

Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson on Business: Make Everything Your Own - ckinnan
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cent/make-everything-your-own_b_356915.html

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rudin
I am always surprised by how the people in the entertainment industry are so
driven and hardworking. People often over-emphasize the talent or luck part,
e.g. his name "50 Cent" was acquired from a chance meeting with Eminem in the
subway, but this is quite misleading.

Compare this piece of writing with:

"The Steve Martin Method" [http://www.calnewport.com/blog/2008/02/01/the-
steve-martin-m...](http://www.calnewport.com/blog/2008/02/01/the-steve-martin-
method-a-master-comedians-advice-for-becoming-famous/) "be so good they can't
ignore you"

Jerry Seinfield's "Don't break the chain" [http://lifehacker.com/281626/jerry-
seinfelds-productivity-se...](http://lifehacker.com/281626/jerry-seinfelds-
productivity-secret) "the value of continual incremental progress"

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loso
I agree with what you said but a quick clarification. He was already known as
50 Cent before he met Eminem. He took the name from a famous "stick up" kid in
NY from the past. He made an album on Columbia before he met Em but was
dropped when he was shot.

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zaidf

      The ultimate power in life is to be completely self-reliant, completely yourself.
    

That's terrible advice for me. I suck at working with others and trusting
others and have a tendency to try and do everything myself. Problem is, in
short term you can get more done quickly but in longterm doing everything
alone does not scale. It's hurt me many times and something I've proactively
worked to improve in the past year(with good results).

I'm sure there must be others on the other end of the spectrum who'll find
this advice more helpful.

All said, I have tremendous respect for 50 cent. He's got an incredibly sharp
business mind. Just look at how much he made off of Vitamin Water.

~~~
Omnipresent
vitamin water got famous because he was already famous. as its easy to make
money when you are already rich..its easy to make your products famous when
you are famous to begin with

~~~
zaidf

      its easy to make your products famous when you are famous to begin with
    

If that was true, every celebrity would be making few _hundred_ mil from
endorsement deals. Not just a few like 50 Cent.

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kyro
50 Cent took his payment in company stock, that's why his pay out was so huge.
I'm sure if other celebrities followed suit, they'd see similar returns.

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zaidf
Exactly, that makes him different from the average famous person:)

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aaronbrethorst
that, and 9 scars from bullet holes.

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mrshoe
There are some powerful concepts in here. A lot of HNers are seeking financial
independence and they embody much of what 50 cent wrote in this piece.
However, I hope we all remember his comment about not becoming dependent on
_our own money_ as well. Strength continues to come from within, even when
you're not working for the man.

I also like the application of these thoughts to addictions, in all forms. Any
addiction is an incredible loss of power.

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wallflower
More of Fifty Cent's life advice was previously posted:

"50 Cent's 10 lessons for success in business - and in life"

"Most people think first of what they want to express or make, then find the
audience for their idea. You must work the opposite angle, thinking first of
the public. You need to keep your focus on their changing needs, the trends
that are washing through them. Beginning with their demand, you create the
appropriate supply."

[http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertai...](http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article6837225.ece?token=null&offset=0&page=1)

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=829998>

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djm
I really liked reading this. I was only vaguely aware of this guy before
seeing this article and the other one posted a while ago that wallflower has
linked to. I must say, I find him very impressive.

What interested me most about these two articles though was his ability to
articulate his thoughts so well. I've noticed that it's frequently the case
that successful people are very good at clearly saying whatever it is they
want to say. This is a trait I'm trying to develop myself.

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holdenc
The title is misleading. 90% of this article is spot on.

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johnbender
It's pronounced "fiddy".

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alaskamiller
Ferrari F-50

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zackattack
If he could move a few packs, he could get a hat, and that'd be dope.

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marcusbooster
This latest project of Robert Greene, Machiavellian new age self help guru,
seems to find it's way here far to often.

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dsplittgerber
Having the clarity of mind to see things for what they are, is really
necessary to understand so many things in life deeply. Calling Robert Greene a
"self help guru" and disparaging his work fails totally in that regard.

