Article The 13 Worst Career Moves in Hip-Hop History

Firefly5 · 08-29-2009, 05:48 AM

The 13 Worst Career Moves in Hip-Hop History

Sometimes the only thing separating a Fif from a Ja is one smart move.

Pesky decisions swarm us daily in life, like a troop of blind killer bees. Most of us just swat them with the slipshod petulance of a dog’s tail. But our hip-hop heroes know better, because when it comes to running a career into the ground or digging a hole bigger than the U.S. deficit, no one knows better than rappers. Here are 13 hip-hop artists to meditate on next time you run into an occupational obstacle, for they are the ones who made modern rap’s worst career moves. (– Rizoh)

13. Alfamega’s D.E.A. saga
Alfamega’s quick rise and fall has been well documented. His career has been in a downward spiral ever since word leaked that he may have been a D.E.A. informant in the past, but he doesn’t seem to know when to stop talking. Last week Alfa released a track in which he was going at T.I. [Ed: Mega denied this, but who cares? The song is caca anyway. - Rizoh] Yeah, homie, that’s a good way to reignite your career — by taking digs at your boss while he’s in jail. *blank stare*

12. Yung Berg’s “dark butts” comments
Poor Yung Berg. Dude could actually craft a nice little catchy song. However, he couldn’t manage to keep his mouth shut. 1st came his “dark butts” comment — he did an interview in which he said he prefers light-skinned girls over darker-skinned girls. Referring to darker-skinned girls as “dark butts,” though, wasn’t the best idea. Neither was the weak apology that came after he caught flack for it. Then he kept running off at the mouth and eventually got smacked up. After talking trash in Detroit, Berg got a few hits upside his head and his transformers chain snatched. Then Maino smacked him up. Lesson to be learned here? Sometimes, its just best not to talk sh-t, especially if you cant back it up.

11. Hammer’s brief stint as a gangsta rapper
Whose bright idea was that? It was so unbelievable it ended up being more comical than anything. Remember the “Pumps And A Bump” video? Someone forgot to tell Hammer that gangstas don’t wear banana hammocks. Epic FAIL, indeed.

10. Lauryn Hill’s self-imposed music exile
Whether it was the good Marley being administered to her on a daily basis, or the pressure of the music industry, we’ll never know. Either way, L-Boogie ruined an amazing career by losing her mind after the multiple-Grammy winning Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was released. (Check her interviews and her MTV Unplugged CD that came after that, if you don’t remember). Please Lauryn, get better and come back. Hip-hop needs you.

9. Young Buck crying on the phone to 50 Cent
It’s a damn shame what happened to Buck, really. For years he was on top of the charts as a G-Unit soldier. He dropped two impressive solo albums and had folks debating if he was the best lyricist in his crew and if he could carry the torch for them in their latter years. Then he started to buck against 50 Cent. Buck went on radio stations saying that Fif’s beefs weren’t his beefs, and it seemed that all wasn’t right between them, but everyone, including Buck, kinda hoped they’d eventually resolve their differences. Then, 50 dropped the equivalent of an atomic bomb when he released taped conversations between him and Buck with the Nashville rapper crying on the tape. Hysterically. And apologizing. Repeatedly. *shakes head* After that episode, Buck was dropped from G-Unit and he went into hiding for awhile, albeit understandably. As of late he’s been releasing songs over the internet but Buck may be the only person who doesn’t realize his career is over yet.

8. Charles Hamilton naming J. Dilla the executive producer of his album
Recently, Charles Hamilton has been on rap’s radar not for his talent but because of his ability to turn folks off with his personal commentary. He had a huge buzz going no matter what folks thought about him and then he named the late J Dilla as the executive producer of his debut album. What Charles perceived as paying homage to J. Dilla, with whom he claims to have some type of a paranormal relationship, was perceived by others as disrespectful. We haven’t really heard much from Chuck since that fiasco.

