Eminem: As bad as 50 cent

[Saleen Man]

With your 2nd comment you're generalizing again. Some beats are definitely easy to make, if you look at **** like for example that neptunes beat with the tongue clacking. That's garbage, I don't even listen to that. If you'd listen to producers like Pete Rock, El-P, Stoupe, RJD2, Dj Shadow, Dan the Automator, Necro, Perquisite, Nicolay, etc. etc. you would hear that it involves more than just banging on pots and pans. For example Perquisite is a dutch hiphop producer who composes all his beats himself, finished an education on classical music and plays a lot of instruments as well. Necro also includes a lot of his own basslines, played on a fender bass guitar as well, and also guitar riffs. And for example RJD2, El-P and Stoupe do everything with samples, but that is definitely more complex than the stuff you're thinking of.

Hip Hop artists who include guitar/bass into their songs (that they're playing) I can respect. Especially if he's classically educated. But I don't think I'll ever be a rap fan. Again.

To each his own.

 

[smellysocks12]

But I don't think I'll ever be a rap fan. Again.

I never tried to convert you or expect you to start liking it, but you don't have to like something to be able to respect it. I respect people who can make classical music sound good, it just isn't something I would listen to.

 

[Swift]

Rap died a long time ago.

Thank you.

Hip Hop was born and down it went....

 

[Ev0]

With your 2nd comment you're generalizing again. Some beats are definitely easy to make, if you look at **** like for example that neptunes beat with the tongue clacking. That's garbage, I don't even listen to that. If you'd listen to producers like Pete Rock, El-P, Stoupe, RJD2, Dj Shadow, Dan the Automator, Necro, Perquisite, Nicolay, etc. etc. you would hear that it involves more than just banging on pots and pans. For example Perquisite is a dutch hiphop producer who composes all his beats himself, finished an education on classical music and plays a lot of instruments as well. Necro also includes a lot of his own basslines, played on a fender bass guitar as well, and also guitar riffs. And for example RJD2, El-P and Stoupe do everything with samples, but that is definitely more complex than the stuff you're thinking of.

Thank you. I might check out those artists sometime; I've been wanting to check out good rap artists for some time (not early rap; it's just not my type of music).

By the way, this thread was pretty hilarious for the first two pages! Gave me a pretty good laugh.

 

[Omnis]

Barman is a brown grad and worked with deltron 3030. Most "nerd" rap is garbage, but I'm talking about the intelligent ones.

DJ John, mc chris's DJ, is a musician in my book. He plays guitar, keyboard, and keytar, and is an amazing producer and DJ, despite not being incredibly public-eye-popular. MC Frontalot and Optimus Rhyme play all their music live, as part of a band rather than a single rapper. Though certainly not classically trained, these qualities bump my respect for them above people like 50 cent and etc.

 

[Plague.Ghost]

You're talking about COMMERCIAL rap here, not hiphop in general. .

OMG! Was it THAT obvious?!

 

[MrktMkr1986]

P.S. It was nice knowing you, MrktMkr.

Don't worry! According to these "statistics" I still have another 2 years to go!

Rap is popular because people like to get drunk and shake their booties all night. While being drunk out of their mind, of course. OK sorry, that was another "mainstream" comment.

If by mainstream you mean stereotypical and ignorant, then yes, I'd have to agree.

Thank you.

Hip Hop was born and down it went....

Such are the consequences of consumerism. Rap started out as political/socioeconomic, but then it was "watered down" to attract a wider audience (and more importantly, sales).

 

[Jimmy Enslashay]

Rap music has lost credibility. As MrktMkr stated, it began as a political statement from the African-American culture on various issues. It was passionate, and well-driven. I don't enjoy listening to the genre, but some of the older Rap artists and groups have some credibility.

