50 Cent, Kanye West feud 'is fake'

50 Cent and Kanye West's high-profile feud is a sham, hip-hop star Reverend Run has claimed.

The rappers exchanged harsh words in the press when their albums went head-to-head in September last year, but Rev - real name Joseph Simmons - has suggested that their war was not genuine.

"They are not really fighting. They are friends," he insisted. "That was just a publicity thing for their albums. I think they are really close and nice to each other. That was just a first week sales battle."

50 sparked the battle in August 2007 when he threatened to quit music if his Curtis album was outsold by West's Graduation.

West was set to compete with his rival again by releasing his new disc 808s & Heartbreak in the same week of December as 50's Before I Self Destruct, but he recently moved the date forward by a month.