Curtis Jackson (aka 50 Cent) plans to Get Rich or Die Tryin’
(the title of his new album). In other words, he wants to
achieve the American Dream. Yet, America has likely never
heard it put quite like he put it before. Then again, no
one has ever heard a story like 50’s before. His mother,
Sabrina, was a “hustler.” She was murdered before
Curtis was 8. He never knew his father. He went to live
with his grandparents and was selling drugs before his teen
years. “I started hustling at 12, my mother hustled
ahead of me. I was only allowed to because they knew me,
‘Oh, that’s Sabrina’s little boy. Let him
do something.’ In that situation I felt like I had
no option.” In 1994, he was convicted of possession
of a controlled substance, and served three years. Curtis
Jackson went in, 50 Cent came out. Read the conversation
with the hottest name on the streets …
RD: The release date for Get Rich or Die Tryin’
is 2/11 [Editor’s note: The release date was actualy
moved to February 6.], which is the numerical police code
for robbery in progress. Take me back. Tell me about “How
To Rob.”
50 Cent: When I made “How To Rob,”
I was on a major label with Celine Dion, Mark Anthony, Mariah
Carey, all of these big stars. I had to make a record that
made people ask “Who is 50 Cent?”
RD: Which is exactly what happened. So what went
down at Columbia (Records)?
50 Cent: Columbia didn’t understand
50 Cent; to them, people [like me] only get shot on TV.
I was shot three days before I was supposed to shoot my
first video (“Thug Love” with Destiny’s Child).
They freaked out. Major labels would prefer to work with
“studio gangstas,” it’s less of a risk.
RD: After you were dropped, you hit the mix-tape
circuit. Where did that motivation come from?
50 Cent: When I was at Columbia, I would
ask questions, find out what people’s jobs were. If
you put me in a hands-on situation, I’m gonna learn
real fast. They didn’t realize the importance of the
black market and mix-tapes, so I used the connections I
made, and did what they weren’t doing. And I had the
worst deal, Ma, for like eight albums.
RD: [Laughs] I guess everything happens for a reason
…
50 Cent: If I didn’t get shot, I wouldn’t
have gotten dropped from Columbia…
RD: If you hadn’t been dropped from Columbia
…
50 Cent: I wouldn’t be in the situation
I’m in now.
RD: So you’ve always had a huge street buzz,
sometimes more from controversy than from your music. Do
you think that has changed now?
50 Cent: I’m glad that the music is
doing so well, but there’s still controversy.
RD: What do you think is a common misconception
about you?
50 Cent: People think I’m crazy. I’m
not crazy.
RD: How do you feel about how you are portrayed
in the media?
50 Cent: Two days ago, I was killed in LA.
CNN reported that. What if my grandmother had seen that
and had a heart attack? People talk about lyrical content.
There is no media responsibility. Movies, the porn industry,
it has to be across the board or it’s ineffective.
RD: What about the people who do say, or will say,
that you glorify violence or drug sales because of your
past?
50 Cent: People who glorify that lifestyle
are total frauds. Y’ know? ‘Cuz the people who
do it feel that they have no choice.
RD: If they could, they would do something better.
50 Cent: Right. “I’m a murderer.
Where my murderers at?” [When artists say things like
that, it’s] ‘cuz [they’re] frauds. I’ve
been in situations where either it was me or somebody else,
and I handled my business. But after that you go through
a whole process. You stop thinking about the police finding
out what you did. You start thinking about God knowing what
just happened. I’ve been in situations that would have
you running around with a Bible in your pocket. I just speak
on my life.
RD: I feel that. Okay, it’s been said that
you are the most anticipated artist since Biggie. Is that
a lot of pressure?
50 Cent: No, not really. The anticipation
comes from New York. They’ve been listening to me for
two years now, and it’s been consistent, good performances.
Now their imagination is saying, “I wonder what he’ll
sound like with Dre and Eminem” being that they are
the best producers and rappers in the game. Consistency
is the key to all success. If I can consistently deliver
a good performance, then they won’t have to wait until
they see a bootlegger and buy it for $5, they’ll give
up that $16.
RD: The marketing and promotions for the project
is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Are you involved
in those decisions?
50 Cent: Absolutely, everything you see on
the streets. I feel like I’m a marketing person now.
RD: Let’s talk about the album, what was your
creative control like?
50 Cent: I ain’t have no boundaries
… almost. Em never says “Don’t say that”
or “Can you change that?” If anything, they are
always saying that to him. And Dre, he’s got to understand
what I’m doing, he’s from NWA.
RD: There’s a lot of diverse production on
the album. Dre has five tracks, Em only has two. Why was
that important?
50 Cent: It was important because I had done
so many records previously. I’ve been working on this
album the whole time. I would make a mix-tape record, then
make a real record. The ones that I felt were the best,
I kept ‘em.
RD: What is it like working with Eminem?
50 Cent: I’m starting to figure it out.
I think that what happened to Em happened so fast that he
hasn’t even really realized how big he is. He’s
still down-to-earth and humble, despite the fact that he
can rap circles around the game. He’s so talented sometimes
it can become annoying. Plus he can’t really toot his
own horn, it makes people uneasy; but I can. The boy is
No. 1. We’re alike in a lot of ways, he speaks a lot
from his life experience, otherwise you wouldn’t know
who Kim was. I do the same, it’s just a little more
gunplay, more life-threatening situations.
RD: I know you always wear a bulletproof vest …
50 Cent: Yeah, I put it on right after my
underwear.
RD: Are you afraid? Afraid to die young, like emcees
before you?
50 Cent: I get asked that a lot. It seems
for some reason that people think I’m gonna die and
they’re gonna live, like forever. To them it’s
more believable that I’ll die than them, then they
get into a car and smash into something. Death is promised
to all of us, Ma. Where did ‘Pac get killed? That passenger
seat. Where did Biggie get killed? That passenger seat.
Where did 50 Cent get shot? The backseat, but still in the
car, shooters are comfortable shooting in vehicles so I’ve
got a bulletproof vehicle. I’m a target, but I don’t
dwell on it.
RD: How were you impacted by the death of Jam Master
Jay?
50 Cent: Since I got shot, I don’t get
worked up about things that are out of my control. I got
shot blocks away from where Jay was killed. I get excited
about things I can prevent ... [50 quotes “The Serenity
Prayer”] I have to stay focused and keep working.
RD: You’ve survived 9 bullet wounds and were
only in the hospital for 13 days, that’s basically
a medical miracle. Do you feel like you have a destiny?
Are you fulfilling it right now?
50 Cent: Yes. I think I’m supposed to
do something positive … more positive. But anything
that changes too fast is no good. The people that listen
to me won’t listen if I bring forth too much of a positive
message too soon. I mean, my situation, alone, is being
a role model. I don’t have to say “Rap it up”
every two seconds, or “Don’t do drugs” every
two seconds. They know they’re not supposed to use
drugs, and they know they’re supposed to put a condom
on. The fact that I exist is saying there’s always
a possibility. There’s always hope. | RDW
The Get Rich or Die Tryin’ Record Release Party is
taking place on Sunday, February 9 at the State Theater,
hosted by WJLB’s Bushman & DJ Green Lantern. Also
performing are Web Entertainment artist King Gordy of The
Fat Killahz, who appeared in 8 Mile as Big O, a local rap
star making it big. Shady Records recording artists D12
and Obie Trice will also open the show. 50 confirmed “We’re
going to drink Bacardi like it’s your birthday.”
by Paul Russell, RealDetroit
