Idolator

Well, Kanye West has already backed out of the proposed/rumored "debate" with 50 Cent on 106 & Park, despite the high potential for hilarity among everyone involved. (C'mon, it's already given us one of Curtis' best braindead koans in ages: "I accept the challenge. Kanye, he's not going to want to show up. Just don't be asking me if I am a conscious rapper. I know exactly what I am saying—so I am conscious." That's almost as good as when Common was on the 106 & P countdown the other day talking about how hip-hop needed an infusion of originality and Rosci offered Yung Joc's "Coffee Shop" as an example of thinking outside the box. Because it's using coffee puns to mask references to selling crack. Get it?) Kanye explained his reasoning on MTV yesterday:

"I don't have beef with anyone," West said on MTV's TRL today, in response to a question by a reporter from the Associated Press. "What am I going to debate about? I'm going to go in the studio and make music. When I heard the thing about the debate, I thought that was the stupidest thing."

While it's probably reasonable (if uncharacteristic) that Kanye wishes to avoid making a fool of himself/bringing himself down to 50's level—unless he's saving up his monthly embarassing outburst for the VMA's—it's a lose/lose situation, like walking away from the pipsqueak who threatened to beat you up for your milk money instead of whupping his ass. Now we're probably going to have to listen to this mental midget gloat about how Kanye didn't have the cojones to step up to the podium. You're only encouraging him!

Kanye Shoots Down Debate With 50 Cent [CBS News]