Then all of a sudden Hip-Hop came in. Rap lost credibility with a lot of people, and all of a sudden it was about boasting. Money, assets, women, guns, shooting people, sex. There are bands that have pulled off doing this in other genres, but they have backed it up with decent music (this is entirely my opinion). I respect other people's interests and tastes, and I'm not stating that it is wrong to listen to Hip-Hop ... many people listen to music for the sound. But when people begin to state that these artists are geniuses? I'm sorry, but that's plain ridiculous.

50 Cent has not pioneered a music style. There have been many, many Hip-Hop artists to sing the lyrics he has, use the same set-up in his songs, and so on. So what if he "made it un-cool to listen to" certain artists. Eminem did that, too, and I'm sure there have been artists before them. That doesn't make him a genius. It doesn't make him creative. It doesn't make him respectable. What is so respectable about destroying other musicians' careers that makes people think 50 Cent or any others of the like are geniuses? I don't see any reason for that belief.

50 Cent just happened to bring across an image that a lot of the mainstream likes, and his music seems to be enjoyable to these people, too. He's far from a genius. Far from creative. Far from respectable.

Money, sales and assets do not equal genius.

 

[Saleen Man]

If by mainstream you mean stereotypical and ignorant, then yes, I'd have to agree.

Please guy. Joking? Sarcasm? Does any of this ring a bell for you?

 

[James2097]

I generally don't like rap or hip-hop. I just don't associate with the urban gangsta pimpin' in the hood lyrics. Yes I know I'm generalising, but its valid for 99% of rap out there. Kinda hard to feel a connection with the genre being a law abiding Aussie white guy living in a really safe city on the other side of the world with an entirely different culture and all.

I liked Eminem's earlier stuff a bit more, only cause it was actually funny and slightly clever in the rhymes. I don't think it was just cause he is white, cause I don't like his voice or background beats. I also pretty much hate the non-melodious aspect of rap... very tedious, very dull. I can almost feel myself getting dumber listening to most rap.

Now about geniuses in popular music... Jimi Hendrix was a genius, Bob Dlyan is a genius... Pink Floyd were geniuses... All these artists have something to say about society (as well as great muscianship) besides the obvious sucky-love stuff and shaking booty pop stuff. Kinda hard to get off on rap when its generally about 1% as intellectual and 1% as good musically.

People like rap because it IS simple, most people are a bit thick and just don't want to listen to anything thought provoking, they do just want a beat to shake their asses to... In fact if you can't dance to it, it'll never be popular in the mainstream...
People are too busy dancing, they never stop and actually listen, or think. But thats because they're too drunk.

No offence to anyone who likes so called "intelligent" rap. Never really heard any myself...

 

[Small_Fryz]

50 Cent is not a genius.

Micheal Jackson, probably is. At least a genious in his profession.

If 50 cent isnt a musical genius then who is? Then we can compare them.

I dont like rap, because i dont like the words and meaning behind most of them, i also dont like it that you can barely understand what they are saying. I prefer decent beats/ and guitars drums etc.

I really know diddly squat about Rap, Hip Hop and such as it never has caught my intrest and im not one to learn a crap load about stuff that i dont like.

If you listen to Rap, then good on ya 👍

I respect the Rappers who have made it and earn a living, but to call them a genious is entirely different.

The most well known rapper i know is Eminem.


Edit i agree with James 👍

 

[Jmac279]

Could 50's albums be any more formulaic ? The man is not a genius ... he simply rides the fact that he got shot several times and survived and acts like he's invincible ... Get Rich or Die Trying was a decent album, but definitely not a "stroke of genius" so to speak ... and I actually think he was more entertaining before he signed with Shady (many of the skits he did dissing Ja Rule on various mix tapes were hilarious) ...

 

[Young_Warrior]

Yeah, it's statements like that that keep your credibility and respect level here at GTP in the garbage. What is that supposed to mean anyway?

I would have thought you guys would have worked it.Especially you swift and MrktMKr. Read it again and im sure you will figure it out its simple really.

