Only Griselda could usher in the return “mixtape 50.”
Upon its release, we deemed Griselda’s 50 Cent collaboration “City On The Map” to mark a major milestone in gangsta rap. A few days back, the trifecta Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, and Conway hit the Shade 45 studios to field some questions, including a few about landing a feature from the Get Rich legend. Around the 16:40 mark, the host thanks Westside, Conway, and Benny for bringing “mixtape” 50 Cent back into the fold, busy man that he is and all.
Conway reveals that “City On The Map” was originally intended for his upcoming solo album. “I went to Detroit and I was sitting in the studio with Eminem and Paul,” he explains. “We were listening to it, just hype, you know? I was like I need 50 on that! Call 50! 50 got on that. We all thought it made sense for that to be on What Would Chinegun Do. It fit the rest the album so perfect. That grimy, street, that feel. When we got the joint back and I heard it, I’m like yeaaah nah, 50 in his bag,” continues Conway. “Shout out to 50 for even doing that cause he ain’t have to do it. He got a whole bunch other shit going on. I ain’t really hear him working with too many artists out there…That shit was big for us, just to have him getting on it and then bodying it.”
Westside Gunn issues a reminder, maintaining that “if you don’t bring your A-Game, you gon’ look real bad” on a Griselda record. “We did songs with a lot legends,” he explains. “We bring the best out everybody. If you not coming with it, if you on a song with Benny, you know how bad you going to sound? You don’t want them problems.” And let’s be honest — Westside hasn’t told a lie yet. 50 Cent’s verse was definitely a callback to simpler times, a reminder that he was once a murderous presence on the mic.