It ain't safe no more. Not even for a legend like Biz Markie. The veteran rapper recently found himself on the receiving end of a 50 Cent shakedown, which saw him once again crossing paths with his old pal. Naturally, Markie paid his debt, only he opted to defy convention and settle up with food stamps. Today, TMZ caught up with Biz at the Reagan National Airport in DC, and Fofty quickly became the topic of conversation.
"First of all, let me tell you something with 50," explains Biz. "I knew 50 from the early 90s, 80s. We went to the Chinese restaurant one time. He bought the food, and I owed him. Since there's interest, and he got mad at me. I didn't really want to go to court so I paid him back." He laughs. "I had to pay him off in food stamps. They good luck." When asked why he doesn't make the jump to credit cards, Markie offers a simple explanation. "I'm old school."
Despite being on the receiving end of a Fofty shakedown, Biz understands that all is fair in love, war, and debt collecting. "If you borrow, you gotta pay back," he explains. "Bottom line." The cameraman asks if debts from several decades ago should be annulled by default, an idea with which Markie vehemently disagrees. "It doesn't matter, you still owe! He was nice enough to lend the money out, you should be nice enough to give it back."
The ever-charitable cameraman inquires whether 50 oughta donate the food stamps, or simply add them to his collection of keepsakes. "Let me tell you something," says Biz. "He probably going to try to use them in some way, somehow. Probably put them in the house or something. But I paid him back! Good luck!"