50 & Preemo: Say what?

So this popped up on the internets today. 50 Cent and DJ Premier. I know they've gotten down in the past, but this was pretty much a complete shocker to me. Preemo, in this day and age, getting hired by 50 when dude is like a shell of his former self?

I hate to rain the hate (double hateration on my part, I know), but every time I see 50 I see a dude gasping for straws, desperately trying to stay relevant. Then something like this comes out and I'm just not sure what to make of anything anymore.

The beat is solid, just an eerie, chaotic symphony/adrenaline rush. Someone at okayplayer called it NY winter on the subway music,or something like that. 50 kinda goes in, with his gun talk and gangsta roll in full command of the track. For his part, Preemo goes a little out of the pocket, but the beat bangs. Preemo can do no wrong in my eyes.

Still, I almost can't get over this. We saw a magazine cover with Fif over the weekend, and my girl, noticing that I was eyeing it, said "pick it up. 50's still hot."

Really?