Roc-A-Fella Records co-founders Jay-Z, Kareem “Biggs” Burke and Dame Dash, photographed backstage during the Hot 97 “Summer” Jam concert at the Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey by Johnny Nunez on June 25, 1999. Fresh off their appearances on the record-breaking “Hard Knock Life Tour,” that night Roc-A-Fella Records signees Memphis Bleek, Amil and Beanie Sigel also shared the stage alongside their label boss. During the show nearly 1,000 unticketed fans tried to force their way into the sold-out arena by pushing over a fence and jumping turnstiles.

This was the year that headliner Jay addressed the up-and-coming rapper 50 Cent on the stage for the first time. 50 had recently name-dropped Hov on “How to Rob;” his debut single that detailed how he planned to rob numerous prominent figures in the R&B and hip-hop scene. Hov responded by debuting his track “It’s Hot (Some Like It Hot)” during his set, which included the witty lyric: “Go against Jigga yo ass is dense, I’m about a dollar—what the fuck is 50 Cents?”

During a Hot 97 radio interview with Angie Martinez in 2002, Jigga explained how he had spoken to 50 backstage before he spat the line: “[I told him] ‘Yo, I respect the record, yeah I liked that record, it was hot. But you know I gotta spank you dog!’ That was the conversation. [50 responded] ‘No doubt, do your thing!’ Then it was peace. History … What I respect though is that conversation. It was real.”

In an April 2003 interview for Rolling Stone, 50 told journalist Touré that “when he responded I was complimented,” 50 said. “He wouldn’t say nothing back to somebody he didn’t think was hot. I never went to radio until after he said that about me. I don’t know if my career would be where it’s at if he didn’t respond.” In June 2003 Hov and 50 would unite for a co-headlining “Roc The Mic Tour,” in support of their new Reebok endorsement deals.

Ten years after the “It’s Hot” performance, in September 2009 Hov referenced his “Summer Jam” prowess on The Blueprint 3′s “A Star is Born,” saying “50 came through like hurricanes do, I thought I’d finish his ass at Summer Jam too.”

Jay-Z, the late Chris Lighty, Kevin Liles and P. Diddy, photographed at a private screening of Get Rich or Die Tryin’ hosted by 50 Cent at the TriBeCa Screening Room on October 29, 2005.

Jay-Z, Russell Simmons and the late Chris Lighty, photographed at a private screening of Get Rich or Die Tryin’ hosted by 50 Cent at the TriBeCa Screening Room on October 29, 2005.

Jay-Z, Floyd Mayweather and 50 Cent, photographed during Hov’s New Years Eve party celebrating the grand opening of the Marquee nightclub, located inside the Cosmopolitan Hotel, in Las Vegas on December 31, 2010. 

Earlier that evening Hov and Coldplay had played a private concert inside the hotel’s event center, then everyone headed to Marquee to ring in the new year. At the stroke of midnight Jay took the microphone from the DJ booth and wished everyone in the room a Happy New Year—sending a specific message of love to “B.”

50 and Money May were among the hundreds of celebrities present at the party, which lasted until 5:30 AM. The Queens rapper knew that Hov wasn’t really fucking with his boxing friend anymore, as apparently he had been caught speaking recklessly about his wife Beyoncé. So Fif, as an apparent New Years resolution, decided to bring May over to Jay so they could talk it out and settle their beef. When Beyoncé saw 50 approaching their VIP section she jumped the ledge and stepped to him, because she felt he had been speaking bad on Hov’s name for too long. Apparently her message to Fif went something along the lines of: “What? Wassup? That Bonnie and Clyde for real. You gonna try this or what boy? I’m here!” Hov’s reaction to her ride-or-die proclamation was his trademark smirk and laugh, along with “You know what it is, man.”

Earlier that year on September 3, during Hov and Eminem’s “Home & Home Tour” stop at Comerica Park, the two rappers had spoken and settled their 11-year back-and-forth. According to 50 he approached Jay backstage, saying “What’s up nigga, we gonna kill each other or what?!” Jay’s response was: “And fuck up the money? I ain’t with it!”

Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg, photographed backstage during HOT 97′s “Summer Jam” festival by Lenny “KodakLens” Santiago on June 25, 1999.

This was the year that headliner Jay dissed the up-and-coming rapper 50 Cent on the stage for the first time. 50 had recently name-dropped Hov on “How to Rob;” his debut single that detailed how he planned to rob numerous prominent figures in the R&B and hip-hop music scene. Hov responded by debuting his track “It’s Hot (Some Like It Hot)” during his set, which included the witty lyric: “Go against Jigga yo ass is dense, I’m about a dollar – what the fuck is 50 Cents?”

During a radio interview with Angie Martinez in 2002, Jigga explained how he was backstage with 50 before he spat the line: “[I told him] ‘Yo, I respect the record, yeah I liked that record, it was hot. But you know I gotta spank you dog!’ That was the conversation. [50 responded] ‘No doubt, do your thing!’ Then it was peace. History … What I respect though is that conversation. It was real.”