Rapper-actor Curtis Jackson, known professionally as 50 Cent, has revealed that the Donald Trump campaign invited him to perform at the Republican nominee's mega Madison Square Garden, New York, rally on Sunday but he turned down the offer. Speaking on The Breakfast Club radio show, the 49-year-old shared, “I got a call but they wanted me [for] Sunday,” adding that he steers clear of the political sphere.
“They offered me $3 million,” he revealed.
The radio hosts also questioned 50 Cent about reports that he was asked to perform his hit song Many Men (Wish Death) at the Republican National Convention (RNC). The 2003 hit, inspired by his near-fatal 2000 shooting, recently surged in popularity, re-entering the top 10 on iTunes after Trump supporters adopted it as an anthem following an attempted assassination on the former president.
“He says ‘fight,'” 50 Cent said about Trump last month in an interview with Fox News. “All right. And that's exactly what I did after I got shot. I just went into fight mode. People identify with it that way.”
When pressed by the radio hosts, 50 Cent confirmed the most recent request was for Trump's rally, not the RNC. He shared he declined both invitations, despite reportedly being offered payment for the RNC performance. “I didn't even go far… I didn't talk to them about that kinda stuff. I'm afraid about politics,” he said.
Elaborating, 50 Cent said, “It's because when you do get involved in it, no matter how you feel, someone passionately disagrees with you. That's the formula for the confusion that sent Kanye to Japan. He said something about both things – and now he can only go to Japan.”
However, according to a source close to the Trump campaign, “At no point was he offered money to appear at the rally,” the NY Post reported.
While 50 Cent has kept his political leanings under wraps, he hinted earlier this year about Trump's chances, writing on social media, “I think Trump's gonna be president again, but I'm not going to say that.”
Donald Trump's recent rally at Madison Square Garden saw a wave of controversy following remarks from comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who referred to Puerto Rico as “a floating island of garbage.” Hinchcliffe's comments drew immediate backlash, with prominent Latino celebrities, including Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, and Bad Bunny, publicly denouncing the remarks and voicing support for Trump's opponent, Kamala Harris.
The event, which featured celebrity appearances by Hulk Hogan and Dr Phil, was intended to galvanise support for Trump ahead of the November election. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, during a live Twitch gaming session with Kamala Harris' VP pick Tim Walz, condemned Hinchcliffe's remarks, saying, “You have some a—hole calling Puerto Rico ‘floating garbage,' know that that's what they think about you.”
