Let's be honest, one instance can change the public's perception of someone and start a chain of events that sends that person off the deep end. I realize we could play this game and blow the "butterfly effect" out of the water, but for some people this is quite valid. Unfortunately, the end result of the "What if" game always ends one way: it doesn't matter, because the "if" never happened. But can we imagine what the future would have held for Michael Jackson, Bill Clinton, and Mike Tyson without each of their tragic flaws? Moreover, can we ever separate a person's job performance/responsibility from their personal issues?
I recently attended a showing of This Is It, the movie containing behind-the-scenes footage of Michael Jackson's tour that never was, terminated because of his untimely death. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and was reminded of the reason Michael became the sensation he was--his music, dance, and overall entertainment value. The guy was uber-talented and it's hard to imagine another performer in my lifetime with the talent to reach his echelon. But can we ever have a conversation about Michael or properly assess his place in history without mentioning the allegations of kid-touching? Neglecting to mention the allegations turn them into the 800-pound gorilla in the room no one wants to acknowledge. No hard evidence exists and Michael was acquitted on all criminal charges, but his out-of-court settlements with other children and his overall creepy demeanor in the last ten years only build suspicion. The guy certainly didn't make it easy to think he wasn't touching kids, with the amusement park, fascination with Peter Pan, pajamas in public, and the like. Or maybe he was just a weird dude that wanted to live the childhood he never had vicariously through other children whom he found so innocent and joyful. So what if the allegations never existed? How big would Michael be? It's scary to think of a talent that great with a legacy so clean. But we'll never know, and in Michael's case I think it's impossible to separate his personal issues from his music.
Moving over to politics, Bill Clinton's presidency and overall legacy will be forever tainted because of his relationship with Monica Lewinsky. "Slick Willy" was the benefactor of the youth movement in the 90's as he mobilized generation X'ers who vaulted him into office. Take Lewinsky out of the picture and what would Bill be remembered for? The country experienced substantial economic growth, low unemployment levels through job creation, and lowered trade barriers with our North American couterparts. Of course no president is flawless and he still would be remembered for letting Osama bin Laden escape and encouraging every American to own a house (see 2008-2009...whoops). But in the word-association game, Bill Clinton will always be coupled with Monica Lewinsky, probably more so than he would be with Hillary Clinton. So what if Monica never interned at the White House? Would Bill have found another Monica? Maybe a Bonnie, Victoria, or some other whore? Or would have he avoided perjury, impeachment, and a life-long reputation? It doesn't really matter, because the affair seems to have actually made Bill more popular, and hasn't stopped him from selling books and pushing his political agenda via the Clinton machine. As with Michael Jackson, Bill's personal issues are impossible to separate from his job responsibility.
Lastly, Mike Tyson wouldn't be Mike Tyson without the Evander Holyfield ear-chewing incident. Iron Mike was the toughest, meanest SOB in the sport up until 1990 when he was knocked out by Buster Douglas in Tokyo, Japan. Perhaps he lost because he wasn't as good as the hype, perhaps he underestimated Douglas, but regardless, this wasn't the turning point of his career. On November 9, 1996, Evander Holyfield cleaned Tyson's clock, winning by TKO in the 11th round. Seven months later in the highly-anticipated rematch, Tyson snapped in the 3rd round and was disqualified for biting both of Holyfield's ears in one of the most bizarre moments in sports history. What made Tyson snap? Did he go off the deep end during his prison stint just a few years prior? Was he always psycho, evidenced by the convicted rape of Desiree Washington that put him in prison? Tyson was always a bit scary, which is why he was so successful early in his career, but the Holyfield incident put his insanity right in everyone's faces. Four years later, Tyson commented that he'd "eat Lennox Lewis' children," and he even KO'd Andrew Golota in 2000 despite being high as a kite. The answer to the "What if" question about Tyson appears to be likewise irrelevant because he would have found another way to make news. I don't think the ear-chewing incident made him realize that he was insane and everyone knew it...some people are just wired differently, and Iron Mike is one of those people. Because of this, Mike's career would have spiraled downward somehow and history wouldn't be too much different. Again, can you separate Tyson the boxer from the ear-chewing incident and his impending nutcase status? Nope.
So, boys and girls, what have we learned today? Three cases is hardly a reasonable sample of the population, but unfortunately you can't separate someone's person issues from their job responsibility. And you certainly can't separate those issues from a historical legacy, either. The baggage, for better or worse, becomes engrained in that person and ultimately works in conjunction with everything else to define that person.
