American rapper, actor, and businessman, 50 Cent, took the world by storm when he dropped his anticipated debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin’ in February 2003. Executive produced by Dr. Dre and Eminem, this project gave us classic singles like, “In da Club”, “P.I.M.P.”, “Many Men (Wish Death)” and the infamous storytelling love ballad “21 Questions” feat. Nate Dogg, a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit that almost didn’t make the final cut.
In a recent interview on Big Boy’s Neighborhood, the Queens native admitted that Dr. Dre didn’t want the standout track on the album. He quoted Dr. Dre saying, “I don’t know why you want it.” “I’m like, damn, I gotta do all these mutha****** pushups…I want the girls to like me.” said 50 with a laughing tone.
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In 2005, 50 recalled how Dre didn’t understand how the track would fit his gangster image but emphasized it’s the representation of who he was as a young boy. “How you going to be gangsta this and that and then put this sappy love song on?” said 50 of Dr. Dre. He replied, saying, “I told him [Dre], ‘I’m two people. I’ve always had to be two people since I was a kid, to get by…it’s necessity.”
Produced by “Dirty Swift,” “21 Questions” topped the Hot 100 chart for four weeks and stayed there for 23 weeks. It’s safe to say that 50 was right on the money with the love song that would aid in him maintaining a duality and commercial appeal for over a decade of his career.
Check out the full interview with Big Boy and 50 below!