In this forum and another one I used to be in 50 Cent gets slated constantly. I'll admit hes not the greatest rapper out there but he is good. People act like 50s Elton John and your fucked if you like him! Have you 50 haters always hated him or have you guys just taken a general dislikin to him and G-Unit? All I ever read is negative comments bout them.

A lot of it has to do with how he's a multi-million dollar snuff porn rapper. He's a cultural plague. It's not that I just don't like him but I think he's really bad for people to listen to and he's a generally a cancer on society. The world would be better off if he died by those shots he always brags about. So it's not so much that I hate him but that I despise the horrible things he's only capable of saying and the hypocritcal actions he follows them up with. Even Jay-Z is a better human than this guy.

Here's my review from TMT which goes into more detail:
"Let [white people] talk! What are they saying that is different from what their grandfathers said? What are they doing or trying to do to us that their grandfathers didn't try to do to us? But what is different is what we are doing to ourselves."
- Bill Cosby at Jesse Jackson's 33rd Annual Rainbow/PUSH Coalition Conference

In keeping with the Aftermath method of releasing the same CD every month, here's the latest and samest from one of, if not the biggest cancer on society today. I realize it's taboo to judge a book by its cover, but face it, you can make a fairly educated guess from reading the jacket now, can't you? Continuing the stunning visual theme of 2003's ultra blockbusting capitalist circle jerk Get Rich Or Die Trying, The Massacre features 50 in almost the exact same shirtless pose, only this time, the bullet shattered glass has been replaced with bad artistic enhancements of his muscles sketched over his torso in pencil, making the cover the most comedic use of fake muscles since "Weird" Al's Rambo parody in UHF.

But, if you require further indisputable proof that this is shockingly awful, you can size up the disc easily from the 40 second intro. To set the scene, a Fiddy fan-girl manages to unwrap a CD or, as they call it in the biz, a unit. She then reads a generic message from the big goon himself saying it's a Valentine's gift to all his fans and puts it in her stereo, after which she is immediately blown away screaming into the hands of death, marking the album's first, among many, instances of meaningless, psychotically homicidal gunfire. Yeah, you really know someone is tough if they have a recording of what guns sound like. Ooh... so scary. Anyway, the first actual track "In My Hood" is surprisingly well produced by C. Styles and Bang Out, who mix live strings, a funky bassline, relatively atypical Aftermath keyboards, and a hard hitting beat to good effect... but the lyrics, oh gawd, the lyrics. They highlight right off the bat exactly how divorced from reality anyone has to be who would take anything 50 Cent says seriously. At the exact moment as he sings "where I come from it ain't safe to have more than a eighth/ Niggas'll come to ya' place, put a gun in ya' face" in his usual lethargic mumble, Rolling Stone was at work placing him at number 19 on their list of this year's biggest money-makers, raking in $24.9 million last year alone. There's no way he lives anywhere near anyone who can touch him anymore, unless he's both stupid and crazy, which the $6 million profit from his Reebok sneakers says otherwise. You know he took the money and ran far, far away. But this song also contains the wonderful line "It ain't good to do good in my hood/ (sound of a gun taking a human life) You know not to do good now." What kind of message is that? There's no point in trying to be a decent human being so you better kill everyone who is. I gotta say I don't follow his logic here. Perhaps, 50, if you stopped killing everyone who tries to do good in your hood, metaphorically or not, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad place to be from.. whaddaya think? This disk is so full of revolting lines like these, I could only listen to it for 10 minutes at a time to avoid throwing my Discman through the window and puking black ooze from my now tainted soul, the ooze to be then rinsed down the gutter by the tears of angels forced to witness my suffering as a sacrifice for the sins 50 has cursed upon the Earth. Make no mistake; every word out of his mouth is a third eye blindfold.

Seriously, aside from the first C.Styles and Bang Out beat, Buckwild's brass based "I Don't Need 'Em," and, to an extent, the two Needlz tracks (though initially interesting, go absolutely nowhere) there is nothing redeeming about this album. It's pretty much all the same synth leads, bang-bang beats, and tired rhymes as every other Aftermath related project since The Eminem Show, which wasn't that great either, definitively marking the end of Shady's creativity and growth as an artist. But Em still has tangible, inarguable skills; he can say a lot of words very fast and make them rhyme and flow, whereas 50 Cent carries none of his redeeming moral dilemmas at the same time as boasting comparatively limited lyrical wit, imagination, and vocabulary. Every track is about how tough he is, his sexual prowess, how he likes to party, or all three. In and about that, he's blindly violent, racist, sexist, homophobic, greedy, egotistical, and uneducated. He's an extremely awful person inside and out (at least his 50 Cent persona), who profits from tainting the expectations of what African-Americans can make of themselves (thank you Bill Cosby for finally saying it), glorifying the acquisition of wealth and power at any cost and fanning the flames of universal hatred in the process. For the sake of your mind and for those of future generations, please think about what you're listening to.

