50 Drops Game From G-Unit; Shots Fired At Radio Station
02.28.2005
Compton MC called disloyal; shooting victim expected to recover.
50 Cent (file)
Photo: Zach Gold
A 24-year-old man who police have identified as Kevin Reed of Compton, California, was hospitalized after a shooting outside the offices of New York radio station Hot 97 on Monday night. Although police have not confirmed many details, a source close
to the investigation said the incident occurred at around the time 50 Cent was making an appearance at the radio station to announce that the Game had been booted from the G-Unit. Police said Reed is expected to recover.
According to the source, Game, who had been a guest on the station earlier in the evening, apparently returned to Hot 97's offices accompanied by an undisclosed number of men and tried to get into the building. At around the same time, 50 Cent's interview was audibly interrupted, some conferring occurred, and the interview ended abruptly. Game and company were not allowed into the building and subsequently began quarreling with a group of individuals who were leaving Hot 97. The altercation led to Reed being shot at least once in the left leg. He was rushed to St. Vincent's Hospital.
Police have confirmed that Reed was struck just outside the building. However, contrary to some reports that have surfaced, police say the man was probably not a member of 50 Cent's entourage, but they are still investigating. Police reported that 50 himself was not involved in the dispute.
Read 'All Eyes On 50 Cent: The Sequel'
There were also shots fired outside the office of Violator Management — the company that manages 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes, Tweet and Missy Elliott — on Monday night, but no one was injured, according to police. There are no suspects as of yet in either shooting.
On the radio Monday night, 50 — accompanied by G-Unit members Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks and Olivia — told Funkmaster Flex that the Game was being excommunicated from the G-Unit because he felt the West Coast MC was disloyal.
50 told Flex he was disappointed with comments Game made on the station Saturday night, when Game revealed he would not be getting involved in the beefs 50 is stirring up with 'Piggy Bank' (see '50 Cent's LP Pushed Up, Harsh 'Facts' Sound Like Disses On Leaked 'Piggy Bank'').
According to Flex, Game even said he was going to do a song with Nas. 'He's gone,' 50 scoffed. 'He might as well make the record.'
50 also said Game should stop saying 'G-Unit.' 'He thinks he's doing me a favor when he says that.'
During his conversation with Flex, 50 claimed Interscope was going to drop the Game until 50 stepped in and got involved with The Documentary. 50 also insisted that he's making more money off The Documentary than Game is, and that he wrote more choruses than he's credited for.
Game was on Hot 97 earlier in the evening, talking to host Angie Martinez. When listeners called in to ask about his and 50's problems, Game simply said he was going to continue to make 'good music.' Two nights prior, Game had said on-air that he and 50 did not have to be friends as long as they worked toward that same common goal: making good music.
For weeks there'd been rumors of friction within the G-Unit camp, but they'd always downplayed or outright dismissed the talk, and they even held it together long enough to shoot a joint video for 'Hate It or Love It,' which debuted Monday on 'TRL.'
A rep for Interscope had no comment on the implosion.
In February 2001, Lil' Kim was at Hot 97 when a shooting occurred outside, and she was later indicted for perjury and obstruction of justice for allegedly lying to police and failing to cooperate with their investigation (see 'Lil' Kim Indicted For Lying About Hot 97 Shootout With Capone'). That case is currently in the jury-selection phase.
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