50 Cent launches anti-Diddy petition on Twitter

Wonderwall, Monday, July 12, 2010, 7:22am (PDT)

By Jen Odell

In the years since Biggie Smalls' 1997 drive-by shooting murder, his former collaborator Sean Combs has drawn heavy criticism from the hip-hop community for seeming to exploit Biggie's memory and music for his own gain.

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Now, hip-hop fans who want Diddy to quit using Biggie's samples and lyrics in his music can voice their opinions by signing a petition on Twitter called "R.I.P. B.I.G. — Stop @iamDiddy," launched by another New York native, 50 Cent.

"Enough is enough,” 50 writes in the Twitter petition, hosted on his affiliate site BooBooTV. “Biggie's name should never have become Diddy's Black Card. Just check out his latest video 'The Ghost of Christopher Wallace.' Let Diddy know to let B.I.G. rest in peace."

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Access Hollywood reports that the petition was started because Diddy recently signed 50's longtime rival Rick Ross to the Bad Boy Records hip-hop group The Dream Team. But 50's criticism of Diddy goes back even further. In 2006, 50 Cent released a mixtape called "Hip Hop" in which he attacked the Bad Boy CEO for being too cowardly to find Biggie's killer.

And a few weeks ago, the rappers engaged in a name-calling match that started when Diddy's nasty comments about haters on a BET post-awards special were reportedly directed at 50, who proceeded to dis Diddy in subsequent interviews and appearances, according to one Vibe blogger.

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Diddy, whose first big solo hit was the 1997 tribute to his slain friend Biggie, "I'll Be Missing You," also reported angered 50 Cent and Fat Joe when he compared Ross' rhyming skills to the late Biggie's. (He later clarified that "there can only be one ... B.I.G.," according to the hip-hop news site, SOHH.com.)

"When was the last time Diddy really was 'biggin up his brother,'” 50 demands in the petition, which had drawn 1400 signatures as of Monday, "not biggin up his bank?"