Huffington Magazine Issue 52 | Page 72

STEPHEN LOVEKIN/GETTY IMAGES FOR MOTOROLA Exit rapper who is exceedingly talented at making the most of today’s hashtag world, but not everyone does it so gracefully. While he abstains from criticizing the current generation of rappers wholesale, 50 agrees that part of the problem is that today’s performers are so eager to find and chase the latest trend. “I think it was a big problem 10 years ago too, but we didn’t have the social media to see it,” he says. “When you have artists that don’t have a Plan B, they have to emulate what’s working. If you have no choice and what you’re doing has to work, you go, ‘What’s working right now?’ And you try to make a song MUSIC that sounds like what’s playing on the radio, even if it’s not what you would do as an artist. And you can do it, but not as good as the guy who is in his pocket when he’s doing it.” (50 says he has no favorite rappers, only favorite “moments,” but he thinks Drake is a guy who seems to always “be in his pocket,” which is “relationshipbased content.”) Ten years ago, 50 was “what’s playing on the radio,” and a “bottle full of bub” was all mainstream partiers used to underwrite their club nights. While that single — and 50’s ensuing string of hits (“Magic Stick,” “Disco Inferno,” “Just a Lil Bit,” “Piggy Bank,” “21 Questions,” “So Seductive,” “Candy Shop”) set the pace for radio- HUFFINGTON 06.09.13 50 Cent performs during a Motorola launch party in New York City in October 2011.