LeBron James Urges 50 Cent to Re-Release ‘Power of the Dollar’ Album

LeBron James isn't just up on current projects that he's enlisted to A&R—he also knows some real deep cuts when it comes to music, and one of 50 Cent's oldest projects apparently ranks high on his list.

In a comment underneath a throwback picture 50 posted of himself and Nas on Instagram on Thursday (April 18), LeBron went a little off topic with a request.

"Re release 'Power of A Dollar"! Straight flames!!!!" the Lakers star wrote, referring to 50's never-officially-released but heavily bootlegged 2000 album, Power of the Dollar.

Though it was hardly a confirmation that he'd take heed to his suggestion, 50 responded to LeBron and seemed genuinely surprised he knew of the nearly 20-year-old album.

"@kingjames Damn boy you real be knowing this music shit for real," 50 wrote.

Power of the Dollar was set to be 50's Columbia Records debut in 2000, but after the Queens rapper was infamously shot nine times in April of that year, the LP ultimately got shelved two months before its release. This didn't stop bootleggers from getting their hands on the project, however, and illegal copies circulated heavy on the mixtape circuit for quite some time after.

Power of the Dollar features appearances from Destiny's Child, Noreaga, Bun B and more, with production handled by the likes of the Trackmasters, DJ Scratch and Erick Sermon.

In the streaming era, many older mixtapes are hard to access because they aren't available on the traditional apps that most people use to consume their music. Artists like Wiz Khalifa and Drake have gone ahead and re-released older classics like Kush & Orange Juice and So Far Gone, respectively, while others have left the task alone because the sample clearances alone would likely be more trouble than it's worth—especially for older mixtapes where artists freestyled over the instrumentals of songs that they didn't have the rights to.

As Power of the Dollar was an original body of work, it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility to get it released, but it's certainly not a simple feat. With LeBron pushing it, however, who knows what could happen!

Check out LeBron's comments to 50 for yourself below.

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