Deconstructing Fiddy: A Search for Hope and Redemption in the Music of 50 Cent
—1. Overview (multimedia)
—2. Overview Basic (dial up speed)
—3. Reviews and Blogs
—4. Cast and Crew
—5. Photo Pages
—6. Trailers, Clips, DVDs, Books, Soundtrack
—7. Posters (50 Cent)
—8. Production Notes (pdf)
—9. Spiritual Connections
—10. Presentation Downloads
I’m a very outspoken film critic. I make no bones about it. Both in my Hollywood Jesus reviews as well as my secular reviews, I’ve willingly courted controversy by making certain statements and comments. In another commentary written for an African-American film website, I made very controversial, angry, and very un-Christian-like statements about slain rapper/actor Tupac Shakur. I felt the urge to give my 2 cents on his perceived legacy because, at the time, his posthumous biography Tupac: Resurrection was prepared to hit theatres.
In my commentary, I stated that I believed that, in spite of the legendary status laid upon him even years after his death, he died like a coward. Why such a strong statement? Because, as I recalled his music over the years, I observed him fighting an intense internal struggle between good and evil. The “goodâ€� side was demonstrated by his songs of introspection. Songs like “Me Against The Worldâ€� and “So Many Tearsâ€� expressed his anguish at American society and the power structure that left him and his legion of inner city/ghetto counterparts fighting amongst themselves for the miniscule table scraps left by the so-called American Dream. The “badâ€� side was expressed by the songs which willfully accepted and celebrated the negative aspects of inner-city/ghetto life. Tupac boldly expressed this attitude by his mantra “Thug Lifeâ€�—which he also famously tattooed over his chest. To me, his death in Las Vegas was the ultimate manifestation that the “badâ€� side had won. After all, as I stated in my commentary, he lived like a thug… he died like a thug.
Many people agreed with my statements. Many people challenged them, too. God was able to use those who challenged me to rethink my strong statement. I admit that I have never deliberately listened to a single Tupac album. I’ve heard many of his songs and bits and pieces of other songs over the years. But I never sat down to judge his music for myself—another unfortunate un-Christian-like trait (Judge not… lest ye be judged).
Tupac’s defenders emphasized the fact that those “goodâ€� side records are the ones that cement Tupac’s legacy. Hidden within those celebratory “Thug Lifeâ€� records are songs that express the hope that one day the struggle will be over; that one day the citizens caught up in Thug Life will rise up to a better place where they will be complete and whole individuals. For every “Thug Lifeâ€� record, there were 3 more records expressing Tupac’s individual search for hope and redemption—be it in this life or the next.
Today, another rapper is tossing his hat into the acting game. Curtis “50 Centâ€� Jackson— who proclaimed in his smash hit 2003 single “In Da Clubâ€� that he wants his fans to love him “like they love Pacâ€�— has just released his first film Get Rich Or Die Tryin. I’ve heard practically all of his music on the radio. Heck, I even like his song “In Da Clubâ€�! Having said that, I do have some definite opinions on Fiddy’s music that are similar to my views about Tupac’s music. I knew that my views would undoubtedly polarize many of 50 Cent’s fans and supporters who’d claim, like Tupac, I just didn’t get it. So this time, instead of going the “holy-rollerâ€� route and passing judgment on music and songs I’d never heard before, I decided to listen for myself. I listened to both of his major studio albums (2003’s Get Rich Or Die Tryin and 2005’s The Massacre) to see what the big fuss is all about. I had to know for myself why this rapper’s first 2 albums have become the biggest selling albums in their respective years. Most important, I had to know if there were songs of hope and redemption hidden behind his personal stories of “Thug Life.â€�
Here are snippets of what I found:
“Many men wish death upon me, dog, I don’t cry no more. Don’t look to the sky no more.� -- Many Men (from the album “Get Rich or Die Tryin�)
“Cherish me! Like the water you drink. Like the air that you breathe. Y’all need me to live� --This is 50 (from the album “The Massacre�)
“Sometimes I sit and look at life from a different angle. Don’t know if I’m God’s child or Satan’s angel� --I’m Supposed To Die Tonight (from the album "The Massacre�)
If I could describe those 2 albums in one word: Depressing.
