50 Cent recently debuted the most important entry into his TV catalog, Hip Hop Homicides. The show, hosted by Van Lathan, explores the unsolved murder cases of Soulja Slim, XXXTENTACION, King Von, and more.
The show is a timely effort that speaks directly to the current climate of the culture. It's a particularly important show as many have noticed the spike in deaths among rappers in recent times.
The debut episode finds Van Lathan exploring the case surrounding Pop Smoke's murder. The fatal shooting of the Brooklyn drill rapper occurred in Los Angeles, shortly after the release of Meet The Woo Vol. 2. Though he wasn't the first rapper to die from gun violence, his death sparked dialogue surrounding the safety of rappers.
During the episode, 50 Cent chops it up with Van Lathan where he discusses his relationship with Pop Smoke and more. However, Fif also reflects on the state of the culture and whether hip-hop is more violent now than it's ever been.
"I think it’s the same energy but we’re in a different period so it looks different,” he said. “It’s gonna happen where everyone can take a look on camera."
There's no doubt that social media has put a magnifying glass over street culture's overlap with hip-hop. 50 Cent used the death of Nipsey Hussle as an example.
"Because of social media, everyone’s involved now," he continued. 50 Cent said that the biggest shift is accessibility. "Because those kids in middle America are clicking the fucking button to look and are fascinated with the killings because they’re living on a side so wild compared to the conservative lifestyle they’re having.”
50 Cent and Mona Scott-Young are the executive producers of Hip-Hop Homicides. P. Frank Williams, who worked on Who Killed Tupac? among other investigative series, serves as the show's director. The series will also dive into the deaths of MO3, Magnolia Shorty, Chinx, and more.
Check out 50 Cent's comments below. Do you agree with his assessment surrounding the state of the culture? Let us know in the comment section.