50 Cent and Omari Hardwick seem to have fallen out over Hardwick’s recent comments about his pay on the show. During a recent interview on The Breakfast Club, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson addressed Hardwick’s grievances, suggesting the actor “overvalues” himself, citing his lack of high-profile projects since Power ended in 2020.
“I think he overvalues himself,” 50 Cent said. “Because…it’s been a long time since he’s been in Power; why are we not excited about the new projects?” He pointed to the quiet reception around Hardwick’s post-Power career as a signal that Hardwick’s star power may not have been as influential as he thinks. Host Charlamagne Tha God echoed this, admitting he was unaware of any new projects involving Hardwick.
When asked if they’re still on good terms, 50 didn’t hesitate to say, “No, because you leave it like it’s me not giving you the money.” His remarks reference Hardwick’s 2022 appearance on The Pivot podcast, where Hardwick revealed he was paid $150,000 per episode on Power and believed he deserved more, particularly as “the face of the network.” Hardwick added that he had even borrowed money from 50 Cent during the summers to support his family, emphasizing he repaid the debt but felt under-compensated for his role.
Though Hardwick clarified that he largely blamed STARZ for the pay discrepancy, 50 Cent took offense to the suggestion he could have done more. “If you’re saying, ‘Courtney [Kemp] and 50 know,’ they don’t know who the f**k Courtney is; I introduce people to her,” 50 said, defending his role in advocating for fair pay for others, including Mary J. Blige, who he claimed was “paid a lot of money on the show.”
The fallout sheds light on the underlying tensions between creative talent and networks over pay and recognition, with 50 Cent positioning himself as an advocate for fair compensation for those he champions, while Hardwick continues to emphasize what he feels was a pay gap for the show’s lead.
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