Should we take 50 Cent Seriously in his Stance Against Poverty & Corrupt Companies? - Herkomst Cultuur

Since the plight of those suffering due to the recent drought in the Horn of Africa has gotten to the point where many of us in the West can no longer turn a blind eye, many celebrities have come forward to express their empathy and need to help. One such celebrity has been rapper, actor and entrepreneur Curtis Jackson, aka 50 Cent. While his initial statement that he wanted “to impact peoples lives more. I created a new goal for my self, I want to feed a billion people in Africa over the next 5 years” was ridiculed for it’s obvious myopic and some argued ignorant view of Africa and Africans (Africa has just over 1 billion people and obviously the entire continent is not starving), he has since made a commitment to help feeding starving children. By partnering with Pure Growth Partners and their new energy shot called Street King, the rapper has pledged to donate a meal for every Facebook ‘like’ Street King receives over the next week for up to 1 million dollars. Bovendien, as a gesture of goodwill, if the one million target is reached by the end of the week, he has vowed to double the donation, which mean that he will pay for an extra million meals – feeding a total of two million children

Regardless of your opinion about the rapper, it is always refreshing to see a celebrity making good on their promise and doing good deeds to help those less fortunate. In today’s world, it seems to be more difficult to find a man who’s “word is his bond."

Since embarking on this new mission, it seems like 50 Cent has been reflecting more and has gained a new perspective on life. According to various reports, he recently stated the following:

The world is so f***** up. People don’t seem to care anymore. People seem to have distanced themselves from other people’s problems, they have been programmed not to care! Politicians are corrupt. So many companies are corrupt and taking excessive profits in certain sectors, and we keep allowing this shit to happen.

There are 1 billion plus people living in extreme poverty. You know what that is? You don’t know if your getting your next meal, no shelter, no medical. You have no chance of hustling your way out of it! We have been programmed to not give a shit about these people!

Well I have woken up and Im not turning a blind eye anymore! I’m not playing the game anymore. Our Company CEO’s and politicians want us to keep our heads down and not ask questions. Not demand the truth. They don’t want us to care, they have trained us to turn a blind eye! Because they control us and profit from us this way, to push back at them questions and threatens their lifestyles.

Children are dying everyday from hunger. Its f***** up, its wrong and I am angry! I’m not going to shut up or give up! Fuck the system, its wrong. Wake up, we are being used!

Innocent children are dying each day. We need to shout out to companies, politicians that we aren’t playing their games anymore! We are waking up to their lies and deceitful dealings.

Im angry, Im going to make a difference and no one is going to stop me! Join me if your tired of being used and manipulated. Make this world fair for everyone!

While I admire 50 Cent’s commitment to his promise, I must admit that I was somewhat perplexed by his recent statement. I commend him for the passion expressed in the above statement; echter, I’m sure many people thought the same thing after reading it. How are we supposed to take him seriously when has been and continues to be a large part of the same corporations and machinery he chastises? How can we take his statement that he cares about the starving people in the world when he “stunts” in cars worth hundreds of thousands and decorate his neck and wrists with jewels and “ice” many of these very starving children probably died for?

Some will argue that the fact that 50 Cent has taken a stance and is committed to making good on his promise to help the starving kids in this world is enough and that his personal wealth is his to do with it what he chooses. Others will argue that his recent statement is a publicity stunt aim to garnering attention for himself.

Maybe he had a epiphany and his recent statement is a true reflection of his newly acquired perspective on life. Regardless his intentions, he will undoubtedly bring warranted attention to an important human issue.