Unlike Tupac, who wrestled within his inner man about the choices he made in his life, 50 Cent has chosen to embrace those choices. In his music, peace among brethren is not an option. Any and all disagreements can be settled with a 9MM pistol or a host of other brands of artillery. I heard greed, remorselessness, false pride, empty bravado, foolish justification for immoral life choices, wanton disregard for the opposite sex, and an overall sense of hopelessness which he and some of his hip-hop counterparts label as “keeping it real.� I fear that, like Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G. in their song and album titles did (If I Die Tonight, Ready To Die), he may be prophesying his own downfall and death.
His beef (conflict) with those aforementioned counterparts has made the front pages of entertainment news. He boldly calls out his competition by name and taunts them on his records and interviews. Gunplay has even ensued between both him and his enemies’ entourages. Most recently, one of his “protégés,â€� rapper The Game, was kicked out of Fiddy’s crew —G-Unit—for collaborating with one of his “enemiesâ€� in the business. This situation has also escalated to the point of violence.
And the kids are eating it up. As I mentioned before, both of his major studio albums have been the top selling albums of the year (almost 9 million copies for 2003’s Get Rich and 5 million for 2005’s The Massacre). You literally can’t drive down the street without hearing his monotonic, slightly slurred voice coming out of some kid’s—or adult’s—SUV. His message of death and hopelessness happens to be masqueraded by the most intoxicating and hypnotic percussion rhythms ever created. I’ll be honest: it’s darn near impossible to keep from bobbing your head to one of Fiddy’s beats. The mere sound of his famous opening lines from “In Da Clubâ€� (“Go Shorty! It’s Ya Birthday!â€�) has been known to cause massive stampedes to the dance floor at both parties and weddings! But, like most gangsta hip-hop, it’s the beats that draw you in and the lyrics that can potentially take you out.
What these kids don’t realize is that music has the power to alter one’s spirit. Good music inspires you hope and to dream. Hearing your favorite song during 5 PM rush hour has the power to shine a ray of hope on a cloudy and pitiful day. As Lauryn Hill stated in her song “Superstar,â€� “Music is supposed to inspire.â€� 50 Cent’s music inspires hopelessness. His supporters may claim that his music is a reflection of reality. I don’t believe that—in light of the fact that I was raised in South Central Los Angeles in the mid 1980’s during the Crips & Bloods gang wars where drug dealing and ghetto hopelessness was as prevalent as the tales told in Fiddy and Tupac records. I saw my neighborhood peers accept that “reality.â€� I had plenty of chances to accept that “realityâ€� into my own life. But through God’s grace and my mother’s discipline, I saw that “realityâ€� for the lie that it truly is. And, not by might, nor by power, but by God’s spirit (and a whole lot of late nights studying for tests and doing homework), I made it out of the “hood.â€� Society and (some) hip-hop music may claim that the only ambition for folks in the inner city is to be a hustler, a thug, or to get rich or die trying. But God is bigger than that. Jesus Christ did not give up His life so that we would celebrate songs of hatred and death and willfully walk in a spirit of hopelessness and despair. His thoughts are higher than ours. His ways are higher than ours. What He has in store for us—50 Cent included— is bigger than fame or fortune. He offers us and escape from the spirit of death and hopelessness that continuously surround us.
The more I think about Fiddy, his music, and his film (which I have seen and have also reviewed), the more I feel compassion for him. There is major pain inside of him that he has buried. I look past his scowl and his stare and I see a man on the verge of losing his soul in the pursuit of “getting rich or dying trying.� Former rapper turned pastor Mase (P Diddy’s former sidekick) is now part of the G-Unit crew. I sincerely pray that Mase would be an effective witness to the power of Jesus Christ to him. Every day that Fiddy lives, moves and has his being, the Father offers him another chance to forsake the things of the world in exchange for the love, freedom and peace in Christ. I sincerely hope that Fiddy will receive that gift before it’s too late. It’ll truly be a shame if this man, who desires to be loved like Tupac did, were to die like him too.
