Near Miss: 10 Almost Signings

Imagine these insane alternate rap realities.

Near Miss: 10 Almost Signings - It's hard to imagine Kanye without a Roc-A-Fella chain—Jay-Z has been an integral part of his career for more than a decade. But in a recent interview with VladTV, former Cash Money producer Mannie Fresh said that Yeezy came to the New Orleans label looking for a deal. While you imagine a crazy alternate universe where Kanye was a member of the Big Tymers, read on to check out 10 other "almost" signings. —Alex Gale(Photos from left: FameFlynet, Inc, Mark Davis/Getty Images for BET)

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Near Miss: 10 Almost Signings - It's hard to imagine Kanye without a Roc-A-Fella chain—Jay-Z has been an integral part of his career for more than a decade. But in a recent interview with VladTV, former Cash Money producer Mannie Fresh said that Yeezy came to the New Orleans label looking for a deal. While you imagine a crazy alternate universe where Kanye was a member of the Big Tymers, read on to check out 10 other "almost" signings. —Alex Gale(Photos from left: FameFlynet, Inc, Mark Davis/Getty Images for BET)

50 Cent and Bad Boy - Soon after he was shot nine times in 2000, 50 Cent had a meeting with Diddy to discuss writing for him and possibly even signing to Bad Boy at some point. However, when Puff, who was dealing with his own Club New York shooting case at the time, saw that a paranoid 50 was carrying a Mac-10, he reportedly backed off.(Photos: Scott Gries/Getty Images)

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50 Cent and Bad Boy - Soon after he was shot nine times in 2000, 50 Cent had a meeting with Diddy to discuss writing for him and possibly even signing to Bad Boy at some point. However, when Puff, who was dealing with his own Club New York shooting case at the time, saw that a paranoid 50 was carrying a Mac-10, he reportedly backed off.(Photos: Scott Gries/Getty Images)

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Lil Wayne and Def Jam - Back in 2004, there were persistent rumors that Lil Wayne, whose contract with Cash Money was expiring, was going to sign with Def Jam, where his then idol Jay-Z had been named president. Instead, as we all know, Weezy stayed loyal to his adoptive father Baby and signed with Cash Money, enticed partly by his own label deal, which resulted in the creation of Young Money.(Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

"What a Shame" Featuring French Montana - French Montana joins Rozay once more, this time borrowing inspiration for his hook from Camp Lo's "Luchini AKA This Is It." Meanwhile, Ross gets lyrically gully, with lines like "Pull a pistol, bang on a n---a."(Photo: Christopher Polk/Getty Images For BET)

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French Montana and Maybach Music Group - When French Montana signed with Bad Boy in 2011, he revealed in an interview that Rick Ross's Maybach Music Group was his second choice. "I love MMG. If I wasn't going with Bad Boy, I definitely would have gone with MMG," French explained. "That's why I had to make Ross executive producer on my album. Me and him got the same vibe. He's definitely been involved with everything I've been doing, giving me some good advice, and helping me out. You always need a mentor."(Photo: Christopher Polk/Getty Images For BET)

Fabolous and G-Unit - In an appearance on Power 105's "Breakfast Club" morning show, Fabolous said that 50 Cent tried to sign him to G-Unit at one point. “I remember one time 50 was offering me different things to come and be a part of G-Unit. I didn’t really do it... I didn’t know if I wanted to be up under something.”(Photos from left: John Ricard / BET, Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

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Fabolous and G-Unit - In an appearance on Power 105's "Breakfast Club" morning show, Fabolous said that 50 Cent tried to sign him to G-Unit at one point. “I remember one time 50 was offering me different things to come and be a part of G-Unit. I didn’t really do it... I didn’t know if I wanted to be up under something.”(Photos from left: John Ricard / BET, Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

