50 Cent recently revealed an instance in which Eminem turned down the opportunity to make millions of dollars for a single live performance.
During an interview on Real 92.3’s Big Boy’s Neighborhood that aired this past weekend, Fif explained how the two were offered a total of $9 million to perform at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, but that Em ultimately balked at the deal. The rapper says their appearance during last year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show sparked the event organizers’ interest in booking the pair for a show.
“Because of the Super Bowl [halftime show performance], I got an inquiry about the World Cup,” 50 Cent recalls. “They had a budget of $9 million for it. I would have took $1 million and the other [$]8 [million] would have been for him. For a one-off…I’m saying, if you would do a one-off maybe you would do the biggest live sporting event in the world.”
However, he says that after bringing the offer to Em’s manager Paul Rosenburg’s attention, he was informed that the Detroit native had no plans of participating in the performance, regardless of the payout. “They was like, he’s not gonna do it,” Fif said of how the conversation between him and Rosenburg played out.
A near eight-figure payout isn’t the type of cash that’s usually left on the table by a rap star, but if Em’s past decisions are any indication, he’s not one to allow money to dictate his moves. He’s turned down numerous big-budget roles in major films throughout his career, including The Fast and the Furious, Rival Gangs, and Southpaw, the last of which was created specifically for him to star in.
Jake Gyllenhaal was ultimately tapped as a replacement for Em after he backed out of the film, which debuted at No. 5 at the box office and grossed $92 million worldwide.