—1. Overview (multimedia)—2. Overview Basic (dial up speed)—3. Reviews and Blogs —4. Cast and Crew—5. Photo Pages —6. Trailers, Clips, DVDs, Books, Soundtrack—7. Posters (50 Cent)—8. Production Notes (pdf) —9. Spiritual Connections—10. Presentation Downloads
—2. Overview Basic (dial up speed)
—3. Reviews and Blogs
—4. Cast and Crew
—5. Photo Pages
—6. Trailers, Clips, DVDs, Books, Soundtrack
—7. Posters (50 Cent)
—8. Production Notes (pdf)
—9. Spiritual Connections
—10. Presentation Downloads
I’m a very outspoken film critic. I make no bones about it. Both in my Hollywood Jesus reviews as well as my secular reviews, I’ve willingly courted controversy by making certain statements and comments. In another commentary written for an African-American film website, I made very controversial, angry, and very un-Christian-like statements about slain rapper/actor Tupac Shakur. I felt the urge to give my 2 cents on his perceived legacy because, at the time, his posthumous biography Tupac: Resurrection was prepared to hit theatres.In my commentary, I stated that I believed that, in spite of the legendary status laid upon him even years after his death, he died like a coward. Why such a strong statement? Because, as I recalled his music over the years, I observed him fighting an intense internal struggle between good and evil. The “goodâ€� side was demonstrated by his songs of introspection. Songs like “Me Against The Worldâ€� and “So Many Tearsâ€� expressed his anguish at American society and the power structure that left him and his legion of inner city/ghetto counterparts fighting amongst themselves for the miniscule table scraps left by the so-called American Dream. The “badâ€� side was expressed by the songs which willfully accepted and celebrated the negative aspects of inner-city/ghetto life. Tupac boldly expressed this attitude by his mantra “Thug Lifeâ€�—which he also famously tattooed over his chest. To me, his death in Las Vegas was the ultimate manifestation that the “badâ€� side had won. After all, as I stated in my commentary, he lived like a thug… he died like a thug.
Many people agreed with my statements. Many people challenged them, too. God was able to use those who challenged me to rethink my strong statement. I admit that I have never deliberately listened to a single Tupac album. I’ve heard many of his songs and bits and pieces of other songs over the years. But I never sat down to judge his music for myself—another unfortunate un-Christian-like trait (Judge not… lest ye be judged).
Tupac’s defenders emphasized the fact that those “goodâ€� side records are the ones that cement Tupac’s legacy. Hidden within those celebratory “Thug Lifeâ€� records are songs that express the hope that one day the struggle will be over; that one day the citizens caught up in Thug Life will rise up to a better place where they will be complete and whole individuals. For every “Thug Lifeâ€� record, there were 3 more records expressing Tupac’s individual search for hope and redemption—be it in this life or the next.Today, another rapper is tossing his hat into the acting game. Curtis “50 Centâ€� Jackson— who proclaimed in his smash hit 2003 single “In Da Clubâ€� that he wants his fans to love him “like they love Pacâ€�— has just released his first film Get Rich Or Die Tryin. I’ve heard practically all of his music on the radio. Heck, I even like his song “In Da Clubâ€�! Having said that, I do have some definite opinions on Fiddy’s music that are similar to my views about Tupac’s music. I knew that my views would undoubtedly polarize many of 50 Cent’s fans and supporters who’d claim, like Tupac, I just didn’t get it. So this time, instead of going the “holy-rollerâ€� route and passing judgment on music and songs I’d never heard before, I decided to listen for myself. I listened to both of his major studio albums (2003’s Get Rich Or Die Tryin and 2005’s The Massacre) to see what the big fuss is all about. I had to know for myself why this rapper’s first 2 albums have become the biggest selling albums in their respective years. Most important, I had to know if there were songs of hope and redemption hidden behind his personal stories of “Thug Life.â€�
Here are snippets of what I found:
“Many men wish death upon me, dog, I don’t cry no more. Don’t look to the sky no more.� -- Many Men (from the album “Get Rich or Die Tryin�)
“Cherish me! Like the water you drink. Like the air that you breathe. Y’all need me to live� --This is 50 (from the album “The Massacre�)
“Sometimes I sit and look at life from a different angle. Don’t know if I’m God’s child or Satan’s angel� --I’m Supposed To Die Tonight (from the album "The Massacre�)
If I could describe those 2 albums in one word: Depressing.
