50 Cent is always a controversial topic in pop culture discussions. He is often defined by the success of his early music, the various bizarre twists his career has taken, or his propensity for beef. A multi-faceted individual without a doubt, he is still often pigeonholed by defenders and detractors alike. His last album was released in 2014 and 50 Cent is now more associated with his, often unsuccessful, business dealings.
Kevin Durant often faces the same problems in discussions. A no-doubt Hall of Famer, people often reduce Durant to his time in OKC, off-court headlines, or participation in trade drama. Much like 50 Cent, Durant gets pigeonholed. A player who has never scored less than 25 points per game in the season since he was a rookie, people still find something to hate. Despite that, Durant is also known for often speaking graciously about his former teams. That penchant for praise is not just limited to the court, however.
“One Of The Greatest”
Speaking on his podcast, The etcs. with Kevin Durant, Durant sounded off about his respect for 50 Cent. “The way 50 has transitioned from being an artist to what he’s doing now, a lot of people may forget about that run he went on,” Durant began in reference to 50 Cent’s success in the early 2000s, “A lot of people also think that it’s only Get Rich or Die Tryin’ and his catalog is way deeper than that, with hits.” Durant was absolutely on the money. 50 Cent’s lowest-charting album, Before I Self Destruct, still reached #5 on the US Billboard 200. As with many things, the further we are removed from 50 Cent’s musical career, the less people remember about it.
It’s clear that Durant has nothing but respect for 50 Cent, going on to call him “one of the greatest”. Durant has no time for people who reduce 50 to the likes of Get Rich or Die Tryin‘, his breakout 2003 debut album. And in spite of what 50 may do, or how the public may perceive him, Durant has only respect. “He’s still a monster,” Durant remarked during the podcast episode. The Suns star has made his thought clear and doesn’t have time to hear people disparage 50.
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