 

[Young_Warrior]

I really don't like rap very much. I'm not going to say it all sucks though. The few songs that I do like have been done by Eminem/50 Cent (usually the ones with both of 'em in it) and Ludacris. Kanye West's Golddigger and Jesus Walks were good as well. But the lyrics are complete garbage, at least the mainstream stuff. And I'm not inspired enough to listen to "underground" rap which a lot of rap fans claim is better. The music in rap is all too simple as well. I think it's safe to say that rappers are the least talented musically out of all musical artists. I'm sure some will argue that though.

EDIT - It looks like someone beat me to the musician aspect of it.

No offence but I could say that for very much every other music genre out there. People say because they dont play instruments theyre not real musicians? Well they write theyre own lyrics which has to be written in such a way that it has a nice flow fits into each bar without overlapping and then making sense all at the same time. Unless you have actually tried to rap before you will see its not all that simple. Plus they also produce music dont they? Pretty much anyone can play a instrument and to say that one artist has less talent because he doesnt isnt a very good argument. Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles play the piano and they were both blind. They most be uber musicians.

As for eminem I brought one of his albums. The one with stan on it. This was back when I was like 13 an listening to it now I think its crap. The stuff he comes out with now is crap. He was basically a rocker rapper. He complained of his bad mother and talked about killing himself and his wife. I dont see how that really differntiates himself from other rappers apart from that hes white and puts on a funny voice. Also his comical songs I think are kinda boring which put me off him the most. I did like him on 50 cents album however when he was being serious.

As for intellectual rap just please go pick up some tupac albums. He does have violence in it but alot of songs have meanings and it just reached out and related to so many people.

50cent's fame and fortune is the result of marketing

My main reason as to why the mans a genius.

[QUOTEsmellysocks]Rappers aren't musicians, some beat creators are. Very often the music isn't made by musicians, yet it is still music. You can pretty much say the same about dance music, or trance / techno whatever. It's also a bunch of samples piled together and they don't even have someone rhyming or singing to the beats. Those producers aren't musicians either, yet the final product is still part of a music genre.[/QUOTE]

Alot of beat creators first started off as rappers.

Maybe so, but it's still a thousand times harder to create a song using guitars, drums, bass, etc.

This is a bit of a bold thing to say. Have you ever tried making some beats in a studio or using one of the numerous home studio programs. I can tell you that its harddddd. To come up with a beat using drums guitar and etc is relatively alot easier.

Rap is popular because people like to get drunk and shake their booties all night. While being drunk out of their mind, of course. OK sorry, that was another "mainstream" comment.

Once again I could say this for trance lovers who like to use drugs whilst listening to their music or punk or grunge lovers who just as equally get drunk and use drugs. As for dancing to rap music...... Its not really something DJ's will be blasting out in clubs. Rap can be brash amd harsh. Lets remeber here just because your a rapper doent mean all your songs are rap. Rap and hip hop intertwine with each other.

With your 2nd comment you're generalizing again. Some beats are definitely easy to make, if you look at **** like for example that neptunes beat with the tongue clacking. That's garbage, I don't even listen to that. If you'd listen to producers like Pete Rock, El-P, Stoupe, RJD2, Dj Shadow, Dan the Automator, Necro, Perquisite, Nicolay, etc. etc. you would hear that it involves more than just banging on pots and pans. For example Perquisite is a dutch hiphop producer who composes all his beats himself, finished an education on classical music and plays a lot of instruments as well. Necro also includes a lot of his own basslines, played on a fender bass guitar as well, and also guitar riffs. And for example RJD2, El-P and Stoupe do everything with samples, but that is definitely more complex than the stuff you're thinking of.

Listen to dr.dre's beats. He uses the keyboard alot to produce the hooks of his beats. He hasnt had any education at all so shouldnt that put him above the likes who have been to music school?
Look at the UK garage scene. Kids my age making beats in their bedroom spitting some lyrics over it and putting it on TV. I can say they are far from genius but if you keep working at your desired trade you will get better at it and these kids are actually selling records and have mass followings.

Such are the consequences of consumerism. Rap started out as political/socioeconomic, but then it was "watered down" to attract a wider audience (and more importantly, sales).

