Rapper 50 Cent agrees his lyrics are misogynistic but says he should be free to express himself

The rapper argued that he shouldn't be limited by others' opinions of his lyrics. Photo / Getty Images

50 Cent thinks his lyrics are misogynistic.

The 44-year-old rap star agrees with the view that his music is prejudiced against women - but he also thinks that, like any artist, he should be free to express himself.

He explained: "They are misogynistic, but the world is not under the same circumstances.

"Are you going to tell a painter what to paint? I'm an artist. Why am I limited to what you feel should be said?

"In film and television, they will show art imitates life. Are you not aware of those situations taking place?"

50's controversial lyrics led him towards a high-profile feud with Oprah Winfrey.

The celebrity duo have subsequently settled their differences, but the rapper believes Oprah, 66, was once "completely against everything" he represented.

He told the Guardian newspaper: "She was completely against everything that was in my music.

"So she ain't never going to have me on that show. I'm never going to reach that platform, which is confirmation of you being a huge success. So I just said, 'OK, if we can't be friends, then at least let's be enemies'."

50 - whose real name is Curtis Jackson - also explained that the inspiration for his raps comes from his own real-life experiences.

The 21 Questions hitmaker initially rapped about his time on the streets of New York City and his subsequent meteoric rise in the music industry.

50 - who sold drugs for a living before becoming a global hip hop star - explained: "The truth is, all things come from your experience.

"Like, I got shot nine times and I wrote music about it. Everyone writes something that can connect in a big way based on a painful moment, so you're saying we're not supposed to articulate or write it the way we experienced?"