Hearting Palin
Let's be honest, Sarah Palin is the bomb.com. I won't lie to you and say I'm her biggest fan, but what I love most is the chord she has struck with the Left. The Left has spent more time and energy villifying an Alaskan hockey mom than it has trying to solve the healthcare problem, and all for one reason: jealousy.
I remember the day I heard that John McCain selected Sarah Palin (who?) as his running mate. And I remember thinking, "Absolutely brilliant." Loved the idea. The Democratic party just finished waging an internal war where an up-and-coming Chicago governor upset the former president's better half for top billing on the 2008 US Presidential ballot. Hill was the favorite to win the nomination and many people invested many monies to make sure she did so. Only problem, she wasn't cool enough to appeal to young'ns who preferred Barry Obama's energy and freshness. Liberal females who pinned their hopes on Hill were crushed again, left to wonder if a female would ever get on a presidential ticket and represent females across the board. Barry didn't even deem her a suitable running mate, further crushing the female pro-Hillary base and resurrecting the thought that Washington would forever be controlled by crusty old white guys. Next, Republican candidate John McCain weighed his VP options--would he choose Tim Pawlenty? Bobby Jindal? Condi Rice? Nope, none of those. He then trots out the Alaskan governor few had ever heard of, and so began the fascination with Sarah Palin.
The Left immediately criticized Palin as small-time, inexperienced, and out-of-touch. But in reality, how ironic is it that the "party of the people" would so violently attack a gun-toting, moose-hunting, Pee Wee hockey-loving, happily married mother of 5? What's more blue collar than that? Leftists, and women particularly, were waiting for a worthy female candidate to rise to the top, and all of a sudden they got their wish. One thing, though...she played for the other team. They couldn't stand that Repubs beat them to the punch and pushed the nation's first ever female on a presidential ticket. It killed them. If I had told you in January of 2008 that a female would be on the presidential ticket, what party would have first come to mind? Not only would you immediately have homed in on the Democrats, but you would have first thought of old Hill. If not, you would have guessed that a popular female was running independently. The old crumudgens of the Republican Party would never do something like that.
Allow me an analogy. In the winter of 2004, the Red Sox, Yankees, Orioles, and Reds pursued a young pitcher by the name of Carl Pavano. He was a 28-year old stud with a live fastball and a World Series ring to boot. Everyone wanted this guy--he toured the stadiums and met with management all while fans of all the aforementioned teams called into sports radio shows to talk about how they needed Carl's services. He ultimately signed with the Yankees despite receiving bigger offers from Boston and Cincinnati. Carl Pavano went from one day being hailed as the next big thing in Boston and another prized young arm to the next day being a total bum. That he signed with the Yankees made him an overpaid, egotistical, lazy diva. At the end of the day, Yankees fans and Red Sox fans both recognize the best talent in the league and they want their organizations to go out and get the best players. They both want good guys. They're really just rooting for the laundry.
Republicans and Democrats want the same kind of candidates--newsworthy, bold, interesting, strong-willed people. The "fans" of each of these parties are really just "rooting for the laundry." Just like Carl Pavano was nearly burned in effigy by Red Sox fans the day he donned his #45 Yankees jersey, Sarah Palin was egged as soon as she set foot on stage for the first time. I remember hearing liberal female friends of mine who were "outraged" and "disgusted" by Palin--a candidate they likely knew nothing about. Don't you think if you took Mrs. Palin, kept her fiery energy and stubbornness, and slapped some liberal values on her, she would be a total rock star for the Left? They would eat her right up! She'd be the next big thing! Keith Olberman would have Sarah Palin underwear! It's clear that Sarah has not gotten a fair shake from the media, but for obvious reasons. The liberally-controlled media is terrified of Palin-mania and figures that by trashing her, it's doing its part to slow her momentum. At this point, you can't really stop her, you can only hope to contain her. In the end, we all need to just take a step back from the situation. If you want to hate someone, do your homework and be educated. Have good reasons. Make your own decisions. Don't just root against the laundry.
