ That’s when Fifth asked me, ‘What you think about Fox?’ I told him it’d be a great look. Streets respected Fox.”

Shortly after that conversation, 50 pulled up to 118th, took a picture with Fox in the yard, and momentum built from there. But according to Joffy, the deal fell apart over money.

“Fox wanted his money upfront. He was rushing the situation. Scared off the label. 50 doesn’t play bad business. He was ready to back him, and Fox fumbled the bag.”

As for Bang ‘Em Smurf, Joffy says the divide wasn’t personal—just a matter of loyalty and circumstances.

“Me and Smurf were family. I slept in his mom’s crib. He gave me money, I gave him money. But when things went left between him and 50, I had to pick a side. I didn’t come in under Smurf. Ye and them brought me in.”

While tensions ran high in the past, Joffy says he holds no grudges now. “Smurf is alright with me. We were young then. We’re grown now. We all got things going on in life.”

Joffy’s takeaway?

“We knew what we signed up for. I got shot over this sh\*t and I’m still standing on business. I ain’t never folded, and I ain’t never thrown dirt on nobody. Loyalty is everything.”