Rapper 50 Cent reflected on the spate of homicides in the hip hop world, just days after the death of Migos star Takeoff.
The 28-year-old rapper was shot and killed outside a Houston bowling alley in the early hours of Tuesday morning, leaving the music world in shock.
Speaking on his new documentary series Hip Hop Homicides, 50 Cent said he became involved in the show because he believed he could help stop the spate of violence in his industry.
50 Cent — whose given name is Curtis Jackson — believed the level of violence in hip hop has remained the same over the years, but the difference is now shootings are caught on camera and shared to social media.
"I think it's the same energy but we're in a different period. It looks different and it's going to happen where everyone can take a look on camera," he told host Van Lathan in a preview clip from the premiere episode.
50 Cent then pointed to the 2019 fatal shooting of popular West Coast rapper Nipsey Hussle as a prime example of how the digital age has changed the understanding of hip hop murders.
He claimed the instant access to a crime via social media piques the interest of impressionable young people.
"Nipsey gets killed and for the first time they saw him get killed because of social media, so everyone's involved now, right?" 50 Cent pointed out.
"Because those kids in middle America, they're clicking on the button to look. And they're fascinated with these kids [rappers] because they're living on a side so 'wow' compared to the conservative lifestyle that they have."
50 Cent — who was shot nine times during his rise to stardom — told Lathan he had agreed to executive produce the docuseries after the death of his protégé Pop Smoke, whom he believed would still be alive today had the series been made sooner.
The 20-year-old was shot dead at his home in 2020 during an alleged home invasion which was first described as a "robbery gone wrong," but Hip Hop Homicides takes a closer look at his death to investigate if it was a targeted hit.
The docuseries, which begins on November 3 on WE TV, will investigate the murder of popular rappers in the hopes of bringing closure to those closest to them.
The timely premiere of the series comes just two days after Takeoff was shot by a "stray bullet" in Houston.
He had been attending a party with his uncle and Migos band member, Quavo, when an altercation broke out and somebody started firing a gun, according to the Houston Police Department.
The rapper's record label Quality Control Music, condemned the "senseless violence" that led to his untimely death.
"It is with broken hearts and deep sadness that we mourn the loss of our beloved brother Kirsnick Khari Ball, known to the world as Takeoff," read the statement, which was shared on Instagram.
"Senseless violence and a stray bullet has taken another life from this world and we are devastated," the statement continued.
"Please respect his family and friends as we all continue to process this monumental loss."
Takeoff shot to fame in Migos alongside Quavo and former band mate Offset in 2013 and would later go on to become global superstars with their hit "Bad and Boujee."
Hip Hop Homicides premieres November 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on WE TV and new episodes will also be available every Monday on AMC's streaming service ALLBLK.
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