A smiling
50 Cent was invited to speak with Bridgeport, Connecticut area middle and high school students to share his brand of wisdom.
The students were invited to the mayor's office for what they were told was a discussion with city and education officials on how services for young people can be improved. How about not inviting a man whose mainstream fame largely stems from selling violent imagery and drug folklore to talk to impressionable youth? I know, I know. Michael stop hating on "50 Cent Curtis Jackson Day."
So what lesson did 50, or Fitty as he was introduced (sidenote: Why do old people insist on calling him Fitty?), give to the crowd?
"I don't do drugs. That was who I was, but I changed direction. My music reflects the early part of my life."
You take the good...
"I say in one of my songs I hate cops. I don't hate cops," he said, nodding to Chief Bryan T. Norwood. "But I am expressing the feelings of a young boy who sees the cops take his brother away, and hates them for it."
You take the bad...
You take them both and there you have the facts of life (the facts of life).
That and a whole lot of money. Lying and playing off stereotypes pays. Take note, chirren.
When prompted for an explanation on why his lyrics conflict with his now more mellowed multi-millionaire persona, he explained:
"Rap is very competitive. You can't show your vulnerabilities, or another artist will use that against you in their content. Also, you don't paint the whole picture at one time, with one color. I want to show more of my character, but it has to come out over time."
Translation: Little Brother is dope, but they don't sell records, let alone Vitamin Water. And since I ain't no punk bitch, I refuse to be ethered off the charts the way I did Ja Rule.
So when is the more demure 50 going to present himself?
The rap artist and film star is in Bridgeport shooting a movie, "Righteous Kill" that will be released next year.
Not anytime soon.
He even touched on the much hyped album sales battle between him and Kanye.
Jackson suggested that his feud with recording artist Kanye West is a marketing ploy: "His label and my label are both owned by Universal Music Group," he said, admitting that a rapper can keep up the angry act too long.
I appreciate his candor. So much that I won't speak on the results. Nope. Won't do it. Not doing so only makes me harder, faster, better, stronger.
I suppose I'm giving him too much of a hard time. He was honest with the students that he's an entertainer, and he did say since he's spending so much time shooting a film in that area that he wanted to get involved. He even presented a check for $25,000 through his G-Unity Foundation. He deserves praise for that.
Do you realize what just happened? Like 50, I see that my [old] cynical self is solely focused on the negative, which is preventing me from giving the man a fair chance. But, after reading this story and viewing the accompanying footage, I now see how wrong that is. I've learned something today. Thanks, 50. Gggggg-Unit.
Now can I get rich and live without the fear of being shot nine times?
The Cynical Ones.
