Guests at "King of Bling" Jacob the Jeweler's boutique opening Monday night held their collective breath when Ashanti inadvertently arrived before 50 Cent had left the building.

The two rappers, whose record labels are bitter rivals, are said to cordially despise each other.

50 Cent - whose real name is Curtis Jackson - has trash-talked Ashanti with such insults as "Is it me, or is Ashanti's new video Janet Jackson's old video?" and "That b- needs to learn some new words."

Ashanti, who collaborates at The Inc. label with 50 Cent's arch-enemy Ja Rule, hasn't responded in kind.

"The feud has been getting very heavy," she said last year.

Monday night's encounter "was beyond awkward," reports a Lowdown spy. "50 Cent [who records with Shady/Aftermath] is still at war with Ashanti's record label. Fitty [as he pronounces his name] was back in the VIP lounge with Jacob, but there's no back exit, so Ashanti's posse was worried about passing by Fitty's posse in this tiny 57th St. railroad store."

Slowly, the two entourages edged toward each other. Worried guests spread themselves against the walls.

The Inc.'s CEO, Irv Gotti - about whom 50 Cent has rapped, "F- Irv Gotti ... Hey, Irv, your mama got a thing for me" - froze near the entrance, anxiously avoiding Fitty's glare.

Then, at the last moment, Jacob stepped between the two herds, and Fitty and Ashanti brushed by each other - silent, for once.

__________________
Clcik Hear To Hear My Music