Rappers, listen up. If your music isn’t up to s####, if your marketing plan doesn’t have one, and if you’re regretting that $30,000 receipt from the last time you ‘lived it up,’ I ask of you:
Leave 50 Cent alone!
In a previous installment of ‘Absolute Reason’, I referred to 50 Cent as “Unicron.” Transformers fans know Unicron as the destroyer of planets. Unicron would manipulate his minions by giving them power, only to control that power. In the entertainment industry, 50 Cent is the destroyer of brands. If you’re somehow linked to 50, your career is now measured: Before and After 50.
We immediately tag 50’s path of destruction to brands like Ja Rule, Fat Joe, The Game, and Rick Ross. It’s almost impossible to dive into a debate about any of the artists named, and not bring up their confrontations with him. Rick Ross survived. But even his career to this date is before and after 50. Ross is currently on an unbelievable streak of hit records and commendable mixtape releases. His sales are strong for today’s environment. However, he could very well be selling 40% more albums without his credibility being brought to question.
What about Ciara? The past few years have seen Ciara in the position of touch and go. None of her music is sticking. And it’s not as if she was replaced by a younger, prettier, more talented brand. She, as well as Vivica Fox, were caught in the web of Unicron. The reason is because 50 Cent has ultimate control over his brand. When you’re linked to him, you’re playing on his turf. Even Oprah Winfrey had an interesting time trying to humble 50 on her show.
So, now that we’re watching French Montana indirectly step up to 50 Cent’s field of vision, I feel there are a few things that French and other rappers should know before even trying their weight at the destroyer:
- 50 Cent no longer worries about making “Rap money.” 50 is a proven investor. 50 has his own cologne (named Power). 50 has a best-selling book (The 50th Law). Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure he’d love to get some World Tour money. He just doesn’t appear worried. So if you’re primary drive is gaining attention to ultimately make “Rap money”, leave 50 Cent alone. He’ll tell you that he’s spending more money keeping lawyers on retainer than you’ll make in the next 10 years. Your fans don’t deserve that.
- 50 Cent’s smack talk level is on par with The Rock. If you’re capable of outdoing 50 Cent, jab for jab, you wouldn’t need him. And if you’re going to battle the man on Twitter, have a ghost-tweeter nearby. The last thing anybody needs is 50 having time to think about his next jab.
- Don’t say, “50 Cent.” I don’t care if you’re at the market and the cashier shorted you two quarters. Don’t say it. 50 hasn’t dropped an album since 2009, but his social scope is still on Jay-Z and Diddy’s level. He knows the media is still interested in what he has to say. Since this is the only time we hear from him nowadays (I meant that in a positive way, 50 *hides behind a tree*)
May my absolute reasoning find you in good spirits…
Follow Will “Deshair” Foskey on Twitter (@deshair).