7. Canibus trying to play LL Cool J’s game
How many times have you heard a rhyme and thought a rapper was covertly getting at another rapper? How easily words can be misunderstood. Canibus and LL were on the same song. LL thought something Canibus said was disrespectful. They spoke and cleared it up (or so Canibus thought), but LL kept his incendiary verse against Bis on the same song, thus sparking a huge feud between them. Diss tracks ensued, LL was declared the victor [Ed: I'd like the name and address of everyone who declared LL victorious in this battle, so I can physically fight them - Rizoh], while Canibus was allegedly blackballed by LL’s industry cronies.

6. DMX’s frequent visits to the big house
In 1998, DMX was one of the most lyrically gifted rappers out. Who could forget his verse on the Lox’s “Money, Power, Respect”? Its Dark & Hell Is Hot and Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood came out in the same year and were both certified platinum. In fact, X was the second rapper (behind 2Pac) to have two albums released in the same year debut at number one on Billboard’s Top 200 chart. Problem was, at that point DMX really succumbed to his addiction problems and continually stayed on the radar due to his incessant arrests. [Here's hoping D can finally overcome his demons, because if Mase came back, I'm gonna need for DMX too.]

5. Shyne signing to Bad Boy
December 1999. Club NY. I’m sure it’s a moment that Shyne Po would love to go back to and alter the events of. Remember how huge Shyne’s buzz was? You couldn’t go anywhere without hearing “Bad Boys” on the radio back then. It was all good until Shyne was found guilty and sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting a gun in Club NY. It still baffles the mind how Diddy escaped scot-free from that incident. Shyne will be released from prison on October 6th. Diddy better watch his back.

4. Guerilla Black’s attempt at a rap career
First, if you’re going to rep a city make sure it’s where you’re truly from. Guerilla Black had a nice buzz going on with his “Compton” single. But then he caught a lot of flack for claiming a city that he was rumored not to be from. It didn’t help that he sounded like a Biggie Smalls impostor. Now he’s just another rapper that folks vaguely remember.

3. Dame Dash and Biggs pissing off Jay-Z
C’mon man, it was supposed to be Roc La Familia for life! Everyone knew that when the Roc broke up Jay-Z would be okay but Beans, Freeway, the Young Gunz, Memphis Bleek, Noreaga, M.O.P. and countless others were left floundering. Not to mention Dame Dash could no longer afford to pay his bills…or afford his wife.

2. Signing to Bad Boy after Biggie died
Remember G. Dep, Black Rob, Ness, Babs, Chopper, Da Band, Dream, Mark Curry, Danity Kane, DeAngelo, Redman or Kain? Know what happened to any of them? Yeah…that’s what I thought. Drug addictions, jail and sitting on the shelf. Yeah, signing to Bad Boy would do that to you.

1. Ja Rule challenging 50 Cent to a battle
This right here is the definition of career ending. Before this battle, Ja Rule was on the top of the world — every song he put out was a hit. Then he started beefing with 50 and it all came to a standstill. The best part of the whole thing? Fif stole Ja’s sing-songy style, did it better than him and dominated the charts for years after that. Ja’s career and Murder Inc. haven’t been the same, nor have they achieved that type of success since then.

TeGo · 08-29-2009, 06:23 AM

rofl @ like 1/3 of these ACTUALLY being career moves..

doo2g · 08-29-2009, 06:38 AM

rick ross being exposed as a C.O should be there (+ the beef with 50), Lil Wayne doing a rock album should def. be there, and Fat Joe lying about his none existed number one hits (+the beef with 50 cent)

YoungIraq · 08-29-2009, 08:33 AM

how is going to jail a career move..smh

LawrenceSouljah · 08-29-2009, 08:45 AM

When did Redman join Bad Boy?

robert henry · 08-29-2009, 09:36 AM

-The Game - beefing with G-Unit

I'm not a G-Unit stan but it was a stupid move

oh, also:

-G-Unit letting Game go.

ImmortalTechnique · 08-29-2009, 10:23 AM

lol... ja was doing just fine while beefing with 50. it was when he dissed Em and Dre that his career got ended

Majcip · 08-29-2009, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImmortalTechnique

lol... ja was doing just fine while beefing with 50. it was when he dissed Em and Dre that his career got ended

G-Unit went hard at Ja... can´t deny that

ns_diplomat · 08-29-2009, 11:47 AM

LOL @ Ja!! I remember back in 2000..it was ALL about Ja. Nigga was runnin the game

ImmortalTechnique · 08-29-2009, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Majcip

G-Unit went hard at Ja... can´t deny that

yeah, they had beef for years and years, and it wasn't until Em got involved that it became a slaughter

robert henry · 08-29-2009, 12:11 PM

Go To Sleep!

