“Fif was right
there at Proof’s
funeral, at
everything. I
mean, he was
there at my
wedding.”
—Eminem

JUST SOME OF THE COOL STUFF AT VIBE.COM RIGHT NOW:

EXCLUSIVE EXCERPTS from Jon Caramanica’s interview with Eminem and 50 Cent. YOUNG JEEZY talks music and life with Benjamin Meadows-Ingram. VIBE celebrates New Orleans with all things Crescent City. EVERYTHING you need to get your gift-giving game up. PLUS, all the music, fashion, politics, and culture shaping your world.

COVER

Photographed by Piotr Sikora. Clothing: On 50 Cent: T-shirt and jeans, both by G Unit; fitted cap by New Era; boots by Timberland. On Eminem: T-shirt by Shady Ltd.; jeans by Ecko; knit hat and sneakers, both by Nike. Styled by Mia Quinn ( 50 Cent) and Dawn Boonyachlito (Eminem). Grooming by Jo Baker at Jamb using Zeno Devise, Angel Eyes, and Biotherm Homme.

CONTENTS

PIO TR SIKORA

VFEATURES KNIGH T, NATALIE COLE, and 140 // HELL TO PAY MIKI HOWARD talk about how Virginia Beach’s CLIPSE are all 126 // FAMILY MATTERS old songs are keeping them about dope rhymes. Literally. EMINEM and 50 CENT are two young. By Amy Linden By kris ex. Photographed by of the largest artists on the Lauren Fleishman planet. And in hip hop’s beef- 138 // POWDER BURNS fueled world, they’re also YOUNG JEEZY has 146 // ILLADELPH surprisingly good friends. What been street certified and BEANIE SIGEL’S been shot gives? By Jon Caramanica commercially approved. But and CASSIDY’S done hard is it enough? By Benjamin time. Philadelphia, where is the 134 // SOME THING Meadows-Ingram. Photographed love? By Steve Volk BORROWED, SOMETHING by Lauren Fleishman BLUE (CONTINUED ON PAGE 18) Age ain’t nothing but a number—unless, of course, you’re a woman singing R&B. GLADYS