J. Cole Joins 50 Cent at NYC Concert, Calls ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin” the ‘Best Album of All-Time’

On Wednesday night (Aug. 9), J. Cole joined 50 Cent in Brooklyn for The Final Lap Tour and had high praise for the Queens MC. 

After 50 surprised the audience with Cole’s arrival, the Dreamville general quickly dove into his 2014 Forest Hills Drive gem “No Role Modelz.” Afterward, Cole gave the G-Unit superstar his flowers while onstage together. “Can I say this before I walk off stage? If you don’t make some noise for one of the greatest n—as to do this shit, 50 muthaf–king Cent, Curtis Jackson,” he exclaimed. Cole doubled down on his admiration when he paid homage to his 50’s classic debut album. 

“Get Rich or Die Tryin’ is the best album of all time. I don’t give a f–k what you talking about,” Cole said emphatically. “It’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’ at number one, and it’s Thriller at number two, and I love Michael Jackson.”

50 Cent’s 2003 debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin’ is critically acclaimed and spawned a slew of Billboard Hot 100 hits, including “P.I.M.P.” and the project’s two chart-toppers “21 Questions” and “In Da Club.” The album is 9x platinum, while the latter shares the same accolade. 

“My run was so uncomfortable that everyone would like to forget that it happened,” 50 told Billboard in his cover story earlier this year regarding his seminal effort. “That’s just the way it is with the artist community. I didn’t come in being friendly because I had to find a way into it — not find a way to be good enough to work in the community. The biggest compliment in the early stages was that artists felt like they’d made it when they got the deal. You had to earn the right to have the deal.” 

See J. Cole supporting 50 in the moment below.