Published: Monday - February 20, 2006
Words by Shaun "Scheme" Redwood
50 Cent (Photo: Interscope)
In the first season of HBO's critically acclaimed show "The Sopranos," reputed mobster Tony Soprano decides that he wants to branch out and mingle with regular folks. Thinking that his straight laced neighbor is his genuine friend, he decides to go golfing with the surgeon and a group of his peers. With several topics available for discussion (golf, family, the stock market, clothing, politics), the squares were only interested in three subjects when in the presence of Tony: mafia, mafia and mafia. When he realizes that his attempts at broaching broader subject matter were not working, he opted instead to give them what they wanted: sensationalized anecdotes that made them feel like they were a part of his dangerous and mysterious world.
This situation that Tony Soprano found himself in is completely analogous to that of 50 Cent's relationship with the media and the buying public. In late 2005, when asked by mtv.com if he plans to make a change in the content of his music, 50 noted projects by other rappers who moved too fast for the public and therefore released commercial failures. "Ask Nelly about Sweat and Suit," he said. "There's been a few -- Tracey Lee's [Many Faces], Cassidy's Spilt Personality -- none of those projects work because the general public typecasts. So when you give them something that isn't what they want, they'll be like, 'No, that isn't want I wanted. I don't care what you feel like today.' "
No one has been harder on 50 Cent than the Afro-American Intelligentsia, who has vehemently condemned 50 for perpetrating images of the hyper masculine superthug that is allegedly detrimental to the general perception of African-American males in society. While it is hard to argue this point when I myself have traveled overseas and in all seriousness been asked the question "so, why don't you sell crack?" I still maintain that 50 Cent has a hidden agenda, and is following in a long standing African-American tradition, which relies simply on infiltration. This tradition has been evident in both the entertainment industry and the corporate/professional world where mainstream hip-hop's fiercest opponents oft-times can be found. For some reason, the buying public (particularly the 70% of the hip-hop market that is not black) finds perverse pleasure in the images he seemingly embodies, negative and dehumanizing as they may be. The reason why the hip-hop market (again, particularly the 70% that is not black) is so fascinated by these images and with their dollar, which in fact encourages their dissemination, may be safely left up to conjecture. What is more significant is the clear direction Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson is taking as an artist.
When examining his latest full-length release, The Massacre, a small but definite progression to more socially responsible content is evident, if one keeps his ears and eyes open. The album commences with the street oriented music that is consistent with the bullet ridden, guns & butter image he presents to the public. However, The Massacre then moves on to more club friendly music, i.e. the record's first single "Disco Inferno." Then progresses to several tracks of feel good music and then finally arriving at the second to last track entitled "God Gave Me Style."
It is taken much too lightly that an artist like 50 Cent, whose actions critics equate with cooning & bucking, could have a song entitled "God Gave Me Style" on an album cleverly entitled The Massacre. I would even venture as far as to say that it would be worth making an album entirely filled to the brim with negativity to get the message of that one song out to millions of fans, who otherwise disregard spirituality in a culture dominated by sex, violence and materialism. Phrased more simply, people are more apt to listen to God-centered music from the likes of 50 Cent than Kirk Franklin, period.
Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson has indicated in interviews, from the first installment of the "All Eyes On 50 Cent" series featured on MTV several years ago, to those more recent, that he will make even more positive music as soon as he feels his public is ready for it.
I find it interesting that considering the diverse group of people with whom a powerful individual like 50 Cent has worked with, they all seem to say something similar when asked about him: "he's smarter than you think." Does any of this make the methods in which 50 Cent is employing more justified? Maybe, maybe not. I suppose that all depends on if you're an "ends justify the means" kind of person.
Hate it or love it, the underdog's on top: now let's see what he does with this power.
The views expressed inside this editorial aren't necessarily the views of BallerStatus.net or staff.
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