Eminem reportedly rejected $9 million joint Qatar World Cup performance with 50 Cent

Rapper 50 Cent has revealed Eminem turned down a massive offer worth $9 million for the pair to perform at the Qatar World Cup.

The ‘Candy Shop’ rapper, real name Curtis Jackson, explained on Real 92.3’s Big Boy Neighbourhood show that he was approached to perform alongside his friend and long time collaborator, but Eminem was not interested from the start, People reported.

50 Cent said: “Because of the Super Bowl, I got an inquiry about World Cup and they had a budget of $9 million.

“I would’ve taken one [million] and then the other eight would have been for him,” he continued.

50 explained that there was potentially some interest on his side, but after speaking to Eminem’s team, it was clear that the show wasn’t going to happen.

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“They’re like: ‘He’s not gonna do it,’” 50 Cent said. “If you would do a one-off show, maybe you would do the biggest live sporting event in the world.”

No hints were given into the reasons why Eminem was against performing at the football mega-event.

Qatar had faced a number of controversies as the host country of the World cup, including the treatment and reported deaths of migrant workers, as well as its record on LGBTQ+ rights.

Same-sex sexual activity is forbidden in the country, which can be punished by prison time. One official called homosexuality “damage in the mind” before the tournament kicked off.

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Dua Lipa was rumoured to be performing at the tournament’s opening ceremony, with the pop sensation denying the speculation.

Quoted by NME, in an Instagram post she wrote: “There is currently a lot of speculation that I will be performing at the opening ceremony of the world cup in Qatar.

“I will not be performing and nor have I ever been involved in any negotiation to perform,” she continued.

“I will be cheering England on from afar and I look forward to visiting Qatar when it has fulfilled all the human rights pledges it made when it won the right to host the World Cup.”

Isaac Muk is Mixmag’s Digital Intern, follow him on Twitter