I remember the day I heard that John McCain selected Sarah Palin (who?) as his running mate. And I remember thinking, "Absolutely brilliant." Loved the idea. The Democratic party just finished waging an internal war where an up-and-coming Chicago governor upset the former president's better half for top billing on the 2008 US Presidential ballot. Hill was the favorite to win the nomination and many people invested many monies to make sure she did so. Only problem, she wasn't cool enough to appeal to young'ns who preferred Barry Obama's energy and freshness. Liberal females who pinned their hopes on Hill were crushed again, left to wonder if a female would ever get on a presidential ticket and represent females across the board. Barry didn't even deem her a suitable running mate, further crushing the female pro-Hillary base and resurrecting the thought that Washington would forever be controlled by crusty old white guys. Next, Republican candidate John McCain weighed his VP options--would he choose Tim Pawlenty? Bobby Jindal? Condi Rice? Nope, none of those. He then trots out the Alaskan governor few had ever heard of, and so began the fascination with Sarah Palin.
The Left immediately criticized Palin as small-time, inexperienced, and out-of-touch. But in reality, how ironic is it that the "party of the people" would so violently attack a gun-toting, moose-hunting, Pee Wee hockey-loving, happily married mother of 5? What's more blue collar than that? Leftists, and women particularly, were waiting for a worthy female candidate to rise to the top, and all of a sudden they got their wish. One thing, though...she played for the other team. They couldn't stand that Repubs beat them to the punch and pushed the nation's first ever female on a presidential ticket. It killed them. If I had told you in January of 2008 that a female would be on the presidential ticket, what party would have first come to mind? Not only would you immediately have homed in on the Democrats, but you would have first thought of old Hill. If not, you would have guessed that a popular female was running independently. The old crumudgens of the Republican Party would never do something like that.
Allow me an analogy. In the winter of 2004, the Red Sox, Yankees, Orioles, and Reds pursued a young pitcher by the name of Carl Pavano. He was a 28-year old stud with a live fastball and a World Series ring to boot. Everyone wanted this guy--he toured the stadiums and met with management all while fans of all the aforementioned teams called into sports radio shows to talk about how they needed Carl's services. He ultimately signed with the Yankees despite receiving bigger offers from Boston and Cincinnati. Carl Pavano went from one day being hailed as the next big thing in Boston and another prized young arm to the next day being a total bum. That he signed with the Yankees made him an overpaid, egotistical, lazy diva. At the end of the day, Yankees fans and Red Sox fans both recognize the best talent in the league and they want their organizations to go out and get the best players. They both want good guys. They're really just rooting for the laundry.
Republicans and Democrats want the same kind of candidates--newsworthy, bold, interesting, strong-willed people. The "fans" of each of these parties are really just "rooting for the laundry." Just like Carl Pavano was nearly burned in effigy by Red Sox fans the day he donned his #45 Yankees jersey, Sarah Palin was egged as soon as she set foot on stage for the first time. I remember hearing liberal female friends of mine who were "outraged" and "disgusted" by Palin--a candidate they likely knew nothing about. Don't you think if you took Mrs. Palin, kept her fiery energy and stubbornness, and slapped some liberal values on her, she would be a total rock star for the Left? They would eat her right up! She'd be the next big thing! Keith Olberman would have Sarah Palin underwear! It's clear that Sarah has not gotten a fair shake from the media, but for obvious reasons. The liberally-controlled media is terrified of Palin-mania and figures that by trashing her, it's doing its part to slow her momentum. At this point, you can't really stop her, you can only hope to contain her. In the end, we all need to just take a step back from the situation. If you want to hate someone, do your homework and be educated. Have good reasons. Make your own decisions. Don't just root against the laundry.
Culture Shock
Let's be honest, maybe democracy is not for everyone. This admission is difficult for me as I stood behind a president that took our country to war on the basis of spreading democracy. But just as companies fail when they try to enter new regions without first conducting the necessary due diligence, so do nations and ideals. We do a lot of things well in America, but we need to lose this assumption that because things work domestically that they will succeed abroad.
Maybe the United States went to war for oil, maybe it went for the purposes of spreading democracy, maybe a little of both. We believed that the Iraqi people were being denied a freedom of speech, a freedom to choose, and a freedom to vote. And hell, who wouldn't want those? As Americans, we believe that our American rights equate to basic human rights and to happiness. But to see why this is not true around the globe, we needn't look any further than China.
The Western media portrays the Chinese government as an evil oppressive group of men who slip babies the "blue pill" at birth to keep citizens in the dark and shielded from the horrors of the world. I imagined government officials lurking the streets and kidnapping people they've tracked online while other rebels slip into speakeasies to gripe about the local regime. Is China a communist country with regulations on free speech? Yes. Is it oppressing the Chinese people? That could not be further from the truth.