Unlike Tupac, who wrestled within his inner man about the choices he made in his life, 50 Cent has chosen to embrace those choices. In his music, peace among brethren is not an option. Any and all disagreements can be settled with a 9MM pistol or a host of other brands of artillery. I heard greed, remorselessness, false pride, empty bravado, foolish justification for immoral life choices, wanton disregard for the opposite sex, and an overall sense of hopelessness which he and some of his hip-hop counterparts label as “keeping it real.â€� I fear that, like Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G. in their song and album titles did (If I Die Tonight, Ready To Die), he may be prophesying his own downfall and death.His beef (conflict) with those aforementioned counterparts has made the front pages of entertainment news. He boldly calls out his competition by name and taunts them on his records and interviews. Gunplay has even ensued between both him and his enemies’ entourages. Most recently, one of his “protégés,â€� rapper The Game, was kicked out of Fiddy’s crew —G-Unit—for collaborating with one of his “enemiesâ€� in the business. This situation has also escalated to the point of violence.
And the kids are eating it up. As I mentioned before, both of his major studio albums have been the top selling albums of the year (almost 9 million copies for 2003’s Get Rich and 5 million for 2005’s The Massacre). You literally can’t drive down the street without hearing his monotonic, slightly slurred voice coming out of some kid’s—or adult’s—SUV. His message of death and hopelessness happens to be masqueraded by the most intoxicating and hypnotic percussion rhythms ever created. I’ll be honest: it’s darn near impossible to keep from bobbing your head to one of Fiddy’s beats. The mere sound of his famous opening lines from “In Da Clubâ€� (“Go Shorty! It’s Ya Birthday!â€�) has been known to cause massive stampedes to the dance floor at both parties and weddings! But, like most gangsta hip-hop, it’s the beats that draw you in and the lyrics that can potentially take you out.
What these kids don’t realize is that music has the power to alter one’s spirit. Good music inspires you hope and to dream. Hearing your favorite song during 5 PM rush hour has the power to shine a ray of hope on a cloudy and pitiful day. As Lauryn Hill stated in her song “Superstar,â€� “Music is supposed to inspire.â€� 50 Cent’s music inspires hopelessness. His supporters may claim that his music is a reflection of reality. I don’t believe that—in light of the fact that I was raised in South Central Los Angeles in the mid 1980’s during the Crips & Bloods gang wars where drug dealing and ghetto hopelessness was as prevalent as the tales told in Fiddy and Tupac records. I saw my neighborhood peers accept that “reality.â€� I had plenty of chances to accept that “realityâ€� into my own life. But through God’s grace and my mother’s discipline, I saw that “realityâ€� for the lie that it truly is. And, not by might, nor by power, but by God’s spirit (and a whole lot of late nights studying for tests and doing homework), I made it out of the “hood.â€� Society and (some) hip-hop music may claim that the only ambition for folks in the inner city is to be a hustler, a thug, or to get rich or die trying. But God is bigger than that. Jesus Christ did not give up His life so that we would celebrate songs of hatred and death and willfully walk in a spirit of hopelessness and despair. His thoughts are higher than ours. His ways are higher than ours. What He has in store for us—50 Cent included— is bigger than fame or fortune. He offers us and escape from the spirit of death and hopelessness that continuously surround us.
The more I think about Fiddy, his music, and his film (which I have seen and have also reviewed), the more I feel compassion for him. There is major pain inside of him that he has buried. I look past his scowl and his stare and I see a man on the verge of losing his soul in the pursuit of “getting rich or dying trying.� Former rapper turned pastor Mase (P Diddy’s former sidekick) is now part of the G-Unit crew. I sincerely pray that Mase would be an effective witness to the power of Jesus Christ to him. Every day that Fiddy lives, moves and has his being, the Father offers him another chance to forsake the things of the world in exchange for the love, freedom and peace in Christ. I sincerely hope that Fiddy will receive that gift before it’s too late. It’ll truly be a shame if this man, who desires to be loved like Tupac did, were to die like him too.
—1. Overview (multimedia)—2. Overview Basic (dial up speed)—3. Reviews and Blogs —4. Cast and Crew—5. Photo Pages —6. Trailers, Clips, DVDs, Books, Soundtrack—7. Posters (50 Cent)—8. Production Notes (pdf) —9. Spiritual Connections—10. Presentation Downloads
1 Comments:
Hi. It's my 1st time in your yard. That last paragraph said volumes. At least I know now that I'm not the only one who thinks that Mase is on a mission. Yanno, ever since he came back on the scene, everyone is like "Oh! He's s'pose ta be a Chriiiiistian!" Don't know about you, but that irritates me.
Thanks for bringing your thoughts to the forefront.
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