In 1990, a young man from Harlem, New York, named Shan Colmes, began his journey as an intern at Uptown Records. Despite being fired from Uptown, Colmes, who was known as Puffy at the time, didn’t let setbacks hold him back. In 1993, he established his own label, Bad Boy Records, and recruited upcoming rapper The Notorious B.I.G. as its flagship artist. Puffy also signed other notable artists such as Craig Mack, Carl Thomas, and Faith Evans.

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On September 13, 1994, The Notorious B.I.G. released his debut album, “Ready to Die,” marking the beginning of Bad Boy Records’ remarkable success. Meanwhile, in South Jamaica, Queens, another aspiring rapper, 50 Cent, was beginning his journey in the industry. Despite signing with Columbia Records in 1998 and preparing for the release of his debut album “Power of the Dollar” in 1999, 50 Cent faced challenges generating buzz for his music.

To remedy this, 50 Cent devised a controversial plan: releasing a diss track aimed at the entire industry, including Puffy, in August 1999. While the track, “How to Rob,” caused a stir, it wasn’t intended to seriously offend but rather to garner attention. Despite the initial controversy, 50 Cent’s album was shelved after he was shot nine times in 2000, leading to his departure from Columbia Records.

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However, in 2001, 50 Cent began making a comeback in music, thanks in part to Jennifer Lopez, who suggested to Puffy that 50 Cent could help write music for him. This led to 50 Cent contributing to a song for one of Puffy’s artists, G. Dep. Despite this collaboration, 50 Cent’s relationship with Puffy remained strained, and he eventually signed with Shady Records in 2002.

As 50 Cent’s career gained momentum through mixtapes and independent releases, his beef with Puffy intensified. On various tracks, 50 Cent took jabs at Puffy, referencing their failed deal with Bad Boy and Puffy’s relationships with other artists. This beef reached its peak with the release of the “G-Unit Radio Part 22: Hip Hop is Dead” mixtape in 2006, where 50 Cent openly accused Puffy of knowing who killed Biggie and being afraid of West Coast beef.

In summary, the rivalry between 50 Cent and Puffy, stemming from personal and professional disagreements, played out through diss tracks and public statements, shaping the narrative of hip-hop in the early 2000s.