50 Cent Digs Jussie Smolletts Harlem Pride Performance, Sparking Old Feud
On June 29, 2026, rapper and former Power producer Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson took to Instagram to post a brief clip mocking former Empire star Jussie Smollett’s appearance at Harlem Pride’s “17 Shades of Pride” celebration. The 20‑second video shows Smollett singing on a West Harlem stage, and the caption reads: “See I told you ‘POWER’ was the s---, but no you want to watch ‘Empire.’ Now look this is all your fault. LOL.” The post instantly reignited a rivalry that has simmered between the two since the mid‑2010s.
Smollett’s performance marked his first public appearance in eight years. The actor, who portrayed Jamal Lyon on Empire from 2015 to 2019, headlined the Pride event alongside performers such as Jus10, Hibiscus, and 2AM Ricky. Hope Giselle hosted the show, which celebrated LGBTQ+ culture. While some viewers critiqued Smollett’s vocal delivery, others—most notably Queer Eye host Karamo Brown—defended his effort.
Jackson’s Instagram post is not the first time he has targeted Smollett. During the 2019 legal saga in which Smollett was accused of staging a hate‑crime attack in Chicago, 50 Cent frequently posted satirical content about the actor’s situation. The current clip references the two television series that defined their public personas: Power, which Jackson co‑created and starred in, and Empire, in which Smollett was a lead. By juxtaposing the shows, Jackson implied that Smollett’s recent return to the stage was a misguided attempt to reclaim the spotlight.
Smollett’s representatives responded with a statement urging Jackson to “focus on his own personal matters.” The statement, released through a Fox News interview, did not address the content of the Instagram video but made clear that the actor’s team was displeased with the mockery. Social media reactions were mixed; some users applauded Jackson’s “trolling” as a continuation of their long‑standing feud, while others called for a more respectful approach to the actor’s ongoing career.
The feud traces back to Smollett’s 2019 case, in which he reported a hate‑crime attack that police later determined was staged with two acquaintances. He was initially charged with filing a false police report and, after a plea agreement, was sentenced to 150 days in jail in March 2022. In December 2021, he was convicted on five counts, but the Illinois Supreme Court overturned the conviction in 2024 after confirming that he had fulfilled the plea agreement. In 2025, Smollett settled a civil lawsuit with the City of Chicago, agreeing to donate $50,000 to charity.
Despite the controversy, Smollett has continued to work in entertainment. Entertainment Weekly reports that he has appeared in a Netflix documentary about his life and competed as a contestant on the reality series Special Forces. His career has shifted from mainstream television to a mix of documentary work and reality competition.
At present, the public dispute between Jackson and Smollett remains limited to social media exchanges and brief statements from their representatives. No further legal action or official collaboration has been announced, and neither party has indicated any plans to resolve their differences.
The incident underscores how past legal controversies can resurface in public discourse when former rivals re‑engage on the cultural stage. For both Jackson and Smollett, the exchange highlights the enduring impact of their earlier television careers and the ongoing scrutiny that accompanies public figures with controversial histories.