And it isnt the rapper that decides this but his record label boss. Then as they made more money the rappers sold out and the future rappers just carried it on from there. Its like Dizzee Rascal buy his album and what your listening to isnt UK garage at all but some commercial crap as the record label bosses put a tight leash on the true sounds in a hope to sell to the masses ie the white people.

Rap music has lost credibility.........Money, sales and assets do not equal genius.

Now you see this is where it gets complicated. Alot of you guys dont like rap/hip hop and so you wont buy his album and consequently only hear the songs that are being played on the radio tv or being blasted out of someones speakers. You guys are only hearing the songs that will make people dance and happy as that is what will sale. Especially with females who like the half baked love songs. However if you listen to all the other tracks that are on the album you will see many different sides to the artist and you just need to watch a couple of interviews with 50 cent to see that he is like no ther rap artist. He doesnt talk about how much money he's got shows off his jewllery or cars but instead hes rather quite. The rest of g-unit will show off their money and bling bling but 50 cent doesnt. Before a concert 50 cent wil sit quitely in his room whilst the rest of the entourage party backstage. The man just lives at home by himself yet still manages to spend time with his son who wants to be a nba player and be one of if not the most marketable man on the planet right now.

Could 50's albums be any more formulaic ? The man is not a genius ... he simply rides the fact that he got shot several times and survived and acts like he's invincible ... Get Rich or Die Trying was a decent album, but definitely not a "stroke of genius" so to speak ... and I actually think he was more entertaining before he signed with Shady (many of the skits he did dissing Ja Rule on various mix tapes were hilarious) ...

He mentioned it a couple of times on his get rich or die trying album but on his latest album just once. As a rap fan I dont even think about or care about the fact that he got riddled with bullets. People get shot every day and hes not the first rapper to get shot up and he wont be the last. Its just the media that always mentions it now who yet in turn is run by white people but when you tune into black media sources hell they havent mentioned it for 3 years now.

As for songs with no meanings and crap lyrics I can name plenty of rock songs and grunge songs but I dont write their names because I cant remember them, But that kelly clarkson you guys telling me she has talent? Or that ashley simpson? Mcfly and slipknot they lack talent. Hip hop has plenty of talent and ims ure rock has too but I dont know of any as I just hear the commercialised stuff on TV liek you guys do.

 

[Young_Warrior]

Almost all rappers don't play an instrument, which right there sets a musician apart.


Then you just have the background music of rap. The background music of rap is what I know most people listen to; it's the tune that gets stuck in their head and rarely the lyrics. Every once in a while, a breakthrough rap "artist" will hit it big in the scene and will submit something novel or worthy of being noted, like Eminem, who often rapped about more than just hoes, bling, and the ghetto (often referring to conservative America, his mom, and most importantly his love for his daughter).

Rockers and fans of rock, however, are often portrayed as the ignorant-minded metal-head who just likes loud noise. Well, let's clear this out of the way: They don't. Many people who listen to it, and all those who compose it, are also musicians. This means that they not only write their own lyrics (not all, but some), but also [usually] play guitar, bass, drums and whatnot. With rappers, though, they do not play an instrument. They talk into a microphone, flaunt how much money they have, and talk about how pimped out their American luxury cars are.

I guess it all comes down to arrogance. Eminem made over $300,000,000.00 between 1999 and 2001. Now, he's a very respected man amongst other musicians and is quite prominent in the music industry. Now why is this?

Well, Eminem has gained respect for a number of factors, even from the likes Marilyn Manson (shock rocker) to Elton John (flambouyant homosexual soft-rocker) , and even dated Mariah Carey (banshee-wailing poptart). He doesn't exude much arrogance, either, and I think that's what it comes down. Because he's collaborated with very different people in live shows, he demonstrates that he accepts people for what they are, whereas Ludacris, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Sean "Puffy" Combs, and 50 Cent all show off what they have and rub it in peoples' noses.

