S. Samuel
After months of speculation, Southern rapper Shawty Lo has become the latest addition to 50 Cent's growing G-Unit roster, which already consists of Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo and DJ Pauly D.
While the exact terms of his deal are still under wraps, Shawty said 50 was the perfect candidate to bring his talents to.
“This is like something before the album, my new situation with G-Unit was just solidified and I got off the phone with 50 yesterday, I just signed a really large deal,” Shawty Lo said revealing plans to drop a new mixtape called B.H.F. “It’s like a new beginning and all I needed was someone behind me. 50 [Cent] is a marketing genius and I got my new thing D4L and G-Unit and we going to be working the South and the rest of the world if need be.” (All Hip Hop)
In March, Shawty revealed a sit down he had with 50.
“I done sat down with about four or five labels and the best situation I think I’d like is, I had a meeting with 50 Cent, G-Unit, and I left New York last Wednesday,” Shawty explained in an interview. “We had a good six, seven hour meeting and I think it went well. I just want his attorneys to get with my attorneys and then we’ll make it concrete. So you know, stay tuned…I feel like 50 is a hard worker.” (Video City TV)
Last summer, G-Unit Records signed a deal with EMI Music.
“We are delighted to join forces with G-Unit and artists who are truly marquee names in hip-hop,” EMI Music Vice President Mike Harris recently said in a statement. “G-Unit is a huge force. Lloyd Banks knows how to deliver a lyrical punch and his single has already generated huge anticipation for the album.. Tony Yayo is a totally unique talent, and ‘Pass the Patron’ already has the hip hop world buzzing about his album coming out next year.” (Statement)
Along with G-Unit Records, 50 has artists like Hot Rod signed to his G-Note company.
“G-Unit Records is hardcore street influenced hip-hop music, but with G-Note it’s more of a pop, dance and R&B feel. I’m like a fusion of both. You’re still going to hear me rapping but it’s on a different style of production,” Hot Rod explained in an interview. “50 sat us all down–me, Spyder Loc — everyone. He told us straight up, ‘You got to make yourselves hot. I can’t just be doing everything.’ He wanted to see what we could do independently. This was back in ’07. That’s when I took to my own grind and found promoters and did things on my own. Touring really was a big part of me getting to this point. I didn’t lose faith, I just realized I had to step up to the challenge.” (VIBE)
Check out Shawty Lo discussing G-Unit below:
