By L.D.Williams Jr.

DJ Whoo Kid is a name that is synonymous with G-Unit Records. The man that is referred to as the Haitian Barry White has been the official DJ of G-Unit Records since its inception.  Whoo Kid also worked with 50 Cent and G-Unit on several seminal mixtapes like: 50 cent is the Future, No mercy, No Fear and God's Plan. As G-Unit mania swept the nation in 2003, DJ Whoo Kid continued to release top tier mixtapes that usually featured some exclusive G-Unit material. His consistent quality on the mixtape scene was recognized when he was named Mixtape DJ of the Year in 2004 at the prestigious Justos Mixtape Awards.

After a fruitful association with G-Unit and a successful run in the spotlight Whoo Kid is planning the next phase of his career retirement. Working in the music industry can be a time and energy consuming process; the numerous appearances, hectic road schedule, and tireless work load are all factors in Whoo Kid's decision to retire. Whoo Kid elaborated when he spoke to Baller Status he said "It's a lot of work. I can't do it. I'm very tired [and] I'm not trying to be an old DJ wearing a chain with a tight shirt".

In addition to the heavy work load and the cumulative emotional and psychological impact Whoo Kid also cited shady business people, questionable business practices as well as his desire to leave the music industry on his own terms as part of the reason to leave the hip hop world. "I can't take it anymore. Hip-hop is a violent, ruthless business. When you're popping, they have ways of deading you. I just want to be the one to dead my career."  Whoo Kid is so vehement about leaving the world of hip hop that he revealed his plans to leave the United States for Thailand.

Whoo Kid's last contribution to the mixtape world will be the second installment of the This is 50 series Elephant in the Sand.
D Whoo Kid's retirement from hip hop does not mean he will stop working or go on a hiatus. He will still be able to be heard on his radio show on SHADE 45. He will also work on several business ventures in television, marketing and radio through his company Shadyville Entertainment. He also owns a magazine called POW!
 

DJ Whoo Kid is not the only one in the world of hip hop that has a G-Unit pedigree that has his designs on retirement.

Compton bred rapper and former G Unit affiliate Game has designs on hanging up the microphone. It seems just like yesterday that Game was introduced to the world when he appeared in the "Certified Gangstas" video with Jim Jones. He then went on to release his first single "This Is How We Do" which would serve as the lead single to one of the most successful albums of 2005 his debut The Documentary. In the midst of all of his success he also managed to feud with almost of the whole hip-hop world including his G-Unit brethren which resulted in his ouster from one of hip hop's most elite cliques. His exit from G-Unit had personal and professional implications he hasn't worked with anyone in G-Unit since and he even moved from Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment to Geffen another subsidiary of Interscope Records.

Game also expanded into different forms of media and expanded his business portfolio. He appeared in the motion picture Waist Deep and he partnered with 310 Motoring to release his own shoe.
Game then went on to release his sophomore effort ironically called The Doctor's Advocate in 2006. It was ironic because the title was an obvious nod to his mentor Dr. Dre although Dr. Dre did not produce anything for the album. The album went on to sell 358,000 copies in its first week cementing The Game as a bankable artist without high profile help of Dr. Dre or 50 Cent. While cementing himself as a talent in the recording studio and as an actor he started to build his own imprint called Black Wall Street. He is currently working on finding a distribution home for his label. With his laundry list of accomplishments in such a relatively short period of time Game feels at this point that he has done enough to get his point across. Game is set so strongly in his stance that he feels his upcoming album tentatively titled L.A.X. will be his last.
"I think three classic albums are good for me, you know?" Game said. "I got my point across. I was a prominent figure on the West Coast and a bigger figure in Hip-Hop as a whole. I think I made my impact enough for my name to be said and remembered" Game elaborated when talking about his career and legacy during the filming of QD3s BEEF IV.
The high profile feuds and high octane beefs, his vehement pursuit of a distribution home, and his latest legal issues (Game was recently sentenced to 60 days in jail after pleading no contest to felony weapons charges) may all serve as an impetus to relax and change his lifestyle hence his pending move to retire as an active hip hop artist.
Whether it is the feuds, pending business moves, or wanting to change his lifestyle one thing is certain he isn't the only artist who plans to have a three album discography.

Chicago native Lupe Fiasco plans to hang it up after his third album tentatively titled LUP END.
Lupe Fiasco made a quick profound impact. His single Kick Push was one of the most unique singles to penetrate radio in 2006. His debut album, Lupe Fiasco's Food& Liquor was leaked in March and May of 2006 much to the chagrin of Fiasco "Hey shit happens. An unmixed version of Food & Liquor got leaked" Fiasco said. It's stuff like this that makes you wanna just be like, fuck it."  Fiasco said in response to his album leak two years ago. After numerous leaks and delays Fiasco's debut was finally released on September 19th, 2006.

The album was a critical success and it garnered Fiasco multiple Grammy nominations including one for Best Rap Album.
In addition to having a critically successful debut album Lupe much like several of his hip hop counterparts expanded outside of the music arena and signed with Reebok. Fiasco signed with the shoe and apparel giant as part of the O.G. marketing campaign.

