The track “New Day” by 50 Cent, featuring Alicia Keys and Dr. Dre, has a deeper backstory than most fans realize. Originally created for Dr. Dre’s long-delayed (and ultimately scrapped) Detox album, the song found new life as a single for 50 Cent’s shelved project, Street King Immortal.
Released in 2012, the track was produced by Dr. Dre and Swizz Beatz, with Eminem handling the mix. Dre’s verse was ghostwritten by none other than Royce Da 5’9”.
From Detox to Street King Immortal
In an interview with Complex, 50 Cent explained how the song came to be:
“Dr. Dre originally produced ‘New Day’ for Detox and sent it with a chorus written by Ester Dean. Then he sent it to Alicia Keys, who re-wrote the hook and sent it back. Because she sat on the production for so long, Swizz Beatz re-produced it from scratch, and they released it. That’s why you heard Alicia’s full version before 50 Cent’s version even dropped.”
Indeed, Alicia Keys released a solo version of “New Day” before 50’s version hit streaming services, creating some initial confusion for fans.
50 Cent’s Shoutout to Em and Dre
One of the most powerful lines in the track comes from 50 himself:
“I got to win, Em watch and Dre watch and my son watching, F**k that, losing ain’t an option.”
In a Genius video annotation, 50 breaks down that line, explaining the personal and professional pressure he feels from the people closest to him — including Eminem, Dr. Dre, and his own son.