The way I see it, hip-hop started off underground and took many years until it was fully embraced by the mainstream. When it was so young a genre, those who originated it rapped about real events freshly burned in infamy, about the state of affairs responsible for their development to that point ("The Black CNN" as it was called). The apparently boastful attitude of the pioneers about their crimes and situations seemed like more of an honest triumph of the human character over circumstance. Eventually the top selling rap outfits became the top selling musical acts. Those carrying the brightest torches didn't want to wreck the formula that made them, and so rap, now actually hip-pop, became stagnant. But a new breed of rap was already developing in the underground and began to progress the genre to new levels of honesty, artistic integrity, and moving creativity. And so here we are, where the sound and passion of the underground is slowly being co-opted at the outskirts of hip-hop by the likes of Kanye West, while the rest work or tread the line between hop and pop. Every genre goes through this type of change -- a growth, death, and rebirth -- it's a natural process of development and public patience; but the big three of hip-pop today -- Eminem, 50, and Dr. Dre who took in a combined $54.2 million in 2004 -- represent the old order of uncreative over-actors clinging to the last remains of a tired outlook that is now utterly irrelevant, referring to real life events only in the past tense, these said events that gave them their supposed credibility now either ancient '80s history or were completely hypothetical in the first place. Their brand of theatre has been boiled down to a series of fiery decade old reminiscences, pathetic squabbles with their peers over respect, and grotesquely violent acts without meaning, all to propagate the façade of true strife in an effort to justify the pointless lives they have led and to encourage others to be as absurd and childish as they are to keep their crumbling empire in tact for a few more years. But it can't last forever. Even cancer has a cure... no matter how long it takes; it's only a matter of time until we find it.

I didn't read the above post, I just have never liked him. His voice, his flow, his lyrics, his image, all of it rubs me the wrong way. I think he's shitty.

quote:

Originally posted by b0arder753:
I didn't read the above post, I just have never liked him. His voice, his flow, his lyrics, his image, all of it rubs me the wrong way. I think he's shitty.

Pretty much what he said!

Filmore really seems to despise Fiddy though. I think he's a piss-poor excuse for a rapper, but I don't know if I'd wish him dead!

One thing regarding Filmore's review though... when you diss Dre you diss yourself.

Yeah, seriously. Dre is so good. And he brought up Em. And if you don't like Em, well, you better have some real good taste elsewhere, or we got problems.

I read the review finally, 2 things:

1. I loved the capitalist circle-jerk line... great.

2. HOW CAN YOU HATE ON EMINEM?!?!?! Sorry, had to get that out of my system, haha. I'm not diggin' his new stuff, Encore was his last good album, imo. Though, I agree, it wasn't quite up to par.

I don't like Eminem, I haven't really ever liked him. I thnk that much of it has to do with his flow as well as his lyrics. Far too pop-culture-eske for me. Most of the time he
A)doesn't seem to have anything intelligent to say
B) resorts to fart jokes or pointing out that he is white for the millionth time
Or C)Finds an easy target in pop culture and takes a jab.

He is sometimes punny, but other than that I don't really get it.

But fiddy is horrible.

quote:

Originally posted by Mike:
I don't like Eminem, I haven't really ever liked him. I thnk that much of it has to do with his flow as well as his lyrics. Far too pop-culture-eske for me. Most of the time he
A)doesn't seem to have anything intelligent to say
B) resorts to fart jokes or pointing out that he is white for the millionth time
Or C)Finds an easy target in pop culture and takes a jab.

He is sometimes punny, but other than that I don't really get it.

But fiddy is horrible.

"Mike: Jedi"
Self-explanatory.

But seriously, you said everything I wanted to say (and more) upon reading the "How can you hate on Em?" line.

quote:

In this forum and another one I used to be in 50 Cent gets slated constantly. I'll admit hes not the greatest rapper out there but he is good. People act like 50s Elton John and your fucked if you like him! Have you 50 haters always hated him or have you guys just taken a general dislikin to him and G-Unit? All I ever read is negative comments bout them.

