EW And 50, your worst day?

50 CENT Well...one time my homies went out and caught some nigga for a watch. They brought me [his] ring and chain and s -- -, and they kept the watch. But the nigga, he died for all this s -- -. I've still got the ring. I never got rid of it. I don't wear it, but I keep it. He died for the f -- -ing ring, man. That's all I got. I would rather that nigga have his ring and still be around.

EW How does something like that happen?

50 CENT It's easy, man. Your ribs is touching. If you ain't got nothing, that s -- - was worth a lot. It was like the jackpot right there: ''There it is, I hit the lottery!''

EW Now you're the guy with the watch. Doesn't that worry you?

50 CENT Nah. Not at all. We're all gonna die. When you live your life afraid to die, you're afraid to live. The bottom line is, the obstacles that you overcome are going to determine how great you are. What makes Jay-Z special is the fact that he's from Marcy f -- -ing projects. I'm from the bottom. So when [disadvantaged kids] look at us, they go, ''Damn.'' It makes them feel like, ''They did it. I can do it.'' That's enough for me.

50 CENT'S STYLING: TIFFANY HASBOURNE/BRAT PRODUCTIONS; GROOMING:

[BOX]

50 CENT'S STYLING: TIFFANY HASBOURNE/BRAT PRODUCTIONS; GROOMING: MIKE BRINKLEY; HIS HAT: NEW ERA; HIS TANK: 2X(IST); HIS JEANS: EVISU; JAY-Z'S STYLING: DELICIEUSE PHILIZDOR/BALON INC.; (THIS PAGE) 50 CENT'S STYLING: TIFFANY HASBOURNE/BRAT PRODUCTIONS; JAY-Z'S STYLING: DELICIEUSE PHILIZDOR/BALON INC.; 50 CENT'S BIZARRO/SUPERMAN T-SHIRT: GILDAN ACTIVEWEAR; HIS LONGSLEEVE T-SHIRT: NIKE; HIS JEANS: INDIGORED/AZURE DENIM; HIS SNEAKERS: SEAN CARTERS

THE GRIM STREET IMAGERY THAT COURSES THROUGH JAY-Z'S AND 50 CENT'S MUSIC IS, JAY SAYS, A REFLECTION OF THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE: ''ALL WE DOING IS TURNING A LIGHT ON IN A DARK PLACE.''

TO THOSE WHO ASSUME HIS LIFESTYLE IS ALL GUNS, GIRLS, AND RAUCOUS PARTIES, JAY-Z SAYS, ''THAT'S A VIDEO! I HOPE YOU DON'T THINK ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER'S SHOOTING UP HIS HOUSE EVERY DAY!''

''A RAP STAR IS KIND OF LIKE WHAT A DRUG DEALER WAS IN, LIKE, '86,'' SAYS 50 CENT. ''THIS BUSINESS IS THE NEW DRUG GAME... THE HIGH-TECH S -- -, NIGGA.''

Originally posted May 30, 2003 Published in issue #712 May 30, 2003 Order article reprints
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