Tony Yayo has always been a street guy.

According to music exec Eric Nicks, Yayo's hood moves were part of the reason 50 Cent was able to get out of his early contract with Violator Records and sign on with Eminem, Dr. Dre, and Aftermath.

Nicks broke down how it went down during an interview he and his fellow exec James Cruz did with Drink Champs. [Jump to 32 minutes]

"We go into Todd Moscowitz, general manger of Violator's, office.  It was Tony Yayo, Fif, me, Chris (Lighty), Todd.  We're like, "We gotta got out of this deal because Eminem wanna sign us to Aftermath. Todd's like, 'I don't give a f*ck, that's not happening,'" Nicks remembers. "I swear to God the n*gga Yayo puts his gat on the table.  Put his  gun on the table -- not pointing it at him -- and says we gotta get out of this deal.  The n*gga Todd Moscowitz runs out of the office [yelling] 'I don't come to work for guys to pull guns out of me!'  Jewish guy.  Jewish lawyer.  He ain't about that life."

Moscowitz is currently the CEO of Alamo Records and the manager of Gucci Mane. (And a good guy, according to Nicks.)

Cruz also explained how 50 was writing for Diddy at the time, and that may be one the reasons 50 has beef with Puff to this day.