AFI frontman Davey Havok reveals label’s aborted 50 Cent and ringtone album pitches

Davey Havok, lead singer of American rock band AFI, disclosed that during the making of their 2006 album *Decemberunderground* the band’s record label pressured them with unusual ideas. Executives suggested a collaboration with rapper 50 Cent and even proposed that AFI create a full “ringtone album” to capitalize on the mid‑2000s ringtone craze. Havok said the push came from an A&R effort to attract the attention of Interscope co‑founder Jimmy Iovine after DreamWorks Records merged into Interscope.

AFI never pursued either concept; the album was released as‑is, later debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The band continues to tour, supporting their recent release *Silver Bleeds The Black Sun…*, while reflecting on the label’s bizarre pitches as a reminder of the industry’s commercial pressures.