T.I. reignites his feud with 50 Cent, challenging him to a Verzuz battle as tensions rise over Southern hip-hop dominance.
- February 15, 2026
AceShowbiz - Gilbert Flores/Penske Media
On February 10, hip-hop historian Nuface shared a resurfaced 2020 video on Instagram featuring T.I. on a phone call with comedian Kevin Hart. In the clip, T.I. urged Hart to convince 50 Cent to battle him in Verzuz, confidently asserting his dominance in Southern hip-hop.
“I’m the king below the Mason-Dixon line,” T.I. declared. “King of the South. I speak for all of the Southern people. New York been saying s–t under they breath bout us and having little bulls–t, slick a— comments bout us, thinking it’s all slow down here. But they wanna come down here and go to our malls and go to our clubs, but then they wanna kick it like we substandard … Well, that s–t stops right now.”
Shortly after this clip went viral, 50 Cent responded in the comments by labeling T.I. as “King Rat.” The Atlanta rapper fired back swiftly, accusing 50 of being “a rat in real life” and announcing he had lost all respect for the Queens rapper.
“You playing on MY NAME when only one of us a rat in real life…you know I got your paperwork right? And my transcript is available online,” T.I. wrote. “Your excuses is useless. Get yo h— a— in the box or STFU and live in fear. You soft son. You’ve lost my respect. Fckn [duck emoji].”
This feud reignited after T.I. brought up the Verzuz topic again during a recent appearance on Nightcap with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Ochocinco, where he accused 50 of avoiding the confrontation. “He don’t want no smoke, though. I called my man out, he don’t want no smoke,” T.I. said in a clip posted on February 8.
Known for his sharp trolling, 50 Cent responded by posting a 2010 Crime Stoppers ad featuring T.I. on Instagram on February 5, telling him to keep his name out of his mouth. “I know Atlanta pick and choose who they support, but yall gotta do better,” 50 wrote. “LOL keep my name out ya mouth!”
The rapper didn’t stop there, later posting a clip on February 7 of T.I. allegedly testifying in a 2006 murder case involving his assistant Philant Johnson in Cincinnati. “No, no, I don’t like it,” 50 joked. “No verses let’s do (The stay away challenge) and stay away from me. LOL.”
The public dispute continues to build tension between these two hip-hop heavyweights, with T.I. eager to settle the score in Verzuz and 50 Cent seemingly uninterested in engaging.
