Tony Yayo recently recalled how Diddy once turned down signing 50 Cent to Bad Boy Records.
Tony Yayo says that Diddy once had the opportunity to sign 50 Cent to Bad Boy Records but passed. The former G-Unit rapper recalled how the decision was made during a recent interview with VladTV.
“A lot of people don’t know this story,” Yayo began. “50 went to Diddy for Bad Boy. A lot of people don’t know that. We had the meeting. And it was so crazy that Diddy didn’t sign him – I know that was one of the biggest mistakes of Bad Boy. And you know, the [Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff”] situation — a lot of people were scared of Preme — 50 wasn’t.”
He continued: “I remember Diddy said this, he don’t even remember. He said, ‘The three things people hate about rappers.’ He was like, ‘Yeah, we can’t sign you, playboy. It’s too much. It’s too much drama with the Biggie stuff and all that.’”
The meeting came after the release of 50’s 1999 debut single, “How to Rob,” and shortly after the time when he was shot nine times in May 2000. Diddy had said that he didn’t want to be involved in the drama he perceived would come with signing 50.
“We had a meeting with Diddy, it was me and 50, and he took the meeting out of respect,” Yayo explained. “He had deals all over the table. I wasn’t saying he was gonna take the deal, he might have not. But Diddy didn’t wanna take the deal ’cause of all the drama, but 50 was the hottest n***a on the planet.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Yayo recalled introducing J. Cole to 50 Cent.