Jay Z and Sean Diddy Combs command alot more respect than eminem. What I can tell by this post is that you probably owned a eminem CD to see that what he talks about is not all bad but you have failded to do so with another big rapper making your argument and perspective pretty much flawed and one sided.

All the minnows of rap flaunt their money. The ones that arent top dogs. However all the big players in the scene like Jay Z dont do that. It is now uncool to flaunt your money and material things.

As for the instrument part thats a weak argument. I cant play a instrument but I could pretty much compose a song if I had the resources and just hire people to play it. However with rockers they sing. Yet they havent got a good voice at all. Some times rough harsh and croaky. This isnt talent is it. And their lyrics dont rhyme or are amusing, and it doesnt carry a certain flow to teh way they sing which rappers do.Basically anyone could sing the lyrics of a famous rock band and get a similiar effect as the original singer would have.

 

[Jimmy Enslashay]

Now you see this is where it gets complicated. Alot of you guys dont like rap/hip hop and so you wont buy his album and consequently only hear the songs that are being played on the radio tv or being blasted out of someones speakers. You guys are only hearing the songs that will make people dance and happy as that is what will sale. Especially with females who like the half baked love songs. However if you listen to all the other tracks that are on the album you will see many different sides to the artist and you just need to watch a couple of interviews with 50 cent to see that he is like no ther rap artist. He doesnt talk about how much money he's got shows off his jewllery or cars but instead hes rather quite. The rest of g-unit will show off their money and bling bling but 50 cent doesnt. Before a concert 50 cent wil sit quitely in his room whilst the rest of the entourage party backstage. The man just lives at home by himself yet still manages to spend time with his son who wants to be a nba player and be one of if not the most marketable man on the planet right now.

As a matter of fact, I have friends that listen to Hip-Hop, including 50 Cent. I've heard quite a chunk of his other music, and to be honest, it doesn't differ very much from his other songs.

As for dancing to rap music...... Its not really something DJ's will be blasting out in clubs. Rap can be brash amd harsh. Lets remeber here just because your a rapper doent mean all your songs are rap. Rap and hip hop intertwine with each other.

Sorry, but half of the music I've ever heard at dance clubs is Rap. My ex-girlfriend frequents dance clubs, and she comes home, telling me (jokingly) some of the things she'd been dancing to. Incidentally, it was predominantly Rap and Hip-Hop.

As for songs with no meanings and crap lyrics I can name plenty of rock songs and grunge songs but I dont write their names because I cant remember them

The majority of Rock artists have a decent lyrical content to their music. Of course, there is going to be the odd exception here and there. More often than not, Hip-Hop today falls into the same line of boasting and egotistical lyrics. Yes, there are the odd few songs here and there that have decent lyrical content, but it still doesn't make up for the 95% of garbage lyrics that frequent the genre.

This is a bit of a bold thing to say. Have you ever tried making some beats in a studio or using one of the numerous home studio programs. I can tell you that its harddddd. To come up with a beat using drums guitar and etc is relatively alot easier.

Have you ever tried to form a song using drums, guitars, bass, etc? I doubt it. If you had, you'd realise that it is a very difficult task to come up with something decent, and you often spend a very long time just trying to get a decent sound. Rap music is sampling behind rapping. Sampling itself is a difficult task, I know. Incidentally, I've tried it, too, but it takes nowhere near as long to produce something that sounds decent as it does with Rock music and the like.

I'm in disagreement with your statement that producing lyrics to Rap/Hip-Hop music is very difficult. The majority of Rap/Hip-Hop lyrics are simple, as I stated before. All you need is a Thesaurus to rhyme words together, and you have the basic structure of your lyrics. I'm sorry, I refuse to believe coming up with lyircs to this genre is difficult, considering I see many, many kids at the mall, or anywhere, "rap battling" and coming up with lyrics which are basically no different to what I hear from Rap and Hip-Hop today.

