From HHE:
Superstar rappers Kanye West and 50 Cent will go head-to-head on September 11, the day both artists’ sophomore albums land in stores.
While fans of both rappers have relished in the friendly rivalry that seems to be brewing between the pair over the release date, 50 Cent has actually accepted a challenge to debate Kanye West on live TV.
50 Cent appeared on BET’s 106 & Park countdown show on Friday to promote his upcoming album Curtis.
During the show, he accepted an offer from hosts Terrance J. and Rocsi to engage Kanye West in a presidential style “debate” to decide who has the best album, weeks before their albums hit stores.
The rivalry started when West’s release date for his Def Jam/Universal release Graduation was shifted from September 18 to September 11.
Conversely, 50 Cent’s album Interscope/Universal album Curtis was moved from September 4 to September 11.
“I accept the challenge,” 50 Cent told millions of viewers on Friday (August 3). “Kanye, he’s not going to want to show up. Just don’t be asking me if I am a conscious rapper. I know exactly what I am saying - so I am conscious.”
If Kanye were to accept the challenge posed by the hosts, the two colorful, outspoken rappers would appear live on the show to debate who has the better produced album.
50 Cent’s sophomore album The Massacre sold over 1 million copies during its first week in stores, while West’s second album Late Registration moved 860,000 units its first week on the shelves.
While 50 Cent claimed that Def Jam President Jay-Z would cave in and switch Kanye’s release date, Jay-Z himself shot the notion down and welcomed the competition.
Popular gambling website Bodog.com recently began taking bets on which artist will sell more during the first week, if they hit stores on September 11 as planned.
Fans have wagered that 50 Cent’s Curtis will outsell West’s Graduation (180 to 140), while Curtis is also the favorite to top Billboard’s Top 200 album chart.
This is a huge day for hip hop. I think Kanye will come out on top and I might just put a few dollars on it. The article does not mention that 50 Cent sold 1.1 million in a short week because his album was released on a Saturday instead of Tuesday in order to trick bootleggers. Despite the even bigger lead in past openings, I expect Kanye to debut at #1 because people know he makes great albums. 50 has four songs out now and neither one is as good as Kanye’s two singles. Come on “You Can’t Tell Me Nothing” that’s an anthem. Meanwhile 50 is recycling the same old money themes/lyrics and even had to sample Audio Two.