Within the Hip-Hop lifestyle, it’s been known that rappers occasionally trick on each other. Recently 50 Cent gave Soulja Boy a tour bus equipped with a studio so that he could finish the rest of his album while on the road performing. While this is a nice gesture on 50’s behalf, it makes us wonder if he had an ulterior motive behind it. I mean we all know before anything else 50 Cent is two things, an opportunist and a business man. So it seems if 50 is coming out of his pocket with money he must see a potential gain, right? Although Soulja Boy’s birthday did just pass, if 50 were doing this only as a gift, he would have given him a normal tour bus, a chain, maybe even cash. The fact that the tour bus has a studio in it means 50 Cent wants to ensure that Soulja Boy finishes his album soon, but why?

Back before the break up of Roc-A-Fella, Jay-Z and Damon Dash would give out Roc-A-Fella chains to new members onstage. Kanye put footage of him receiving his chain from Jay in his video for “Through the Wire”. While the chains helped portray that they were all balling, I’m sure Jay gave them out to show unity, and gain loyalty from the members of his camp.

Jay also hasn’t hidden the fact that he holds down Memphis Bleek. Bleek, who’s career fluctuated from the beginning will always have the “Jay-Z crutch” because like Hov said in the “Diamonds Are Forever” remix, “Bleek could be one hit away ya whole career, as long as I’m alive, he’s a millionaire. And even if I die, he’s in my will somewhere, so he can just kick back and chill some where”. This is because of the two’s years of history stemming from before their entry into the rap game.

Baby from Cash Money gave Lil Wayne one million dollars for his birthday. When talking about celebrities and money one million dollars may not seem like such a big deal, but a lot of us haven’t seen half of that, so that is no chump change. However, Baby and Lil Weezy’s relationship as “father and son” as they coined it, makes the gift understandable.

As for Soulja Boy and 50, although they are known to be friends, and are both signed to Interscope, is their relationship with each other so close that 50 Cent would simply get him a tour bus as a favor? I don’t know, something about this tells me that 50 Cent is looking to include, or use Soulja Boy in a business venture. I’m sure Soulja Boy’s ability to generate money through ring tones and songs with dances did not go unseen by 50 Cent, and chances are Fif is looking to “crank” out a few bucks with help from Soulja Boy.

-Khari Clarke