Ain’t no hell up in Harlem, it’s all peace. 50 Cent and The Game formally announced their truce at The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture during a press conference announcing their charitable donation to the Boys Choir of Harlem.
Howard Dobson, the Director of the Schomburg Center, began the press conference by speaking on both the history the Schomburg and the Boys Choir of Harlem to the various press outlets gathered in the Langston Hughes Auditorium.
He noted that, “One of the best kept secrets about the Boys Choir of Harlem is that it is one of, if not the best, educational institutions not just in the city but in the country. The Boys Choir of Harlem and the Choir Academy for the past five years has been graduating 95% of its students and sending 95% of its students on to college.”
However, despite the Boys Choir of Harlem’s renowned success, in recent years it has fallen into dire financial straits. That’s where 50 and The Game come in. After Mr. Dobson introduced the Boys Choir’s founder, Dr. Walter J. Turnbull, he then introduced 50 Cent (Curtis Jackson) and The Game (Jayceon Taylor) who strolled on stage to a large round of applause, flash bulbs and an NYPD cop snapping a picture on her camera phone.
50 Cent was in a G-Unit hoody with a diamond encrusted dangling cross from his neck. The Game wore a leather bomber jacket and sported a chain with an Aftermath pendant.
Reading a prepared statement 50 began, “In the shadow of the untimely death of Biggie, today marks the anniversary of his death, we’re here today to show that people can rise above even the most difficult circumstances and together we can put negativity behind us. A lot of people don’t want to see it happen but we’re responding to the two most important groups, that’s ourselves and our fans.”
After announcing their intentions to donate monies to the Boys Choir, 50 added, “Overall I feel like this is an opportunity for people to see us make peace,” to more of applause.
After some more commentary The Game stepped to the podium and after greeting the crowd chimed in, “I came a long way to be here today. On behalf of myself and 50 I want to say that we’re making a statement that is a lot louder than the sound of just two voices. We showing that you can control your destiny. Not only your destiny but your future. I’m here in the stand that I’ma control mine. Not only am I going to control mine but I’ma do it in a productive and a positive way.”
As he finished his sentence the audience burst into another round applause and shouts of agreement. Game then continued, “I saw what 50 was getting involved with the Harlem Boys Choir and I basically jumped in on behalf of myself, my record label, my family [and] most importantly my son. [50 Cent] jumped in on my end with the Compton Unified School District Music Program. We here to make it happen for the future of not only my son and his son but anybody else out there who got kids, fans and the hip-hop industry.
Game continued, “Hip-hop is much more bigger than…” but was cut off by a spectator yelling “Y’all!”
Unfazed he went on, “Hip-hop is much more bigger than y’all,” noting that he could see Reverend Run and Russell Simmons in the first row. “I seen Russell Simmons speak in front of the Minister Farrakhan and that’s when I was just Jayceon Taylor. No Game, no rap skills, no nothing, just broke and hungry from the hood. There’s a lot of reasons that I’m here. I could stand here all day and talk to all you guys, but I just want to apologize on behalf of myself and 50 Cent to the fans, to the radio stations, to my labels…and uh, I’m almost ashamed to have participated in the things that went on in the last couple of weeks. So I’m here, I’m apologetic.”
This was met with yet another round of applause before he added, “I told you mama I wasn’t going to look down when I was talking.”
Though they announced the end of any sirloin, 50 and Game’s body language indicated that they are far from being fast friends. 50 Cent and Game held up poster sized checks indicating donations of $150,000 on behalf of G-Unit and $103,500 on behalf of Black Wall Street, Aftermath & Interscope Records, respectively. Dr. Turnbull praised (“This last graduating class of 100% graduating and all being accepted and 80% being on scholarship…that work can continue because of you gentleman coming forth.”) and accepted their charitable donations.
After Game began to leave the stage stage, 50 motioned for him to return, at which point they both shook hands while the photographers leaned forward for the photo opportunity. Questions were not taken by either artist.