Taking a step back, when Americans study US history, we have just over 230 years to cover. The Chinese have thousands of years of history to study, and out of that history comes this weird thing called "culture." As a country without culture, it's hard for Americans to fully grasp this concept and how it affects every person, every day. The Chinese are a hard-working people, though their motives have begun to shift from country pride to self worth, but they are hard-working nonetheless. They are prideful, but also collectivist. It's engrained in their being to work hard while they have the ability to do so. The average Chinese man retires at 55, average woman at 50. After they pay their debt to society, the government takes care of them. They believe it is the government's responsibility to solve their problems. They appreciate what the government does for them. According to Hofstede's Dimensions of Natural Culture, the Chinese rank 3rd highest in the world in a category called "Power Distance," meaning they accept that power in organizations is distributed unequally (with the Russians being the highest as proven by their acceptance and love for Ivan the Terrible, Stalin, and Putin). There's something to be said for a one-party system, too. Ultimately, the government has the final say in anything that will affect the country--business, economics, social science, etc--but if it wants to accomplish a goal, guess what happens? It gets done. No bickering, no petty debating, just action. Need to rebuild an entire district by next summer for the World Expo? No problem, done. Need to enact a new governmental policy? Done. I'm sure the government makes mistakes, but instead of living with a terrible decision until the next vote comes around, it justs takes more action to remedy the problem. And you know what? The Chinese people are okay with that. As my wife and I toured the Temple of Heaven and witnessed seemlingly euphoric retirees singing, dancing, playing cards, and relaxing, she said, "These people are freer than we will ever be."
The only reason I know this is because I was there. Not to say that our government officials haven't, but did it really take President Obama 11 months to make his first visit? China is a country that, because of its growth, production capacity, and innovation, will dominate the globe one day. They're smart about it, too! The English language is circulating and growing in the country, and China is preparing to adapt to other cultures in order to maximize its potential for succeeding in business around the world. Can we say that 1% of Americans speak Chinese? Why don't we get it? What are we waiting for? Is it nieivity? Stupidity? Arrogance?
To stay with the "Matrix" analogy, you could argue that the Chinese people are shielded from the outside world and that everyone should truly know about the world in which he lives. But you have to first understand the culture and what is important to them. Just as we are having trouble establishing democracy in the Middle East, democracy would never work in China. But it doesn't have to, not every country needs democracy. Americans need to stop trying to change everyone and instead work on understanding everyone.
Maybe the United States went to war for oil, maybe it went for the purposes of spreading democracy, maybe a little of both. We believed that the Iraqi people were being denied a freedom of speech, a freedom to choose, and a freedom to vote. And hell, who wouldn't want those? As Americans, we believe that our American rights equate to basic human rights and to happiness. But to see why this is not true around the globe, we needn't look any further than China.
The Western media portrays the Chinese government as an evil oppressive group of men who slip babies the "blue pill" at birth to keep citizens in the dark and shielded from the horrors of the world. I imagined government officials lurking the streets and kidnapping people they've tracked online while other rebels slip into speakeasies to gripe about the local regime. Is China a communist country with regulations on free speech? Yes. Is it oppressing the Chinese people? That could not be further from the truth.
Taking a step back, when Americans study US history, we have just over 230 years to cover. The Chinese have thousands of years of history to study, and out of that history comes this weird thing called "culture." As a country without culture, it's hard for Americans to fully grasp this concept and how it affects every person, every day. The Chinese are a hard-working people, though their motives have begun to shift from country pride to self worth, but they are hard-working nonetheless. They are prideful, but also collectivist. It's engrained in their being to work hard while they have the ability to do so. The average Chinese man retires at 55, average woman at 50. After they pay their debt to society, the government takes care of them. They believe it is the government's responsibility to solve their problems. They appreciate what the government does for them. According to Hofstede's Dimensions of Natural Culture, the Chinese rank 3rd highest in the world in a category called "Power Distance," meaning they accept that power in organizations is distributed unequally (with the Russians being the highest as proven by their acceptance and love for Ivan the Terrible, Stalin, and Putin). There's something to be said for a one-party system, too. Ultimately, the government has the final say in anything that will affect the country--business, economics, social science, etc--but if it wants to accomplish a goal, guess what happens? It gets done. No bickering, no petty debating, just action. Need to rebuild an entire district by next summer for the World Expo? No problem, done. Need to enact a new governmental policy? Done. I'm sure the government makes mistakes, but instead of living with a terrible decision until the next vote comes around, it justs takes more action to remedy the problem. And you know what? The Chinese people are okay with that. As my wife and I toured the Temple of Heaven and witnessed seemlingly euphoric retirees singing, dancing, playing cards, and relaxing, she said, "These people are freer than we will ever be."