Mr Wavez · 08-29-2009, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robert henry

-The Game - beefing with G-Unit

I'm not a G-Unit stan but it was a stupid move

oh, also:

-G-Unit letting Game go.

How in the fuck was is a BAD CAREER MOVE for him to beef with g-unit???
that same year or the next he was like in the forbes and #2 on that hottest MC list

DemonicSinn · 08-29-2009, 02:40 PM

50 Cent pursuing acting was a bad career move.

J.a.M · 08-29-2009, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Wavez

How in the fuck was is a BAD CAREER MOVE for him to beef with g-unit???
that same year or the next he was like in the forbes and #2 on that hottest MC list

i didnt know forbes made a hottest MC list

Naturalbornalkaholik · 08-29-2009, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Wavez

How in the fuck was is a BAD CAREER MOVE for him to beef with g-unit???
that same year or the next he was like in the forbes and #2 on that hottest MC list

he sold more records when he was with G Unit records?
He got no dre beats on the D.A. because that beef move?

with no beef he was #1 on that hottest MC list

Majcip · 08-29-2009, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImmortalTechnique

yeah, they had beef for years and years, and it wasn't until Em got involved that it became a slaughter

yeah for sure but this beef or better say war was something really really good... not like Game´s beef with G-Unit.

Mr Wavez · 08-29-2009, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.a.M

i didnt know forbes made a hottest MC list

once again you prove how stupid you are by not knowing how to read properly

08-29-2009, 08:45 AM	#5
LawrenceSouljah Veteran Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 2,206 Repped: 703 Repped 147 Times in 88 Posts Neg Reps: 2 Neg Repped at 7 Times in 5 Posts	When did Redman join Bad Boy? __________________ I see you using an old style, I wondered where you had learned it from. You know very well, it's yours too

08-29-2009, 09:36 AM	#6
robert henry Young F Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: South London Posts: 3,836 Repped: 552 Repped 1,317 Times in 529 Posts Neg Reps: 125 Neg Repped at 77 Times in 72 Posts	-The Game - beefing with G-Unit I'm not a G-Unit stan but it was a stupid move oh, also: -G-Unit letting Game go. __________________ Yet Untitled Album - Coming This Month!

08-29-2009, 11:47 AM	#9
ns_diplomat Reppin' 514 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: 514 - MTL - 514 Posts: 14,950 Repped: 664 Repped 1,325 Times in 539 Posts Neg Reps: 42 Neg Repped at 76 Times in 61 Posts	LOL @ Ja!! I remember back in 2000..it was ALL about Ja. Nigga was runnin the game __________________ G-Unit/Shady/Aftermath!! "Shout out to all the people in Montreal - Montreal is real hood. Real gangsta out there." - Juelz Santana

08-29-2009, 12:11 PM	#11
robert henry Young F Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: South London Posts: 3,836 Repped: 552 Repped 1,317 Times in 529 Posts Neg Reps: 125 Neg Repped at 77 Times in 72 Posts	Go To Sleep! __________________ Yet Untitled Album - Coming This Month!

08-29-2009, 02:40 PM	#13
DemonicSinn AKA Ty-G Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cincinnati/Hanover Park, IL Posts: 4,720 Repped: 1,114 Repped 640 Times in 171 Posts Neg Reps: 76 Neg Repped at 95 Times in 56 Posts	50 Cent pursuing acting was a bad career move. __________________ IDGAF about bein Neg Repped. You can't trade rep points in for money, nigga. LOL

