50 Cent Reflects On Nas’ Reaction To His Notorious ‘How to Rob’ Track’

In a recent interview with XXL, 50 Cent opened up about Nas’ immediate reaction upon hearing his infamous diss track “How to Rob,” released more than two decades ago. The G-Unit boss recalled how the Queensbridge rap legend inquired about the creator of the track and expressed interest in connecting with him.

“Nas, when I first interacted with him, he was like, ‘Yo, who’s that?’ Cause the ‘How to Rob’ record got his attention. He’s like, ‘Yo, that’s like when I first came out. That energy is like raw.’ And he just wanted to see who I was. Just wanted me to be around and shit like that. Then, he let me come on tour with him, and he didn’t have to do that.”

Back in 1999, “How to Rob” marked 50 Cent’s bold entry into the rap scene. The song fearlessly targeted numerous top-tier artists of that era, including Jay-Z, DMX, Diddy, Ma$e, and Juvenile, among others. Surprisingly, Nas remained unmentioned in the controversial track.

During their initial interaction, Nas was intrigued by “How to Rob,” recognizing its raw energy reminiscent of his early career. The rap icon expressed his desire to meet 50 Cent and even extended an invitation for him to join his tour, a gesture that 50 Cent deeply appreciated.

JAY-Z, one of the artists called out in “How to Rob,” responded with his own track titled “It’s Hot (Some Like It Hot).” The back-and-forth exchange between the two artists added fuel to the fire, further fueling the song’s notoriety.

The audacious record was featured in the soundtrack of the 1999 crime film “In Too Deep,” which starred Omar Epps and LL COOL J. Moreover, it was originally intended to be part of 50 Cent’s debut album “Power of the Dollar,” which regrettably never saw the light of day.