The war between 50 Cent and Rick Ross is officially back—and this time, the battlefield is first-week album sales.
Early projections for Ross’s new album, Set in Stone, suggest the project may move fewer than 26,000 equivalent album units in its opening week. The numbers immediately triggered debate across hip-hop, especially after reports claimed the 19-track album earned only about 1.83 million Spotify streams on its first day.
50 Cent did not wait for the official chart results.
The rapper and television mogul posted a screenshot of the projections on Instagram and mocked Ross with a brutal caption: “I just saw your record sales, lol. 2000.”
He then doubled down, joking that Ross might need to rely on car shows and chicken wings to stay relevant—a direct shot at the Miami rapper’s business ventures.
Within hours, the internet turned the album rollout into a public roast.
Memes flooded social media, with users comparing Set in Stone to “wood,” “triple copper” and other fake sales certifications. Some even claimed a single Drake track had generated more streams than Ross’s entire album.
Ross, however, appeared completely unbothered.
Before the album dropped, he insisted that he had already been paid and that opening-week numbers would not change his financial position. He later dismissed the criticism during a podcast appearance, reminding listeners that he has survived nearly two decades in the industry.
For Ross, the argument is simple: money matters more than charts.
His supporters also pushed back against the online ridicule, arguing that sales do not define artistic quality. The album includes appearances from T.I., French Montana, BigXthaPlug, Young Miami, Jeezy and Don Toliver. Several tracks have received praise for their polished production and confident delivery.
Still, the weak projections have raised uncomfortable questions.
Has Rick Ross lost his commercial power? Did the album fail because it lacked a major single? Or are veteran rappers simply being judged by outdated standards in an era controlled by playlists, viral moments and younger streaming audiences?
For 50 Cent, the numbers are another weapon in a feud that has lasted since 2009. Their rivalry has survived diss records, lawsuits, personal attacks and years of social media warfare.
Now the final Billboard tally could decide who controls the narrative.
The album may be called Set in Stone—but 50 Cent is doing everything possible to carve Rick Ross’s embarrassment into hip-hop history.
