50 Cent Admits Borrowing Nelly’s Style for Lloyd Banks’ Hit “On Fire”
Hip-hop mogul 50 Cent recently revealed a surprising creative confession: Lloyd Banks’ 2004 hit “On Fire” was heavily inspired by Nelly’s chart-topping anthem “Hot in Herre.” During an interview on Hot 97, the G-Unit founder candidly admitted to borrowing elements from the St. Louis rapper’s iconic song when crafting Banks’ hit.
“It’s the Same Record”
In the interview, 50 Cent openly explained how he used Nelly’s 2002 smash as a blueprint for “On Fire.” He highlighted his ability to reinterpret existing hits into fresh, chart-topping tracks.
“I would be able to look at someone else’s record and make my version of the record when the right production came around, and it would be a hit again,” 50 said.
To emphasize the similarities, he rapped the hook from “Hot in Herre” and then recited the chorus of “On Fire,” concluding:
“It’s the same record. It’s just new melodies, new production, and let Banks do it.”
While some might see this as crossing creative lines, it speaks to 50 Cent’s talent for reimagining music and creating new hits for his team.
50 Cent’s Role Behind the Scenes
“On Fire” isn’t the only record that benefited from 50 Cent’s songwriting prowess. The Power star recently shared another behind-the-scenes story about co-writing Diddy’s verse for the 2007 “I Get Money” remix.
During an appearance on The Breakfast Club, 50 confirmed the collaboration and even revealed that JAY-Z played a role in crafting parts of Diddy’s lyrics.
“They said you wrote two verses for Diddy. One was [G. Dep’s] ‘Let’s Get It’ and the other one was on the ‘I Get Money’ remix,” Charlamagne Tha God said.
Fif clarified:
“Jay helped me with that… He did the part where Diddy said, ‘Shootouts, coastal beefs.’”
A Master of Collaboration
Despite their historic rivalry, 50 Cent showed admiration for JAY-Z’s writing ability, highlighting Hov’s ability to compose rhymes entirely in his head:
“Jay remembers the idea in his head so he can just say it without writing it down. Because it came out already ready, I said, ‘Put it in there!’”
This acknowledgment demonstrates the mutual respect among industry heavyweights, even when they’ve been at odds.
The Art of Reinvention
50 Cent’s admission about “On Fire” offers an insightful glimpse into his creative process and knack for reinvention. While some purists might criticize borrowing from existing records, the G-Unit general’s ability to repurpose and revitalize ideas has undeniably contributed to his success.
As hip-hop continues to evolve, 50 Cent’s storytelling highlights the complex interplay of collaboration, inspiration, and innovation that drives the genre forward.
