50 Cent has revealed that his hit 2003 single “Magic Stick” was originally supposed to feature Trina instead of Lil’ Kim.

During an interview on Apple Music about his classic debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin’, the 48-year-old said that he created “Magic Stick” with Trina in mind, but that after sending her the song, she returned a “f**ked up” version of the record.

“[‘Magic Stick’] was written for Get Rich or Die Tryin’,” Fif explained. “And then it didn’t make it. I wrote that record intentionally to work with Trina. I sent it to Trina. They f**ked up the record, they sent it back. F**ked up. They had the lyrics and everything on it and they messed it up.”

Trina performs onstage during day 3 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on July 02, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
While Trina’s alleged lackluster performance threatened to jeopardize the release of “Magic Stick,” then-Atlantic Records A&R Gee Roberson suggested that 50 allow Lil’ Kim to replace Trina on the song. “Roberson came and got it from me, heard the record and was like, ‘Yo, I need this,” the rapper said, as the executive was working on Kim’s third studio album, La Bella Mafia, at the time. “I need this for Kim. I need it.’”

Fif noted that while La Bella Mafia‘s lead single “The Jump Off” was a good record,” it was a seeming departure from her previous material,” making “Magic Stick” a perfect fit as a follow-up. “It didn’t tap into what [The Notorious B.I.G] was doing when he designed what Kim was. ‘Magic Stick’ was spot on for her. That was the right thing.”

Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson attends WE TV’s “Hip Hop Homicides” New York Premiere at Crosby Street Hotel on November 10, 2022 in New York City.
“Magic Stick” was a massive hit upon its release, peaking atop Billboard’s airplay chart and at No. 2 on the Hot 100.

50 and Lil’ Kim would have a fallout in the midst of the song’s success, resulting in an accompanying music video never being film and years of discord between the two. Fif has taken aim at Lil’ Kim on numerous occasions over the past two decades, referencing the rap legend during a radio freestyle in 2003 and song’s such as his 2005 single “Piggy Bank.”

Kim would speak on her issues with 50 in Oct. 2005, pointing to his confrontational nature. “I can’t front. I don’t have a lot of respect for 50 Cent because his music is hardcore … violent,” she said at the time. “And I love his music sometimes, but I feel like in his personal life, his real life, he carries that on, and that’s not a great message, you know what I mean? I think he promotes it.”

She continued, adding “How can a man have beef with a woman? Whatever, that’s just not cool. If I was selling six, seven million records, I’m not mad at anyone! How can you still be angry at people, still want to come at people? You’re making money, you’re selling millions of records, you should do something with that leverage.”

Lil’ Kim performs onstage during Hip Hop 50 Live at Yankee Stadium on August 11, 2023 in New York City.
The pair recently became at odds in 2022, as 50 commented on Lil’ Kim’s rivalry with Nicki Minaj, wrongly accusing Kim of mentioning Minaj’s son in a freestyle over Megan Thee Stallion’s “Plan B” instrumental. He also compared the rap star’s physical appearance to an owl and referenced her eight-year-old daughter in an unflattering light.

Kim would clap back on social media, clarifying that the song was aimed at a former lover while chastising the G-Unit founder for bringing her daughter into the fray. “I never said a word about anyone’s child,” the hitmaker wrote. “Please feel free to listen to the song where we were clearly talking about an EX. To try and twist my words to have an excuse to take digs at my child is disgusting. I’m one of the most disrespected legends in the game but what you will not do is come for MY CHILD.”