50 Cent: Hip-hop’s Vince McMahon?
February 9, 2009 • Artists, Business Practices, Questionable Marketing • Comments
50 Cent aka Pimpin' Curly
The 50 Cent/Rick Ross ‘beef’ is difficult to ignore if you are a follower of things hip-hop. It is at the same time, entertaining, exciting, childish and distracting. Since hip-hop has a long celebrated history of competitiveness, at best on wax, and at worst, spilling over into ‘real-life’, hip-hop purists are not overly critical of the escalation of tensions between Miami’s Ross and NY’s 50. Though there are many around the blogosphere who would suggest that the concept of beef in hip-hop is played out, the competition and creativity often associated with hip-hop confrontation is undeniably unique, and a guilty pleasure enjoyed by many.
A recent post on DJ Brandi Garcia’s blog on GlobalGrind.com on the subject, struck me however.
Officer Ricky Cartoon
Essentially, Ms. Garcia genuinely seems to enjoys the banter and multimedia assault being dished out by megastar 50 Cent, admiring his creativity and determination to ridicule Rick Ross and in effect, damage or end his career. I completely agree with Brandi Garcia on her post, and find the same sense of enjoyment from the proceedings.
I also agree completely with her when she says, “I think so long as this stays on records and the internet and doesn’t go into the streets on some foolishness then its great for the game. Definitely entertaining and isn’t this called the ‘entertainment business’?“. Of course, we all want this to be about competitiveness and oneupsmanship, and not result in any actual confrontation, but it is the ‘entertainment business’ portion of her comment is what struck me as interesting, and again, while I completely agree, I have some thoughts on this, which I posted on her blog as a comment, and will also post here.
What are your thoughts?
Hey Brandi -
The way I have been thinking of this whole 50/Ross thing, ties into something you said. “Entertainment” business.
The problem to me is, I kinda thought this was supposed to be the “music” business, and even before that, just hip-hop. Oh I love a good rap battle, but that’s my point.
Where’s the rapping?
I see videos, YouTube, websites, blog posts, baby mamas, fur coats, wig-wearing.. I mean, it’s all highly entertaining, and I also MUST give 50 his props on creativity, shock value, and promotion ability.
But isn’t all this supposed to boil down to who is the best rapper? Is hip-hop beef about hip-hop anymore? Or is it nowadays just who can virally spread their message of ridicule through the internet faster.. Or who owns, or doesn’t own, a Lambourghini…
Chuck D once said hip-hop was “CNN for black people”.
These days, it’s more like WWE.