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Mystikal and G-Unit - Mystikal was almost a G-Unit soldier under 50 Cent before he signed with hometown label Cash Money. “We were having conversations,” he said in an interview. “It was close. I was still incarcerated at that time. I had to go with my move. I had to go with something that’s relevant, and that’s going to be effective. (Photos from left: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BET, Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

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Mystikal and G-Unit - Mystikal was almost a G-Unit soldier under 50 Cent before he signed with hometown label Cash Money. “We were having conversations,” he said in an interview. “It was close. I was still incarcerated at that time. I had to go with my move. I had to go with something that’s relevant, and that’s going to be effective. (Photos from left: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BET, Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

Twista and G.O.O.D. Music - Last year, veteran Chicago rapper Twista revealed that he came close to signing to Kanye’s G.O.O.D. Music imprint. "I actually wanted to [sign] at one point, Twista recalls. "But I don't know what type of vibe Kanye had with me at that time. I mentioned that I would be getting out of my [Atlantic Records] contract and wondered if he wanted to jump down. But I don't know, I guess it wasn't a good idea for him at the time. He should've done it.”  (Photos from left: DLM Press, PacificCoastNews.com, Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

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Twista and G.O.O.D. Music - Last year, veteran Chicago rapper Twista revealed that he came close to signing to Kanye’s G.O.O.D. Music imprint. "I actually wanted to [sign] at one point, Twista recalls. "But I don't know what type of vibe Kanye had with me at that time. I mentioned that I would be getting out of my [Atlantic Records] contract and wondered if he wanted to jump down. But I don't know, I guess it wasn't a good idea for him at the time. He should've done it.” (Photos from left: DLM Press, PacificCoastNews.com, Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Young Buck and Cash Money - Young Buck was first signed to Cash Money back in 1995, but moved on to G Unit around 2003. In 2011, after having a fall-out with 50, he attempted to return to his original label home, but 50 reportedly refused to release him.   (Photos from left: Ethan Miller/Getty Images, John Ricard / BET)

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Young Buck and Cash Money - Young Buck was first signed to Cash Money back in 1995, but moved on to G Unit around 2003. In 2011, after having a fall-out with 50, he attempted to return to his original label home, but 50 reportedly refused to release him. (Photos from left: Ethan Miller/Getty Images, John Ricard / BET)

Throwback - 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg look like they are having a blast onstage while performing endless hits for fans on the last day of the 2012 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Field in Indio, California.   (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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Snoop Dogg and G-Unit - G-Unit cap DJ Whoo Kid said that Snoop Dogg once almost signed a joint venture with 50’s label. “It was kinda close; it wasn’t like he was gonna sign, he was gonna have like a joint deal,” Whoo Kid said in an interview. “During those days, he had joint deals with everybody – he had one with Master P…he was signed to everybody. But he wanted a G-Unit connection. He wanted to be, like, Dogg Pound/G-Unit.” (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Coachella)

Wale @walemgg - With rumors circulating about a new Jay-Z album in the works, here we catch Hov in the stu with another gifted rapper, Wale. (Photo: Instagram via Wale)

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Wale and Def Jam - In an interview on BET’s Monique Show in 2010, Wale revealed that he nearly inked with Def Jam. “I met Jay-Z three years ago when he was at Def Jam," Wale explained. "I almost had a situation there, but he left.” Wale signed with Allido and Interscope instead, before moving on to Maybach Music Group.(Photo: Instagram via Wale)

Master P and Tupac - Master P says Tupac almost enrolled with his No Limit army. “To be honest with you, at one time, I was thinking about signing Tupac,” Master P revealed in an interview. “[Tupac] was liking the movement of what we was doing, but we wasn’t fully there yet.”(Photos from left: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images, Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

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Master P and Tupac - Master P says Tupac almost enrolled with his No Limit army. “To be honest with you, at one time, I was thinking about signing Tupac,” Master P revealed in an interview. “[Tupac] was liking the movement of what we was doing, but we wasn’t fully there yet.”(Photos from left: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images, Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)