When an artist falls off musically the best way for them to stay relevant is with controversial statements, sex-tapes, or disses.
A rapper is washed-up when the fans pay more attention to their interviews and Tweets more than they do the actual music.
Munkee-see-Munkee-do.....if other rappers are getting buzz by signing the XXL freshman then a Munkee will start signing artists all of a sudden.
If other rappers are getting paid selling Headphones then its okay to step on their toes and sell your brand of headphones because Munkee-see-Munkee-do.
If the South has a heavy "buzz" and if you want to repair your damaged image in the South in order to sell a few more copies of your upcoming album in the South then you might want to bamboozle the guppies by doing a partnership with Shawty Lo to supposedly scoop up Southern artists while artists from your own city cant even get put on and Southern artists outnumbering NY artists 25 to 1. in terms of visibility and airplay.
Its all one big publicity stunt to make it appear that G-Unit isnt a crumbling label and a graveyard for up-and coming artists.