08-29-2009, 05:48 AM	#1
Firefly5 Droppin' Knowledge Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Sacramento Posts: 4,103 Repped: 1,100 Repped 680 Times in 242 Posts Neg Reps: 57 Neg Repped at 22 Times in 20 Posts	The 13 Worst Career Moves in Hip-Hop History The 13 Worst Career Moves in Hip-Hop History The 13 Worst Career Moves in Hip-Hop History Sometimes the only thing separating a Fif from a Ja is one smart move. Pesky decisions swarm us daily in life, like a troop of blind killer bees. Most of us just swat them with the slipshod petulance of a dog’s tail. But our hip-hop heroes know better, because when it comes to running a career into the ground or digging a hole bigger than the U.S. deficit, no one knows better than rappers. Here are 13 hip-hop artists to meditate on next time you run into an occupational obstacle, for they are the ones who made modern rap’s worst career moves. (– Rizoh) 13. Alfamega’s D.E.A. saga Alfamega’s quick rise and fall has been well documented. His career has been in a downward spiral ever since word leaked that he may have been a D.E.A. informant in the past, but he doesn’t seem to know when to stop talking. Last week Alfa released a track in which he was going at T.I. [Ed: Mega denied this, but who cares? The song is caca anyway. - Rizoh] Yeah, homie, that’s a good way to reignite your career — by taking digs at your boss while he’s in jail. blank stare 12. Yung Berg’s “dark butts” comments Poor Yung Berg. Dude could actually craft a nice little catchy song. However, he couldn’t manage to keep his mouth shut. 1st came his “dark butts” comment — he did an interview in which he said he prefers light-skinned girls over darker-skinned girls. Referring to darker-skinned girls as “dark butts,” though, wasn’t the best idea. Neither was the weak apology that came after he caught flack for it. Then he kept running off at the mouth and eventually got smacked up. After talking trash in Detroit, Berg got a few hits upside his head and his transformers chain snatched. Then Maino smacked him up. Lesson to be learned here? Sometimes, its just best not to talk sh-t, especially if you cant back it up. 11. Hammer’s brief stint as a gangsta rapper Whose bright idea was that? It was so unbelievable it ended up being more comical than anything. Remember the “Pumps And A Bump” video? Someone forgot to tell Hammer that gangstas don’t wear banana hammocks. Epic FAIL, indeed. 10. Lauryn Hill’s self-imposed music exile Whether it was the good Marley being administered to her on a daily basis, or the pressure of the music industry, we’ll never know. Either way, L-Boogie ruined an amazing career by losing her mind after the multiple-Grammy winning Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was released. (Check her interviews and her MTV Unplugged CD that came after that, if you don’t remember). Please Lauryn, get better and come back. Hip-hop needs you. 9. Young Buck crying on the phone to 50 Cent It’s a damn shame what happened to Buck, really. For years he was on top of the charts as a G-Unit soldier. He dropped two impressive solo albums and had folks debating if he was the best lyricist in his crew and if he could carry the torch for them in their latter years. Then he started to buck against 50 Cent. Buck went on radio stations saying that Fif’s beefs weren’t his beefs, and it seemed that all wasn’t right between them, but everyone, including Buck, kinda hoped they’d eventually resolve their differences. Then, 50 dropped the equivalent of an atomic bomb when he released taped conversations between him and Buck with the Nashville rapper crying on the tape. Hysterically. And apologizing. Repeatedly. shakes head After that episode, Buck was dropped from G-Unit and he went into hiding for awhile, albeit understandably. As of late he’s been releasing songs over the internet but Buck may be the only person who doesn’t realize his career is over yet. 8. Charles Hamilton naming J. Dilla the executive producer of his album Recently, Charles Hamilton has been on rap’s radar not for his talent but because of his ability to turn folks off with his personal commentary. He had a huge buzz going no matter what folks thought about him and then he named the late J Dilla as the executive producer of his debut album. What Charles perceived as paying homage to J. Dilla, with whom he claims to have some type of a paranormal relationship, was perceived by others as disrespectful. We haven’t really heard much from Chuck since that fiasco. 7. Canibus trying to play LL Cool J’s game How many times have you heard a rhyme and thought a rapper was covertly getting at another rapper? How easily words can be misunderstood. Canibus and LL were on the same song. LL thought something Canibus said was disrespectful. They spoke and cleared it up (or so Canibus thought), but LL kept his incendiary verse against Bis on the same song, thus sparking a huge feud between them. Diss tracks ensued, LL was declared the victor [Ed: I'd like the name and address of everyone who declared LL victorious in this battle, so I can physically fight them - Rizoh], while Canibus was allegedly blackballed by LL’s industry cronies. 6. DMX’s frequent visits to the big house In 1998, DMX was one of the most lyrically gifted rappers out. Who could forget his verse on the Lox’s “Money, Power, Respect”? Its Dark & Hell Is Hot and Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood came out in the same year and were both certified platinum. In fact, X was the second rapper (behind 2Pac) to have two albums released in the same year debut at number one on Billboard’s Top 200 chart. Problem was, at that point DMX really succumbed to his addiction problems and continually stayed on the radar due to his incessant arrests. [Here's hoping D can finally overcome his demons, because if Mase came back, I'm gonna need for DMX too.] 5. Shyne signing to Bad Boy December 1999. Club NY. I’m sure it’s a moment that Shyne Po would love to go back to and alter the events of. Remember how huge Shyne’s buzz was? You couldn’t go anywhere without hearing “Bad Boys” on the radio back then. It was all good until Shyne was found guilty and sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting a gun in Club NY. It still baffles the mind how Diddy escaped scot-free from that incident. Shyne will be released from prison on October 6th. Diddy better watch his back. 4. Guerilla Black’s attempt at a rap career First, if you’re going to rep a city make sure it’s where you’re truly from. Guerilla Black had a nice buzz going on with his “Compton” single. But then he caught a lot of flack for claiming a city that he was rumored not to be from. It didn’t help that he sounded like a Biggie Smalls impostor. Now he’s just another rapper that folks vaguely remember. 3. Dame Dash and Biggs pissing off Jay-Z C’mon man, it was supposed to be Roc La Familia for life! Everyone knew that when the Roc broke up Jay-Z would be okay but Beans, Freeway, the Young Gunz, Memphis Bleek, Noreaga, M.O.P. and countless others were left floundering. Not to mention Dame Dash could no longer afford to pay his bills…or afford his wife. 2. Signing to Bad Boy after Biggie died Remember G. Dep, Black Rob, Ness, Babs, Chopper, Da Band, Dream, Mark Curry, Danity Kane, DeAngelo, Redman or Kain? Know what happened to any of them? Yeah…that’s what I thought. Drug addictions, jail and sitting on the shelf. Yeah, signing to Bad Boy would do that to you. 1. Ja Rule challenging 50 Cent to a battle This right here is the definition of career ending. Before this battle, Ja Rule was on the top of the world — every song he put out was a hit. Then he started beefing with 50 and it all came to a standstill. The best part of the whole thing? Fif stole Ja’s sing-songy style, did it better than him and dominated the charts for years after that. Ja’s career and Murder Inc. haven’t been the same, nor have they achieved that type of success since then. __________________ San Francisco 49ERS 2009 NFC West Champs

