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The Infamous Times: The Original 50 Cent
"Is it possible to live as wild as 50 Cent the rapper talks about living without dying in the manner of the gangster 50 Cent?"
By Reco Daste
The Infamous Times: The Original 50 Cent is a documentary that takes you on a journey through Brooklyn in the 1980s, filled with stories of violence and robberies. In the film they refer to the original 50 Cent- the criminal that inspired the rapper 50 Cent- as “Billy the Kid of the Hood” because wherever he went, he was said to bring the Wild West with him. This documentary contains revealing interviews with friends and family of the original 50 Cent, and with the rapper who took on his name.
The video walks you through the life of the original 50 Cent, all the way up to when he was assassinated by an associate of his. Due to the similarity of the situations between the criminal and the rapper, it makes me ponder: Did the rapper take only 50's name, or is he also using his identity? Are we being shown false imagery, or is this really him? Is it possible to live as wild as 50 Cent the rapper talks about living without dying in the manner of the gangster 50 Cent?
This also made me wonder about how many rappers might be living out their childhood fantasies by emulating their neighborhood boss in their albums. For me, being a big fan of hip hop music, it is a little depressing to think that the rappers you idolize could be frauds. But, as I get discouraged, I recall a conversation I had with my sister. We were discussing “who is real and who's fake” when she brought up that it’s just entertainment. This made me think about how the largest consumers of gangster rap music are suburban teenagers. Do they listen to this music to feel as if they are getting some insight into the ghetto, or is it amusing for them to hear about minorities acting crazy?
A lot of urban kids are hanging on to every word, thinking that this is how to get ahead if they live in a rough neighborhood. They buy the music because they can relate to the rappers, but is it the rapper’s own story that they're telling or someone else's? Is it telling the kids to get in any way they can, just like the rapper 50 Cent’s debut album title on Aftermath’s label and the gangster 50 Cent’s catch phrase, "Get Rich or Die Trying"? Is the climb to the top worth losing your own sense of self, whether rapper or gangster, and is the sacrifice greater then the cause?
This documentary reminded me of most of the hood movies I've seen. The gangster always dies at the end; and every thug I know in real life is in jail (or on their way) and will probably spend most their life in prison. So, is this entertainment or real life? Is the lifestyle rappers portray as simple as they make it seem or is it, as Easy E would put it, easier said then done? Think about it.
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