Rapper/Entrepreneur
I don't think 50 Cent is too worried. Granted, the multiplatinum, headline-grabbing, rap superstar did make news with his challenge to fellow chart-topper Kanye West regarding their respective albums - that will be released on the same day, Sept. 11- and subsequent sales numbers; but 50 has been courting controversy since before he was the most recognized rapper in the country. Since his meteoric rise to fame, the rapper has had more than his fair share of detractors, but he hasn't let it break his stride.
"In every situation there are always going to be some new obstacles in front of you," says the rapper born Curtis Jackson. "Growing up without finance, I felt that finance would be the answer to all of my problems, but I realize now there will always be something new [to overcome]."
With the release of his third solo LP, titled simply Curtis, 50 is
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photo by steed media service
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poised to remind audiences of what made him a superstar in the first place. Boasting production from some of the biggest names in hip-hop, and a leaner, more focused lyrical attack, the album should be one of the biggest of the year; and the industry is readying itself for the showdown between the Queens-born rapper and Mr. West.
50 Cent isn't going anywhere, despite having been targeted by many moral watchdogs as the face of hip-hop's more violent, misogynistic side. But Mr. Jackson just believes that he, and hip-hop in general, are just scapegoats for larger issues.
"The music is a mirror - a reflection of the environment that we grew up in," he says. "I'm sure many conservative Americans can't deal with [my lyrics] because they can't relate to [them], so I understand why I'm constantly being attacked on some levels."
For exclusive video, log onto rollingout.com/50cent. - todd williams
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