The debate about beef’s place in hip hop rages on. Some view beef between rappers a positive as it draws in a wider audience and creates competition between artists. While others feel the drawbacks are too detrimental to the artists personally, and to hip hop as a whole. In an interview with Complex, French Montana says he feels 50 Cent has limited himself by being embroiled in so many feuds, but Montana feels healthy rivalry between rappers is good for hip hop.
Beef took center stage at the filming of this year’s BET Awards, and 50 Cent, a man who is no stranger to having tension with other artists, was right in the middle of the action. French Montana says that Fifty’s alienation of people has hurt him long term, while Rick Ross’ ability to bring talent together and form MMG has been the key to his stock rising.
From HHDX, “I feel like beef hurt him [50 Cent]. I feel like it helped Ross unite people,” Montana went onto add, “That’s why Maybach Music is one of the biggest labels. It just makes sense…Of course, Ross is on his fifth album. And like I said, he’s only getting bigger.” French reflects on Fif’s decline since releasing his debut LP, “So when 50 came up, 50 sold 10 million. Then after his first album he just kept on going down. You think 50 could come out and sell 10 million now?”
While the Moroccan rapper feels that 50’s serious beefs have hindered him, French does say that non-serious feuds between rappers can be positive, “For some people it’s competition for them. It’s good for hip-hop.” He cites the Pusha T and Lil Wayne beef as an example, “Yeah. Pusha T and Lil Wayne's [beef] ain’t nothing serious,” French added, “Things like that, it’s good for hip-hop. If nobody got shot, it ain’t beef.”