Regardless of what 50 Cent thinks, Kanye West says he’s not blinking: His album Curtis will be coming out the same day as the leader of the G-Unit.”The date, Graduation, September 11, we ain’t moving,” West said Sunday night at the Beacon Theatre, where he was waiting to perform with Lil Wayne.

Kanye West is embracing the friendly competition with the man he recently produced a track for. The Grammy winner says two heavyweights coming out on the same day is monumental for the game.

“I’d rather come out on a day like that, up against 50 Cent where people are excited about going to the stores and it’s an event and people talk about it and be #2 on that day rather than come out and be #1 on a day nobody cares about,” Kanye West said. “It’s about things going down in history. It’s not that much exciting stuff in hip-hop right now. I think people are going to make it more than what I’m making it myself. At the end of the day, I’m making music and I’m trying to sell.”

Despite its tragic significance, September 11 is also the day that Jay-Z‘s The Blueprint was released six years ago. West’s production on the album via songs like “Izzo (H.O.V.A.),” “The Takeover” and “Never Change” brought him his first widespread acclaim.

“The Blueprint came out six years ago?” Kanye asked his A&R rep and friend Plain Pat. “That’s monumental. This album, Graduation, I been listening to it. I like it a lot. I really believe I can take home that Album of the Year award at the Grammys. I’ve won my awards, but they’ve always been a category: hip-hop, rap. I wanna win Song of the Year, Album of the Year. I wanna deliver this album.

Source: MTV