I've always hated him and Jah Jah Jah Jah Gay Unit. Its just a rap war thing, I like The Game, so I feel inclined to hate on Fiddy, then I decided to listen to him, just to see if it was actually any good. It wasn't. I just don't feel him and his persona.

In the words of Dave Chappelle
" Jah Jah Jah Jah Get the F*$%! out my car!"

Damn, who wrote the essay^^^^ calm the f*ck down lol.

Honestly 50 isn't known for his lyrical genius, his intellectualism or anything like that, I listen to him because he raps with passion, i admit he has had some truely horrible songs but go back and listen to GRODT or The Power of the Dollar and you might find yourself liking him, but no-one will admit it?? G-Unit all day here.

50 Cent is a cultural plague? I think you need to relax with that. It's just music.

Even far, far more influential artists, say the Beatles, didn't really change the world. Everyone loved them more than anyone loves fif and they didn't accomplish world peace or anything. 50 isn't causing chaos in the streets or doing anything other than selling bad records and overpriced flavored water.

quote:

Originally posted by MightyOrnery:
50 Cent is a cultural plague? I think you need to relax with that. It's just music.

Even far, far more influential artists, say the Beatles, didn't really change the world. Everyone loved them more than anyone loves fif and they didn't accomplish world peace or anything. 50 isn't causing chaos in the streets or doing anything other than selling bad records and overpriced flavored water.

I disagree but am not really in the mood to explain my argument, I'm sure Filmore will. But we both agree regarding the bad records and shitty flavored water.

I would disagree with that as well, but I'm happy that someone brought this thread to the top again. Filmore's rant is badass.

quote:

Originally posted by MightyOrnery:
50 Cent is a cultural plague? I think you need to relax with that. It's just music. Even far, far more influential artists, say the Beatles, didn't really change the world. Everyone loved them more than anyone loves fif and they didn't accomplish world peace or anything. 50 isn't causing chaos in the streets or doing anything other than selling bad records and overpriced flavored water.

Ahhh, this takes me back. I can't believe it's been three years already.
The difference between Fiddy and The Beatles is the latter said "all you need is love" and did what they could to make the world a better place. Fiddy merely uses his position to espouse materialism, sexism, homophobia, and violence amongst the poor. Did the Beatles make world peace and is Fiddy the cause of all injustice? Of course not, but they tried and they have had a worldwide effect. Jesus didn't make world peace either, but I've never heard anyone say "relax, it's just philosophy."

quote:

Originally posted by JGlass:
And if you don't like Em, well, you better have some real good taste elsewhere, or we got problems.

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Angelo:
I don't like Eminem, I haven't really ever liked him. I thnk that much of it has to do with his flow as well as his lyrics. Far too pop-culture-eske for me. Most of the time he
A)doesn't seem to have anything intelligent to say
B) resorts to fart jokes or pointing out that he is white for the millionth time
Or C)Finds an easy target in pop culture and takes a jab.

Yeah, that about nails it. I think Em actually has a lot of talent as a vocalist (his beats are consistently terrible, though). However, he uses that talent to kill his wife seven times every album, of all the targets in the world, and gay-bashes the rest of the album (oooh, what a hard target to pick on... what's next, the Friars? Midgets?). It was attention grabbing the first couple times I heard it, but his last few album have been recycled banality. He wasted his skills.
For my money, Sage Francis delivers everything Em is capable of, but with a conscience.

Do you believe that listening to violent rap really inspires violence? Or violent movies? Or video games? The content of his music isn't positive, but I think people here, of all people, should recognize that people don't live their lives according to what's on their bookshelf or in their MP3 player or on their TV screen.

50's CDs are just CDs. People listen to them and move on. I don't feel that music is hugely influential in the way people live their lives, even though I own nearly a thousand records. Rappers aren't really fooling people into thinking they're who they say they are on wax or getting people to cop glocks and pop cops.

When 50 is actually being interviewed on camera I think his message is pretty positive whenever he's not whining about another artist. He basically advises people to learn how to earn a bigger chunk of what they produce. Sure he's pretty focused on money and material things, but money would do a lot to better the lives of his target audience.

I think an interview, or hearing an artist you admire, is always more influential than their songs, though they're less widely circulated. Even then, their effect is still extremely minor for 99% of people.

The comparison to Jesus is completely bogus because Jesus went around saying "Live your life this way or suffer." He changed the political sphere, which of course affected billions of lives since his death. Can you point to 50 or the Beatles doing anything similar? I could see comparing a political figure to Jesus, but I can't think of any musician that would fit that mold.

quote:

Originally posted by MightyOrnery:
I think people here, of all people, should recognize that people don't live their lives according to what's on their bookshelf or in their MP3 player or on their TV screen.