In 2007 he released his sophomore effort titled Lupe Fiasco's The Cool. The album was released on December 18th, 2007 and it featured the single 'Superstar' featuring Matthew Santos. The album also sold more in the first week than his debut effort. In 2007 he also revealed plans to record with Kanye West and Pharell Williams is a group called Child Rebel Soldier.
After putting together two of the most creative albums in some time Lupe Fiasco is ready and willing to walk away. "I'm at a creative end," Fiasco told pitchforkmedia.com. The interview process, the radio process, the video process, the budget process-- that shit wears at you, tears at you. And I've been doing the music business for like eight years. And prior to that, on the underground level trying to get to a professional level, about 10-15 years. It's a heavy process and you just get to the point where you're just like, 'I don't know.' It's just like three is enough." Fiasco elaborated.

If Fiasco does decide to call it quits as an active artist he still will have plenty to do. He is the Vice President of his label 1st and 15th Entertainment. Fiasco plans to focus his time and energy into building the label that he helms. I've got Matthew Santos, who's my artist. Gemini, Sarah Green, Soundtrakk, just on a more production side. So I've got a full-fledged credible label with credible musicians on it. So I'll sit back and do that. And then I'll talk to different people and get inspired." Fiasco said in a discussion with pitchforkmedia.com regarding the nucleus of his label and his future plans.

DJ Whoo Kid, The Game and Lupe Fiasco have all made contributions to hip-hop. While they have been in hip hop (at least for public consumption) for a relatively short time each individual has decided that their time in the hip hop sun is up but is it really?

While all three men have different reasons and motivations to leave hip hop one thing remains the same all three men are not going to be to far away from the world of hip hop. While they won't be DJ's or artists anymore who is to say that they won't be inspired to come back? It is a very valid question to ask, is these pending retirements legitimate or are they catalysts for these personas to take a much needed break so there is an excuse to make a grandiose return?

Hip Hop has only recently embraced the concept of retirement. The first artist to make a public transition from hip hop artist into hip hop afterlife was Shawn 'Jay-Z' Carter.

He segued his pending retirement into several sold out concerts (including the super show at Madison Square Garden), a motion picture (Fade to Black), a goodbye album (The Black Album), and a collective farewell from industry peers, pundits, professionals, casual and die hard fans.
After Jay-Z's superhero exit he started to resurface. He would do a guest appearance here, cameo appearance there, he finished some Unfinished Business, mashed it up with Linkin Park, he wrote a letter to the summer (Do You remember Dear Summer the solo song he did on Memphis Bleek's album?), made up with his rival and guess what happened in November of 2006? A 'comeback' album! A 'comeback' album, when did he ever leave? There is nothing wrong with Jay-Z 'retiring' and then 'coming back' that is his prerogative however it does legitimize the interrogative of how real retirement in hip hop is. The use of retirement in hip hop is so easy even artists with no album can use the word retirement to illicit a reaction.

The variable in the rookie retirement experiment would be New York native Saigon. Saigon is one of the most talented men in hip hop. He has produced several critically acclaimed mixtapes and his affiliation with Just Blaze and his Fort Knox Entertainment label are legitimate causes for fan anticipation. With that being said he has yet to release a studio album. The Greatest Story Never Told has been the subject of a lot of different release date rumors while they have all been gossip one thing has remained consistent; the album has never hit stores.
The fact that Saigon has never released a major album did not stop him from posting a blog on his Myspace page titled "I Quit". Some key excerpts of the blog included sentiments like:

. "You see I got into rap a very very long time ago, I didn't do it to become rich, I didn't do it to become famous, I did it because it was a way for me to vent about the bad things that were happening around me, It was therapy for me so to speak"

. I've realized now that so many people have gotten into Hip Hop, whether the business aspect or otherwise, its not really for me anymore

. First of all, people need to know that I am a controversial person period, before I ever was in a magazine, on T.V. in a studio, I was very very deep in the street shit.Controversy has always followed me, Its unfortunate but it is what it is.Its my life.I dont try to start shit to cause controversy, its the Media, the press and yall who eat off controversy who start the shit, try to make me look wild or out of control when I'm just being myself..

. I'm done.No more interviews, no more mixtapes, no nothing..I'm not a rapper anymore, I'm done.. I'm back to being regular me.This shit is too fake for me, I found myself getting caught up in the bullshit but now Ill gladly walk away.

. ..I don't give a fuck if nobody ever does a story on me again. I don't rap anymore, I don't need it anymore.

. THE GREATEST STORY NEVER TOLD=Prophecy..

On December 19th, 2007, exactly one month after the infamous "I Quit" blog Saigon had a new blog called 'It Feels Good' Saigon changed his stance from THE GREATEST STORY NEVER TOLD=Prophecy.. to THE GREATEST STORY NEVER TOLD.........................WATCH " in a mere 30 days. Saigon has the unique distinction of having gone through a whole career cycle of love, anticipation, feud, hate and retirement without an actual release date!

While it is difficult to cite the motivation of each of these men decisions to retire (or at least consider to retire) one this is certain each of these men want control over their time under the bright lights. While some performers stand under the lights until the bulb burns out or they are pushed off the stage these men have foresight and are more than willing to turn the light off and walk away when they are ready, just don't be surprised if they decide to come back and turn the light on for one more encore.