 

[Jmac279]

@ Puffy commanding respect
@ Jay-Z not flaunting his wealth

 

[Young_Warrior]

I'm in disagreement with your statement that producing lyrics to Rap/Hip-Hop music is very difficult. The majority of Rap/Hip-Hop lyrics are simple, as I stated before. All you need is a Thesaurus to rhyme words together, and you have the basic structure of your lyrics. I'm sorry, I refuse to believe coming up with lyircs to this genre is difficult, considering I see many, many kids at the mall, or anywhere, "rap battling" and coming up with lyrics which are basically no different to what I hear from Rap and Hip-Hop today.

But were the kids any good? Anyone can slap some rhymes together but to be considered as good you need to stand out. To actually be good is very hard.
It may sound simple but the arrangement and the flow is hard.

When a kids good people who dont like rap music will be like wooow. But the average kid will be just the be boring. A good rapper can entertain and amaze people accaepella and most of todays rappers can do that. Remember 50 cent was nothing until Dr.Dre started producing songs for him. As for must songs being samples alot of them are..... mainly from kayne West and the roccafella camp but alot of rap material out there is made from scratch.

 

[Shannon]

Remember 50 cent was nothing until Dr.Dre started producing songs for him.

The pretty much debunks your whole statement that 50 Cent is a genius. Take away Dre and 50 Cent is nothing. Don't try and disagree, or you'll just be contradicting yourself... again.

 

[Jimmy Enslashay]

But were the kids any good? Anyone can slap some rhymes together but to be considered as good you need to stand out. To actually be good is very hard.
It may sound simple but the arrangement and the flow is hard.

If you put samples behind it, give them the right image and slap a bunch of good-looking girls, dancing provocatively behind them, they'd all sell.

When a kids good people who dont like rap music will be like wooow. But the average kid will be just the be boring. A good rapper can entertain and amaze people accaepella and most of todays arpeprs can do that.

I'm sure if you heard an average mallrat "rap battling" with some of 50 Cent's lyrics, when 50 Cent wasn't even heard of, you'd pass him off. Strip down the samples, and 50 Cent is just as plain and boring.

Remember 50 cent was nothing until Dr.Dre started producing songs for him.

End of thread.

 

[Young_Warrior]

The pretty much debunks your whole statement that 50 Cent is a genius. Take away Dre and 50 Cent is nothing. Don't try and disagree, or you'll just be contradicting yourself... again.

You obviously havent read the whole thread cause Ive been saying that from the beggining

 

[Jmac279]

You obviously havent read the whole thread cause Ive been saying that from the beggining

So you're saying he's a genius in spite of the fact that 50 was nothing until he got signed to Shady/Aftermath, who hooked him up with a good production team, a good marketing team, etc. ?

Definitely a genius ...

 

[Young_Warrior]

So you're saying he's a genius in spite of the fact that 50 was nothing until he got signed to Shady/Aftermath, who hooked him up with a good production team, a good marketing team, etc. ?

Definitely a genius ...

Actually he marketed himself
He was shutout from the industry after he realesed how to rob then got shot up then came out of hospital and released several mixtapes which made him hugely popular and gave him street cred to make dr.dre and eminem sign him.

Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change, the courage to change the things I can, but wisdom to know the difference

 

[Jimmy Enslashay]

You obviously havent read the whole thread cause Ive been saying that from the beggining

You were basically stating that 50 Cent was a genius, because of the fact that he made it on his own, he was excellent at marketing and production, and really just out-does every other Rap artist out there. But if Dr. Dre got him where he was, and done everything for him, then doesn't that just contradict your entire argument?

Maybe Dr. Dre is a genius, too!

Face it. 50 Cent is popular. He's most likely a fad, like most other Rappers out there today. He is far from a genius. Give up, you've got nothing to back your statements, instead you're backing ours.

 

[Young_Warrior]

You were basically stating that 50 Cent was a genius, because of the fact that he made it on his own, he was excellent at marketing and production, and really just out-does every other Rap artist out there. But if Dr. Dre got him where he was, and done everything for him, then doesn't that just contradict your entire argument?

Maybe Dr. Dre is a genius, too!