Well, I hate to bring up Jesus again, but I think a lot of people live their lives according to his book. Naturally, no one on the planet follows every word to the letter because it's impossible. Fiddy Cent works the same way, only he's part of a bigger picture.

Violent video games actually do have a great effect on developing minds. That's why they have enforced age ratings, just like movies and TV shows (digitally blocked by parents). There's a warning label on 50 Cent CDs too. Somebody obviously thinks these things have an effect. It's never as easy as saying "I killed some guy because of a Fiddy Cent album," but he does contribute to the war mongering, bigoted, racist, sexist, homophobic plague Western Culture has become. Banning him won't make any difference, and I don't believe Columbine happened because of Quake or some gas station attendants killed themselves because of Judas Priest. Our society has to demand positive change. However, corporations are only concerned with making money and Fiddy appeals to the most depraved and easily manipulated aspects of the soul. As such, if he were gone, someone else would merely take his place. That doesn't make him any less of a complete asshole. That just makes him a parasite.

50 Cent is not like Jesus in any way shape or form. 50 put out a record to sell records. Jesus' book (which he didn't write, and wasn't written in his lifetime) were full of his teachings. Full of things that he went around his area telling people in an attempt to get them to change their lives for the better. He traveled around the Middle East and said, "Do as I do." 50 doesn't do that. Or anything even remotely similar to that. 50 Cent creates entertainment product that is bought and sold.

If people were living by Shakespeare's books, or Mark Twain's, it'd be the same thing. Or Spielburg's movies. Or Hideo Kojima's video games. Jesus was not an author or an entertainer or any sort which is where the comparison falls flat. The Bible was not viewed as an entertainment source at any point in history, so where is the similarity? If someone views 50's work as something other than entertainment, which it is clearly billed as, you can't put that on the artist. That person is clearly crazy. I don't personally believe in the Bible but to call it 'just a book' ignores all the history surrounding it.

You say that violent video games have a great effect on developing minds, but what makes you say that? The age ratings they enforce came about because people feared that they COULD have an effect on young kids. To this day no link beyond an adrenaline surge has ever been proven. No long term raises in aggression, for example, have been linked to violent media of any kind. This country is extremely preoccupied with the idea of protecting the "helpless" kids that couldn't possibly know any better or protect themselves or recognize the difference between right and wrong. Like there was ever a ton of kids getting lost in fantasy worlds and killing each other in real life or something. Where I lived growing up I listened to early 90s rap and watched R rated movies just like my 20+ cousins and none of us are rotting in prison cells. Most of us are working. One of us won a state lottery (Not me).

Violent media like wrestling and movies might inform the games kids come up with on the playground, but I really do believe that the media's influence is strongly diminished by aging. I think those movies got me and my cousins to curse like sailors when we were very young but then I turned 12 or 13 and realized that wrestling was fake and once you start to understand the world a bit more they're just movies.

You say that our society has become war mongering, bigoted, racist, and sexist, but I challenge you to point out one society. One major society, in any time period, that wasn't. There aren't any. Humans are, by nature, violent. Just like people tend to be more comfortable around people that look like they are. People don't enjoy art that they can't sympathize or empathize with because they view it as unreal. Art becomes popular because it speaks to us. By its very nature art is only reflective of the society it is created in.

"by its nature art is only reflective of the society it is created in"
haha. this pretty much sums up the paradox of the tired old argument that you rehash.
What's the difference between art and society?
If art becomes seen as reflective of society when it is not, then people begin to take it for society.

and as far as fifty goes...even if you accept that his music does not affect behavior (which, as i said, you're basing on an argument that actually works against your opinion), his themes are still boring, stupid, uncreative. As a lyricist and a rapper he's just a big, no-face turd.

Where is the paradox?

Society is a true reflection of human nature. It is the way we describe the real, actual interactions of human beings. Art is not. An artist cannot create a real person. They can only create something that looks like a real person. That's the difference.

I agree that 50 is a bad rapper. I just feel that he's a harmless bad rapper.

quote:

The Bible was not viewed as an entertainment source at any point in history, so where is the similarity?

Your right...I too thought The Passion sucked

Fifty's first album was good for gangsta rap, the rest of his catalog is weak as hell. Not quite as hungry after he got da $$$

Also, who the hell has read Fifty's book anyway?