September 11th is a day that will forever go down in infamy. No, not because of the attacks on the World Trade Center, but because of the simultaneous release of both Kanye West and 50 Cent’s new records. Curiously enough, both of their labels changed the drop dates for Kanye’s Graduation and 50 Cent’s Curtis by two weeks, making the long time rivalry of words an all out war.

50 has already promised to end his solo career if Kanye outsells him, and this was after demanding that Kanye push back his release date. 50 has also bashed Kanye for his infamous comment on President Bush and Hurricane Katrina (he may have been the only black rapper in this Nebula to disagree with that statement), and has even gone as far as to attribute himself as the reason for Kanye West’s success.

Kanye West seems to be sitting back and enjoying the show, releasing 3 singles from Graduation this summer (”Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” the album version of “Stronger,” as well as a remix featuring Young Jeezy). He has not voiced much of an opinion on the matter, other than the fact that the release date will not be moved. In an article on VH1.com (Kanye West Says He’s Ready To Pit His Album Against 50 Cent’s), Kanye said, “I’d rather come out on a day like that and be #2… rather than come out and be #1 on a day nobody cares about.” Humble as pie. That’s Kanye.

It wouldn’t be possible to find two artists that are less alike than Kanye and 50. In the one corner, you have Kanye; the son of a doctor who raised him in the suburbs of Chicago, who raps about dropping out of college while sporting a light yellow Polo golf shirt. In the other corner, you have 50; a drug dealer from Jamaica, Queens who has been shot 9 times and wears a bullet proof vest to bed every night.

The same could be said for them musically. The pop heavy Kanye has worked with Coldplay’s Chris Martin on his new record, while 50’s single “Ayo Technology” (originally titled “Ayo Pornography” before Universal made him change it…seriously) is a futuristic cyber sex theme song featuring Justin Timberlake at his most frisky; “I’m tired of using technology/I want you to sit down on top of me.” Dirrty! Of course, they are both bad boys at heart. Kanye hasn’t missed one politically charged benefit concert, shouting “we need some new leaders to follow” at this year’s Live Earth. And 50…well, 50.

As far as sales go, 50 has out-done Kanye pretty substantially. Here’s how it breaks down:

50 Cent

• Get Rich or Die Tryin‘ sold 872,000 copies in it’s first week in 2003
• Get Rich or Die Tryin‘ debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200
• The Massacre sold 1.14 million copies in it’s first week in 2005
• The Massacre was the Best selling release of 2005
• The Massacre was #1 on the Billboard 200 for 6 weeks
• The Massacre massacred every other album ever

Kanye West

• The College Dropout peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hip Hop Charts
• The College Dropout only peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 because it sucked so bad
• The College Dropout had the lowest sales of all 2004 Grammy Album of the Year nominees
• Late Registration sold a mere 900,000 in it’s first week in 2005
• Late Registration debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts (only because 50 Cent didn’t release an album that week. Bitch was lucky!)

Even though 50 has clearly dominated in the past, it seems that Kanye may have the last laugh after all. Graduation is already showing at #3 on the iTunes Top Albums charts, and “Stronger” is #2 on the iTunes Top Song charts. 50’s “Ayo Technology” is currently at #9. Sit on that!
So, now it’s time to pick a side. Both rappers are arguably two of the best mainstream hip hop artists ever, but you can’t support them both. This is a hip hop rivalry, and you must choose a side. “How do I pick,” you ask? Well, you can always go by who has the better reconstructive surgery (was that wrong? I think that was wrong).

Me? I have a hard time deciding. I planned on getting both of these records on release day, but now I’ve realized the importance of picking a side. I choose Kanye. There’s something about 50 Cent’s delivery that aggravates me. While some have said it’s the surgery he underwent that changed the way he spoke (and he actually has said that this is what finally got him signed), I think it’s just a questionable lack of talent. He’s cool and all, but there’s simply no contest. Not only is Kanye’s production more intricate and more original, but he has more to say. He has important things to say. And even when he doesn’t, he still says them well.I guess it’s all a matter of taste. If you choose 50, Kanye is going to stop reading off the teleprompter and bad mouth you on national TV. If you choose Kanye, 50 Cent is going to shoot you in the face. The choice is yours.