By Rose Miami 
HangupsMusic.com – The long-standing animosity between rap titans 50 Cent and Rick Ross has once again flared, this time ignited by early, unconfirmed sales projections for Ross’s latest album, Set In Stone. 50 Cent, never one to shy away from a public jab, took to Instagram on Tuesday, July 21st, to unleash a barrage of critical posts targeting the Maybach Music Group founder. The catalyst for this social media storm appears to be the perceived underperformance of Ross’s 12th studio album, which was released on July 17th.
While specific first-day streaming numbers for Set In Stone have not been officially verified, and final sales figures won’t be available until the following week, the Queens-bred mogul wasted no time in capitalizing on the circulating rumors. Reports, notably from the X account Kurrco, suggest that Set In Stone is projected to debut outside the top 20 of the Billboard 200 chart, with estimated sales under 26,000 units. It’s crucial to note that these figures are speculative and have not been corroborated by official tracking bodies. Nevertheless, this did not deter 50 Cent from launching his pointed commentary.
In a series of four distinct Instagram posts, 50 Cent meticulously dissected and ridiculed the alleged sales figures. His initial post, accompanied by a smiling photograph of himself, sarcastically declared, "I just saw your records sales ! LOL 2,000 WTF." This set the tone for the subsequent attacks, which were laced with characteristic wit and a clear intent to diminish Ross’s commercial standing.
The second jab featured 50 Cent engrossed in popcorn, a visual metaphor for his detached amusement. He captioned the image, "So when your tickets don’t sell and your album don’t sell what do ya do? Promote car a shows and sell chicken wings.LOL" This post directly alluded to other business ventures Ross is involved in, suggesting a fallback strategy when musical endeavors falter.
Undeterred, 50 Cent escalated his critique with a video clip of Rick Ross discussing his album’s anticipated success. In the clip, Ross confidently stated that Set In Stone was poised to "be a bomb." 50 Cent, however, offered a starkly different interpretation, captioning the video, "That sh*t was a firecracker only friends and family got it ! LOL." This remark implied that the album’s reach was limited and failed to resonate with a broader audience.
The final salvo in 50 Cent’s Instagram offensive involved a fan-made video that purportedly broke down the album’s first-day streams. 50 Cent’s caption for this post was particularly venomous: "Yo [ninja emoji] had 20 features and it didn’t help. alright now pack it up it’s over officer. Get ya bum juice and ya wings and get the fvck up outta here. LOL." This jab not only highlighted the extensive list of guest artists on the album but also employed derogatory language to further insult Ross.
Set In Stone, Ross’s 19-track offering, indeed boasts an impressive roster of collaborators, including prominent artists such as T.I., French Montana, Max B, Rich The Kid, YFN Lucci, Jeezy, Don Toliver, Gucci Mane, and Kodak Black, as well as comedian Deon Cole and singer-songwriters The-Dream and Leon Thomas, and Yung Miami. This album marks a significant career move for the Miami rapper, as it is his first release under the gamma distribution label, departing from his previous affiliations with major labels like Epic Records and Def Jam.
Historically, Rick Ross has maintained a formidable presence on the charts. Out of his eleven previous albums, ten achieved a top 10 debut on the Billboard 200. However, his most recent prior release, Richer Than I Ever Been in 2021, charted at number 22, indicating a slight dip in his usual chart dominance. While the current projections for Set In Stone appear to be considerably lower than his earlier, more commercially successful projects, they are not entirely inconsistent with his most recent output. This nuanced perspective, however, did little to temper 50 Cent’s enthusiasm for publicly antagonizing his long-time rival. The enduring nature of their feud underscores the complex dynamics within the hip-hop landscape, where personal rivalries often intertwine with commercial success and public perception.