The only reason I know this is because I was there. Not to say that our government officials haven't, but did it really take President Obama 11 months to make his first visit? China is a country that, because of its growth, production capacity, and innovation, will dominate the globe one day. They're smart about it, too! The English language is circulating and growing in the country, and China is preparing to adapt to other cultures in order to maximize its potential for succeeding in business around the world. Can we say that 1% of Americans speak Chinese? Why don't we get it? What are we waiting for? Is it nieivity? Stupidity? Arrogance?
To stay with the "Matrix" analogy, you could argue that the Chinese people are shielded from the outside world and that everyone should truly know about the world in which he lives. But you have to first understand the culture and what is important to them. Just as we are having trouble establishing democracy in the Middle East, democracy would never work in China. But it doesn't have to, not every country needs democracy. Americans need to stop trying to change everyone and instead work on understanding everyone.
NastraDENmus
Let's be honest, I control the universe. I'm not saying I'm the axis the world spins on, but I certainly have some kind of power that influences world events. The shirt I wear or seating choice in the living room can alter the outcome of sporting events and my breakfast options can dictate the success of interviews. I used to be skeptical of this, but the Yankees' World Series victory last week confirmed my suspicions. Since I seem to be on quite a roll lately, let me make some world predictions for the next calendar year. And in the words of DJ Clue: Remember where you heard it first, stupid.
Let me establish my credibility first. I predicted the Yankees would beat the Phillies in 6 and lose both of Cliff Lee's starts. On the days of the two losses, I was either not wearing a Yankees shirt or put it on midway through the game. On the days they won, I had a Yankees shirt on from start to finish. I think that qualifies me to predict the future of the world, doesn't it?
Sports: Manny Pacquaio will lose to Miguel Cotto on November 14th, crushing all boxing fans' hopes of a Pacquaio-Mayweather fight-to-end-all-fights-showdown in Las Vegas next summer...it's just too good to be true. The Jets won't make the playoffs but Mark Sanchez will gain #2 stud status in the city behind Derek Jeter. The Colts will win the Super Bowl and Giants fans will continue to believe (wrongly) that Eli is just as good as Peyton Manning. Harvard or Northeastern will not win the Beanpot. The Yankees will remain the better, cooler, and handsomer team than the Red Sox, and repeat as World Series champs in 2010.
Music: 50 Cent will beef with someone, hopefully someone from a boy-band. Kanye West will return with a mega-album and then get back on everyone's bad side when he interrupts the Pope mid-Eucharistic prayer. "Yo, Pope Benedict, I'ma let you finish, but JPII had one of the best masses at Giants Stadium OF ALL TIME!!" Carrie Underwood will continue to clean up at the Country Music Awards, and I will continue to laugh at 90% of the audience wearing cowboy hats. Miley Cyrus will actually go away for a little while while Taylor Swift gets even bigger.
Politics: Nancy Pelosi will issue an ultimatum to Washington DC: people will die each day until Batman reveals his identity. She will attempt to ambush a police caravan carrying Harvey Dent, but Batman and Commissioner Gordon intervene and capture her. She will be interrogated at police headquarters but escape with the aid of a smoke bomb. Pelosi will force all DC's residents to evacuate the city by ferry and place hidden explosives on those ferries. Her plot will be foiled and she will realize that Batman truly is incorruptible.
Business: Unemployment will rise to 11% before it decreases again. The last of the banks will fail, but will be bailed out...again. Black Friday 2010 kicks off the official turnaround in the economy. Apple's newest version of the iPhone will actually wipe your ass for you, and flush. Jim Cramer will miraculously survive another year while posting the highest blood pressure statistics known to man.
Celebrity: Kate Gosselin will be the focus of a sex tape scandal. Lauren Conrad will fail at everything she attempts and will suffer an untimely death when her brain explodes trying to read her own book. Ryan Seacrest will be elected governor of California. Diddy will ink a deal with TLC to use the girls from Toddlers & Tiaras in his next Making the Band spinoff.
