During what was already a tense night for New York Knicks fans, an unexpected courtside moment between two of hip-hop’s most outspoken figures turned even more heads.
50 Cent and Joe Budden crossed paths during what appeared to be a chance encounter while attending the second game of the Knicks’ first-round playoff series against the Detroit Pistons, with the pair spotted having a seemingly serious exchange with one another.
At one point during the game, Fif, who was sitting courtside next to fellow Knicks diehard, rapper Fat Joe, was seen chatting with Budden, who was sitting in the row behind him.
Rapper 50 Cent and Fat Joe are seen at the game between the Detroit Pistons and the New York Knicks in Game Two of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 21, 2025 in New York City.
Al Bello/Getty Images
According to Fif, who posted a photo of himself and Budden supposedly taken after the exchange on social media, the conversation was apparently about previous comments Budden made regarding his mental state.
He also inferred that Joe had either apologized or retracted his declaration that the G-Unit mogul “needed therapy” following his controversial remarks in the wake of Irv Gotti’s passing earlier this year.
“I ran into Joe at the game he said I don’t need Therapy No More!” 50 wrote in the caption, a quote that, along with the accompanying confused emoji, expressed his apparent befuddlement over Budden’s alleged change of heart.
Joe Budden speaks onstage during day 2 of REVOLT Summit x AT&T Summit on September 13, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Earlier this year, Budden publicly stated that the G-Unit mogul “needed therapy” following 50 Cent’s controversial remarks in the wake of Irv Gotti’s passing, an assertion that the Get Rich or Die Tryin’ rapper didnt’ take too kindly to.
The Murder Inc. Records co-founder, a longtime adversary of 50, died earlier in the year, and 50’s reaction sparked heated discussion across the internet. Budden, on his podcast, commented that the rapper’s response was telling, prompting speculation of lingering unresolved issues.
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson at the season 4 premiere of “Power Book II: Ghost” held at The Hammerstein Ballroom on June 6, 2024 in New York City.
John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images
The Knicks, despite the star-studded crowd, fell short against the Detroit Pistons, losing Game 2 in a close 100-94 effort in front of a disappointed home audience.
As for 50 and Budden, the true nature of their brief courtside chat remains ambiguous—but in classic 50 Cent fashion, the moment quickly became part of a larger narrative only he could craft.
See 50 Cent’s Instagram post below.
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