Role Model?

Formula 50
written by JusHH

In efforts of full disclosure, I had 4/5 of a post already written about 50 Cent. It was chronicling his career from the perspective of his beefs with other artists. As I was reading it I realized that everyone talks about how 50 stays in beef and well, that’s just not PTM. So I thought to myself, what can be said about 50 that hasn’t been said before…

He’s a role model.

That’s right, your little boys and girls can learn a lot from America’s favorite rap gangster.

“Many men, wish death ‘pon me. Lord I don’t cry no more, don’t look to the sky no more. Have mercy on me.”

This gritty line from “Many Men” sums up why 50 has been so successful in such a short period of time. Most people haven’t been in a fight let alone a situation with any real danger so they couldn’t imagine what its like to be ambushed and have your body riddled with nine bullets, including one in your face. This isn’t a movie; Curtis Jackson was almost murdered outside of his grandmother’s house. So to be that close to death and survive is a miracle beyond words. In an interview, 50 said that after being shot he stopped caring about the consequences of his actions because he had already survived the worst of the worst. Truthfully, that’s the way that we should all live. How many times do we not do something because we’re afraid of failure or rejection? Successful people don’t let fear of failure get in the way and we can learn from that. Being shot also taught 50 that tomorrow isn’t promised. It’s why he had the work ethic to put out all of those mixtapes that eventually got him signed by Em and Dre and it is why that he’s taken advantage of every opportunity that has crossed his path since 2003 and hasn’t looked back. We should all live everyday like it was our last.

G-G-G-G-Genius.

Every rapper that gets signed to a major label gets an advance - a lump sum of money given to you that has to be repaid through future album sales. For most, this is the first time that they’ve ever seen real money so they go out and buy a car or a chain. So what was the first thing that he bought with his $1 million dollar advance? 50 bought an international trademark for G-Unit for $110,000. Let me repeat that. Mr. I Get Money who talks about all the flashy things that he does with his money spent over 10% of his advance on a trademark. Keep in mind this is 2002 when no one outside of South Jamaica Queens had ever really heard of G-Unit, and he was protecting the rights internationally. When everyone else in the industry was spending their money on things that lose value, 50 established his brand and company first. Now the G-Unit brand brings him in way more than the $110,000 that he originally paid to protect it. To have the vision that your crew would go global before your first album is released is to be admired.

“I took Quarter Waters, sold ‘em in bottles for two bucks. Then Coca-Cola came and bought ‘em for billions. That’s what’s up.”

50 once said that he likes when people underestimate his intelligence. It’s easy to listen to some of his rhymes and thing that he’s a mindless thug. But you would be wrong, and he will laugh all the way to the bank. You see, when people think that you aren’t smart, you can get what you want without people realizing. 50 Cent negotiated a multi-million dollar sneaker deal with Reebok, a video game deal with Vivendi Universal and a movie with Paramount Pictures. But that’s not the most impressive thing. In 2004 a small company named Glaceau wanted to get their product more exposure but couldn’t afford to pay a celebrity. So 50 decided not to take money but accepted equity in the small start-up. Again, let me repeat. He chose not to get paid and accepted a piece of ownership that could have ended up being worth nothing. Well that company’s product was Vitamin Water and it was bought by Coke in 2007 for $4.1 billion dollars. 50’s estimated take from that sale? $400 million. This is Harvard Business Review kinda stuff. He even bought Mike Tyson’s house at a $20 million dollar discount. 50 definitely doesn’t need to show he’s the smartest in the room, just the one with the biggest pockets.

“Yayo goes back to jail and his first question is, “Yo, you think son mad?”

Loyalty. Sure Game got kicked out of the group but apparently that was more of a business transaction than a friendship. Buck got thrown out but after the details surfaced, we found out that he shot himself in the foot. But Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo have rode with 50 from the start. They were spittin’ verses along side 50 before they knew they would make any money off of it. And for that, 50 has reciprocated this loyalty and has set them up for life. You don’t have to like them, but you have to respect their friendship and we should all want a friend like 50.

“I’m in the music business.”

50 was asked if he would ever switch it up and make love songs and he replied that “it’s not what the people want from him.” And he’s right, America sees him as the bad guy and that’s exactly what they are going to get from him. He is an incredible song writer (although he dropped the ball on Curtis) and that has led to over 20 million albums sold. 50 knows that in order for people to buy his albums, they need to be talking about him - even if that means making a diss record going at 5 emcees at once. 50 never cared about a rap battle, he just knows that as long as Kiss, Fat Joe or Game are talking about him, he’s getting publicity. Even people who can’t stand 50 and see through the stunts, fall for the trap anyway because they can’t stop talking about him either. No matter what’s going on in the industry, 50 finds a way to make himself relevant. 50 sets a goal and focuses on it. He wanted to make money selling albums and everything that he does helps him do just that. Most of us get distracted when it comes to our own jobs or business ventures and fail to reach our goals. The best have a core vision and never deviates from it.

Hate it or Love it

Hate him or love him, cop his albums or leave ‘em on the shelf, you can’t deny 50 Cent’s impact on the game and this country in such a short period of time. You may also despise his “gangster” persona but remember that with all the rappers getting into real trouble, 50 isn’t one of them. He doesn’t smoke blunts or drink syrup – he just makes hit records and business transactions. You’d be hard pressed to find anyone, inside or outside of Hip-Hop, who has ascended faster than 50. He was living in his grandmother’s house 6 years ago. His accomplishments should be applauded and we can all learn a lot from it.