I have just liberated you from watching any television or reading any news for the next year, and you can take these predictions to the bank. Only I can change the future though, so if anyone is opposed to the predictions above just let me know and I will put on a different shirt.
Let me establish my credibility first. I predicted the Yankees would beat the Phillies in 6 and lose both of Cliff Lee's starts. On the days of the two losses, I was either not wearing a Yankees shirt or put it on midway through the game. On the days they won, I had a Yankees shirt on from start to finish. I think that qualifies me to predict the future of the world, doesn't it?
Sports: Manny Pacquaio will lose to Miguel Cotto on November 14th, crushing all boxing fans' hopes of a Pacquaio-Mayweather fight-to-end-all-fights-showdown in Las Vegas next summer...it's just too good to be true. The Jets won't make the playoffs but Mark Sanchez will gain #2 stud status in the city behind Derek Jeter. The Colts will win the Super Bowl and Giants fans will continue to believe (wrongly) that Eli is just as good as Peyton Manning. Harvard or Northeastern will not win the Beanpot. The Yankees will remain the better, cooler, and handsomer team than the Red Sox, and repeat as World Series champs in 2010.
Music: 50 Cent will beef with someone, hopefully someone from a boy-band. Kanye West will return with a mega-album and then get back on everyone's bad side when he interrupts the Pope mid-Eucharistic prayer. "Yo, Pope Benedict, I'ma let you finish, but JPII had one of the best masses at Giants Stadium OF ALL TIME!!" Carrie Underwood will continue to clean up at the Country Music Awards, and I will continue to laugh at 90% of the audience wearing cowboy hats. Miley Cyrus will actually go away for a little while while Taylor Swift gets even bigger.
Politics: Nancy Pelosi will issue an ultimatum to Washington DC: people will die each day until Batman reveals his identity. She will attempt to ambush a police caravan carrying Harvey Dent, but Batman and Commissioner Gordon intervene and capture her. She will be interrogated at police headquarters but escape with the aid of a smoke bomb. Pelosi will force all DC's residents to evacuate the city by ferry and place hidden explosives on those ferries. Her plot will be foiled and she will realize that Batman truly is incorruptible.
Business: Unemployment will rise to 11% before it decreases again. The last of the banks will fail, but will be bailed out...again. Black Friday 2010 kicks off the official turnaround in the economy. Apple's newest version of the iPhone will actually wipe your ass for you, and flush. Jim Cramer will miraculously survive another year while posting the highest blood pressure statistics known to man.
Celebrity: Kate Gosselin will be the focus of a sex tape scandal. Lauren Conrad will fail at everything she attempts and will suffer an untimely death when her brain explodes trying to read her own book. Ryan Seacrest will be elected governor of California. Diddy will ink a deal with TLC to use the girls from Toddlers & Tiaras in his next Making the Band spinoff.
I have just liberated you from watching any television or reading any news for the next year, and you can take these predictions to the bank. Only I can change the future though, so if anyone is opposed to the predictions above just let me know and I will put on a different shirt.
What Happened to 50 Cent?
Let's be honest, 50 Cent has dug himself into a recording rut of which he can't escape. After a scintillating debut, 50 has not been able to reach the level of success he achieved just 6 years ago. At the time, we were ready to dethrone Jay-Z and Nas and anoint 50 as the new King of New York. Today, you'd be hard-pressed to pay people to take one of his albums off your hands. So how did 50 Cent fall so hard so fast?
To understand our current state, we must understood how we got here. 50 Cent rose out of Jamaica Queens around the turn of the century flanked by childhood friends Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo, calling themselves the G-Unit. 50 already released an album in 2000, but it was weak even according to 50's standards. His style wasn't that much unlike Eminem's, though while Eminem took to insulting celebrities and pop-tarts, 50 went after rappers. For that reason, Eminem went on record in the fall of 2002 to say that "50 Cent is my favorite rapper." Not only was that one hell of an endorsement, it spurned mainstream listeners to look up this 50 Cent guy that not many had heard of. 50 and the G-Unit were killing the mixtape scene in 2002--the tapes were low-budget and low quality production, mostly beat-jacking and freestyles--but man were they good. Fif wasn't worried about what everyone thought of him, plus he was fresh so he had a lot to say. In November 2002 he teamed up with Dr Dre to record the soon-to-be first single, "In Da Club." The song killed. Everyone loved it, and for 8 months you could not get that song out of rotation (Sidebar: I went to the Bahamas for Spring Break in March 2003 and counted that clubs we visited played the song 37 times in 5 nights). The smash single mixed with the success of the mixtapes and Eminem's endorsement fueled this mega-machine that could not be stopped. Fans thirsted for 50 to record a studio album and the hype was bigger than Lebron's entrance to the NBA. Often with album releases, though, all the hype creates a giant snowball that grows each day and cannot be stopped. Then the release date is the hottest day of summer and that snowball evaporates instantly. Such was not the case with 50's debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin', which earned a perfect score from XXL and surpassed everyone's expectations. 50's brand was golden--he combined club hits and bangin' beats with his hard edge, hunger for beef, and this itty-bitty piece of street cred he earned after being shot 9 times and living to tell about it. All of this was displayed in an album deemed by many to be "perfect."
