Key Takeaways
- 50 Cent now owns the rights to the film Paid in Full and is producing a TV series adaptation.
- Cam’ron confirmed that he’s executive producing the series’ creation in a social media post.
- Dame Dash, who co-produced the original film, publicly criticized Cam’ron for collaborating with 50 Cent.
On Monday (Sept. 8), 50 Cent revealed that he is turning the 2002 cult classic Paid in Full into a premium television series. In an Instagram post, he confirmed that he now owns the rights to the Harlem crime drama. “If you like ‘Godfather of Harlem,’ you’re gonna love this,” he wrote. He added that Cam’ron will be executive producing the project alongside him. “If you want in, get at him. I’m out of the country,” 50 quipped.
Cam’ron, who starred as Rico in the original film, responded a couple of hours later with his own statement of excitement: “So, we’ve been talking about this for a few months now, and it’s almost time. Thanks 50 Cent for the opportunity, my n**ga. We’re gonna burn this s**t down!”
The legacy of Paid in Full and its real-life Harlem inspiration
Paid in Full was directed by Charles Stone III and produced by Roc-A-Fella Films. The movie — which also starred Wood Harris and Mekhi Phifer as Ace and Mitch, respectively — was loosely based on the lives of Harlem drug figures Azie Faison, Rich Porter, and Alpo Martinez.
Faison (whom Ace was based on) rose to prominence as a major cocaine wholesaler in the 1980s before surviving a near-fatal robbery in 1987 that ended his reign. Porter (connected to Phifer’s Mitch) was known for his flashy lifestyle but was murdered in 1990, the same year his younger brother was kidnapped and killed in a separate tragedy tied to their family. Fictionalized as Rico in the film, Martinez worked alongside both men and was convicted of multiple murders, including Porter’s, before cooperating with federal authorities. He was released in 2015 but was shot and killed in Harlem in 2021.
The relationships between Cam’ron, 50 Cent, and Dame Dash
Cam’ron’s portrayal of Rico in Paid in Full brought both acclaim and real-life consequences. In 2005, he was shot in Washington, D.C., years after filming a line that disparaged the city’s hustlers. In a “Talk With Flee” episode, the Dipset frontman spoke on how reluctant he was to perform that scene and the dangers that followed (below, about 38 minutes in).
The Harlem rapper also has a long history with 50 Cent. Their feud began in 2007 after a heated radio exchange, escalating with diss tracks like Cam’s “Curtis” and 50’s “Funeral Music.” The two later made peace in 2017, though tensions briefly resurfaced after 50 mocked Dipset’s 2021 Verzuz performance. They ultimately reconciled again in 2024, even sharing a stage in Las Vegas.
Dame Dash, one of the main producers behind Paid in Full, weighed in on 50 and Cam’s new partnership with a critical response. In an Instagram video, Dash said, “I want to congratulate him for making 50 his new boss. So, congratulations, Cam, 50 is now your new boss, and you’re proud of it.” Notably, the former collaborators have been engaged in verbal conflict over the past week: Cam called Dash “emotional” and posted a series of social media clips mocking the Roc-A-Fella co-founder, including moments from Dash’s own television appearances.