08-29-2009, 06:23 AM	#2
TeGo Veteran Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: In Ya Bedroom Wit Da Nina, Where The Lube At? :ninja: Posts: 8,273 Repped: 1,076 Repped 1,599 Times in 723 Posts Neg Reps: 23 Neg Repped at 121 Times in 91 Posts	rofl @ like 1/3 of these ACTUALLY being career moves.. __________________

08-29-2009, 06:38 AM	#3
doo2g Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 132 Repped: 10 Repped 182 Times in 22 Posts Neg Reps: 14 Neg Repped at 11 Times in 4 Posts	rick ross being exposed as a C.O should be there (+ the beef with 50), Lil Wayne doing a rock album should def. be there, and Fat Joe lying about his none existed number one hits (+the beef with 50 cent)

08-29-2009, 08:33 AM	#4
YoungIraq Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 746 Repped: 168 Repped 104 Times in 47 Posts Neg Reps: 298 Neg Repped at 121 Times in 64 Posts	how is going to jail a career move..smh

08-29-2009, 10:23 AM	#7
ImmortalTechnique OPEN WIDE! Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Brew City, Milwaukee Posts: 3,058 Repped: 190 Repped 852 Times in 375 Posts Neg Reps: 7 Neg Repped at 237 Times in 143 Posts	lol... ja was doing just fine while beefing with 50. it was when he dissed Em and Dre that his career got ended

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