Face it. 50 Cent is popular. He's most likely a fad, like most other Rappers out there today. He is far from a genius. Give up, you've got nothing to back your statements, instead you're backing ours.

I cant really back something that hasnt got facts to it. Geniuses arent born on facts but people opinions. I never mentioned 50 cent producing songs himself at all but rather just the marketing. As a rapper he isnt anyhting special since Ive said since day one.But he managed to position himself so to become one of the most powerful men in music and of the most marketable men in the world. Right now whatever the man touches turns to gold. Even bad publicity and controversy and discussions like this thread just show how popular he is. Many people hate him so much just for the fact that he is so popular.

I also mentioned earlier that Dr.Dre is a genius.

 

[Shannon]

You obviously havent read the whole thread cause Ive been saying that from the beggining

So now you're agreeing that 50 Cent is nothing?

"Also 50 cents name will always be mentioned when discussing rap and I belive that the man is a genuis."

"My main reason as to why the mans a genius." (in response to something Omnis posted)

"The mans a genius. He basically runs the whole rap music scene."
​

I find the last one to be a classic. So, Al Capone was a genius because he ran the whole organized crime syndicate? Albeit, that would require more brain power than letting Dr. Dre do everything for you...

I never mentioned 50 cent producing songs himself at all but rather just the marketing.

THE ONLY REASON HE IS SUCH A MARKETTING SUCESS IS BECAUSE OF DR. DRE!!!

He's not even a marketting genius. Dr. Dre made him popular and earnt him millions. End of discussion.

 

[Saleen Man]

That's odd. I could've sworn that the saying posted by "50 Cent" is ancient. He must be a genius eh?

And I don't believe someone who writes lyrics "in such a way that it has a nice flow fits into each bar without overlapping and then making sense" is a musician. Do you play any instruments Young_Warrior? Do you know how much time it takes to really become good at an instrument, and be able to write your own songs?

 

[Jimmy Enslashay]

I cant really back something that hasnt got facts to it. Geniuses arent born on facts but people opinions.

Geniuses are proven by evidence of their ability. There's no real evidence here that proves him to be a genius. Marketing yourself does not prove one to be a genius. It proves that you are indeed clever in that field, but not a genius. If he produced his own music, wrote every sample, and his work was technical, creative and skilled, this thread and your argument would be much more credible. Rather, 50 Cent is somebody who hands lyrics to people like Dr. Dre to dub over the top of, commonly, musical scores written by other people in the past. If not that, it's still that producer's music, not his. I'll bet he has fashion-advisers. He hands his image to other marketing people to sell him. I highly doubt that he does all of his own advertising without the assistance and/or control of anyone else, that he comes up with the ideas for all of his merchandise, and that he markets most aspects of his career. Sure, he has input, but not control or complete say.

He's popular and marketable. Don't confuse that with genius.

 

[Dave A]

Theres a big big difference between smart, and genius. Sure 50 cent (I hate calling him by that name but I don't have a clue what he's really called nor actually care) may be clever, but he's not a genius. He can market his product in the rap scene but since when has that equalled a genius. By the time this thread ends you'll be calling about 3000 artists and bands genius'.

To be honets, in terms of genius I'd say Eminem is more of one than 50 cent, I don't think he is a genius, but he was far more original. I'm not a big fan of rap myself, I won't sit here and say it takes no skill but I prefer music to rap, and yes I've heared a lot of rap in my time be it clubbing mates, workmates cars ect, I've heared a lot of it.

Being popluar doesn't equal a genuius either, I have no idea what point your trying to make with that statement. David Beckham is a lot more popular/better known that 50 cent, is David Beckham a genius?

 

[Saleen Man]

Basically by calling 50 Cent a genius, you're saying that every piece of crap band out there who makes mainstream music to adhere to the mainstream crowd and get rich is a genius. Anyone who makes the right type of music to get rich off of, is a genius. Hey, look at all those pop-punk bands that were popular for the last couple of years. Geniuses. All of them.