Drug-dealers-turned-rappers all face an unfortunate reality, though. They pour their heart and soul into the first album thinking it may be their only shot to make it big--and often it is the only shot. If successful, the lifestyle changes. These rappers no longer need to work the corners, rob and steal, and worry about where dinner is coming from. They get paid, they take care of their family and friends, buy a house in the 'burbs or a condo in the high-class part of the city, and maybe pick up a nice set of wheels. But drug-dealing and the everyday struggle are all they know, so when it comes time to record album #2, they revert to telling stories of those days. Unfortunately, even guys like me can see right through that nonsense. Don't tell me you walk around strapped and rough up your enemies for fun or for money. You know how I know it's not true? Because I saw you sitting courtside next to Spike at the Knicks game. I saw you on MTV Cribs. I saw you heading into Tryst with a 12-man entourage.
What does this have to do with 50 Cent? The Massacre in 2005 was a photocopy of Get Rich or Die Tryin'. "I'm Supposed to Die Tonight" was "Many Men" part II. "Disco Inferno" was "In Da Club" part II. "Piggy Bank" was "Back Down" part II. The album resembled the original, but also contained a lot of the feedback and residue associated with any photocopy. Fif reverted back to rapping about violence and drugs, and a lot of it wasn't believable anymore. By 2007, 50 was 4 1/2 years removed from his debut and even an outsider could tell he had changed as a person (which isn't a bad thing--it's actually good in 50's case). 50 was a corporate brand--he had a movie, a video game, Vitamin Water, a graphic design company, a clothing line, etc. Music wasn't his main source of income, and it didn't have to be. He was a well-oiled machine. Physically he even looked different. He wasn't cut up anymore--he was diesel. Dressed impecably. Spoke better. He set himself up for disaster by going head-to-head with Kanye West's Graduation on September 11, 2007, but the album was a disaster even beyond that. 50 himself changed, but his music did not. Curtis was a photocopy of The Massacre; it had even fewer quality songs and even more "feedback." The best song on the album was a track called "I Get Money" where 50 proved that you could rap about the corporate life and make it sound hard: "I took quarter water, sold it in bottles for two-bucks/Til Coca-Cola came and bought it for billions, what the f*ck?" Why he couldn't make the rest of the album with that mindset, I do not know. 2 years later, fans hope that 2009's Before I Self Destruct will feature 50 progressing beyond what we're accustomed to hearing from him. Unfortunately, the first track sets the disappointing tone and you discover that it's another photocopy of a photocopy.
Each album has been worse than its predecessor with no end in sight to this tumultuous downfall. I don't even know where to categorize this latest album in my mental rolodex--is it hip hop? Is it angry pop? Is it a new genre of crap? Fif needs to crumple his career from 2005-on into a ball, throw it across the room into a trash receptacle, and start over. Like the best often do, he needs to reinvent himself without losing himself. Keep a common thread in the brand but talk about real life, real issues, real THINGS. Mix it up a little for crying out loud. Perhaps he needs Taylor Swift to take him under her wing and proclaim "50 Cent is my favorite artist."
