14 DAY TRIAL // He might look like a pop star, but Zayn Malik, aka one fifth of One Direction until earlier this year, when he decided to leave the band to live life as a “normal” 22-year-old, believes he can cut it as a rapper too. He’s even enlisted 50 Cent to help him out.
According to a report in the Daily Mirror, Zayn and Fiddy have already discussed the possibility of his leaving Simon Cowell’s SyCo label to come over to the US and be signed to the rapper’s label. They are supposed to meet next month to talk about it face to face, and see if Zayn’s plans to relaunch himself as a rapper actually have any legs.
“I want it to happen,” 50 Cent is quoted as saying. “I can make him a lot of money and he can make me a lot of money. The point I am making is he needs to be working with the right producers, artists, and people in the genre. Some of the pop star rappers are a little cringe, and he doesn’t want that.”
The rumor comes on the heels of another one claiming Zayn is banned by contract from releasing any solo material for 2 more years from now on. Even assuming that’s true, there’s probably nothing stopping him from testing the waters and doing some promo work to put his name out there, if he decides the endeavor could be a successful one.
This would also explain why he’s still with SyCo, the label he and his former One Direction mates were signed to after their 2010 stint on The X Factor, which also helped them get together in this format.
While Zayn is reportedly trying to reinvent himself as a rapper, One Direction continues as a 4-piece.