Hi-Tek on 50′s “Surrounded by Hoes” (remake of “Round and Round,” by Hi-Tek featuring Jonell):
At the time, I was familiar with 50 Cent and I knew he was a controversial artist. When I heard Eminem had signed him, I knew it was gon’ be some shit. I was a little late on the mixtape, though. People were telling me like, “Yo, 50 rappin’ on your beat.” And then, also, as a matter of fact, he gave me a little shout out—a little shout out slash a little stab, a little bit, to me and Kweli ’cause we rapped on “The Blast,” if I’m not mistaken. I forgot what he said. He was just saying he wasn’t me or Kweli. It wasn’t no diss, but he was just, you know and I took it as a compliment and respect musically ’cause I felt like 50, melodically, he love those same type of beats that I make.

That’s how I feel like we ended up working in the future, because it was like our styles complimented each other. He liked the melodic, hard melodic beats and that’s just exactly what I did with the “Round and Round” beat and “The Blast.” Like I said, I was a little late at the time. I really wasn’t big on listening to mixtapes like that. I listened to mixtapes back in the day like Doo Wop and Rob G and Kid Capri and all of them, Tony Touch. But a little later, I really wasn’t into like that, but people told me that he had rocked on the beat and man, I was hype. And we actually got a chance to get on stage with him one time when he was doing his promo run for Get Rich or Die Tryin’. He came to Cincinnati and he performed the joint. He performed both the joints, actually.

“Round and Round”

“Surrounded By Hoes”