To understand our current state, we must understood how we got here. 50 Cent rose out of Jamaica Queens around the turn of the century flanked by childhood friends Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo, calling themselves the G-Unit. 50 already released an album in 2000, but it was weak even according to 50's standards. His style wasn't that much unlike Eminem's, though while Eminem took to insulting celebrities and pop-tarts, 50 went after rappers. For that reason, Eminem went on record in the fall of 2002 to say that "50 Cent is my favorite rapper." Not only was that one hell of an endorsement, it spurned mainstream listeners to look up this 50 Cent guy that not many had heard of. 50 and the G-Unit were killing the mixtape scene in 2002--the tapes were low-budget and low quality production, mostly beat-jacking and freestyles--but man were they good. Fif wasn't worried about what everyone thought of him, plus he was fresh so he had a lot to say. In November 2002 he teamed up with Dr Dre to record the soon-to-be first single, "In Da Club." The song killed. Everyone loved it, and for 8 months you could not get that song out of rotation (Sidebar: I went to the Bahamas for Spring Break in March 2003 and counted that clubs we visited played the song 37 times in 5 nights). The smash single mixed with the success of the mixtapes and Eminem's endorsement fueled this mega-machine that could not be stopped. Fans thirsted for 50 to record a studio album and the hype was bigger than Lebron's entrance to the NBA. Often with album releases, though, all the hype creates a giant snowball that grows each day and cannot be stopped. Then the release date is the hottest day of summer and that snowball evaporates instantly. Such was not the case with 50's debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin', which earned a perfect score from XXL and surpassed everyone's expectations. 50's brand was golden--he combined club hits and bangin' beats with his hard edge, hunger for beef, and this itty-bitty piece of street cred he earned after being shot 9 times and living to tell about it. All of this was displayed in an album deemed by many to be "perfect."
Drug-dealers-turned-rappers all face an unfortunate reality, though. They pour their heart and soul into the first album thinking it may be their only shot to make it big--and often it is the only shot. If successful, the lifestyle changes. These rappers no longer need to work the corners, rob and steal, and worry about where dinner is coming from. They get paid, they take care of their family and friends, buy a house in the 'burbs or a condo in the high-class part of the city, and maybe pick up a nice set of wheels. But drug-dealing and the everyday struggle are all they know, so when it comes time to record album #2, they revert to telling stories of those days. Unfortunately, even guys like me can see right through that nonsense. Don't tell me you walk around strapped and rough up your enemies for fun or for money. You know how I know it's not true? Because I saw you sitting courtside next to Spike at the Knicks game. I saw you on MTV Cribs. I saw you heading into Tryst with a 12-man entourage.
What does this have to do with 50 Cent? The Massacre in 2005 was a photocopy of Get Rich or Die Tryin'. "I'm Supposed to Die Tonight" was "Many Men" part II. "Disco Inferno" was "In Da Club" part II. "Piggy Bank" was "Back Down" part II. The album resembled the original, but also contained a lot of the feedback and residue associated with any photocopy. Fif reverted back to rapping about violence and drugs, and a lot of it wasn't believable anymore. By 2007, 50 was 4 1/2 years removed from his debut and even an outsider could tell he had changed as a person (which isn't a bad thing--it's actually good in 50's case). 50 was a corporate brand--he had a movie, a video game, Vitamin Water, a graphic design company, a clothing line, etc. Music wasn't his main source of income, and it didn't have to be. He was a well-oiled machine. Physically he even looked different. He wasn't cut up anymore--he was diesel. Dressed impecably. Spoke better. He set himself up for disaster by going head-to-head with Kanye West's Graduation on September 11, 2007, but the album was a disaster even beyond that. 50 himself changed, but his music did not. Curtis was a photocopy of The Massacre; it had even fewer quality songs and even more "feedback." The best song on the album was a track called "I Get Money" where 50 proved that you could rap about the corporate life and make it sound hard: "I took quarter water, sold it in bottles for two-bucks/Til Coca-Cola came and bought it for billions, what the f*ck?" Why he couldn't make the rest of the album with that mindset, I do not know. 2 years later, fans hope that 2009's Before I Self Destruct will feature 50 progressing beyond what we're accustomed to hearing from him. Unfortunately, the first track sets the disappointing tone and you discover that it's another photocopy of a photocopy.
Each album has been worse than its predecessor with no end in sight to this tumultuous downfall. I don't even know where to categorize this latest album in my mental rolodex--is it hip hop? Is it angry pop? Is it a new genre of crap? Fif needs to crumple his career from 2005-on into a ball, throw it across the room into a trash receptacle, and start over. Like the best often do, he needs to reinvent himself without losing himself. Keep a common thread in the brand but talk about real life, real issues, real THINGS. Mix it up a little for crying out loud. Perhaps he needs Taylor Swift to take him under her wing and proclaim "50 Cent is my favorite artist."
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