Thursday, May 10, 2007

ESSAY

The media plays a pivotal role in global communications. Over the past century, there has been a phenomenal development in technology. Not only does new technology generate billions of dollars yearly and accompany all aspects of the global workforce, it is the drive of success behind the growth of the media industry. In today’s world fame and fortune rule the social hierarchy. It is a well-documented fact that the media has thrust everyday people, with or without performance talent, into the social limelight. Whilst this has a somewhat beneficial effect on the economy, it can also have a detrimental effect on ordinary youth. It is common for celebrities to often use their fame in order to enhance their profit through varying media outlets. A perfect example of this can be seen in the widespread success of rapper ’50 Cent’. Almost unknown outside his hometown of Southside Jamaica, 50 Cent, formerly known as Curtis Jackson, is currently one of the most well-known and commercially successful rappers of the decade. He rose to fame after achieving multi-platinum success with his two latest albums, selling around 22 million copies worldwide. (African American Registry, 2005, http://www.aaregistry.com/) The success of 50 Cent is generated through his shocking representations of violence, women and drugs; all depicted in varying media outlets.

In 2005, 50 Cent launched Bulletproof, a video game, which promotes violence and vengeance. It depicts the survival on the streets of young black men from low socio-economic backgrounds and their involvement in crime, revenge and police corruption. The aim of the game revolves around 50 Cent’s search for revenge, hunting down the hit men that attempted to murder him. (Microsoft Games, 2007, http://www.xbox.com/) Before this game was even released into Australia the Classification Board refused classification on the basis that the game was too violent to accommodate the MA15+ classification. The board came to this conclusion based on the following factors:

Many violent seqeunces are rendered in slow-motion with some zooming in on the action and the moment of death
Some of the sequences also include blood spray on the screen
Some victims scream, moan or beg before they are killed; and
A victim who is injured can be shot and killed as they crawl away.

Despite this, Bulletproof was realeased in Australia in April 2006. (Leuveren, 2006, http://www.refusedclassification.com/) Subseqeuntly, this product has invited millions of consumers to glorify violence and vengeance. Teens that spend more time watching violent depictions in the ‘real’ life of ‘gangsta’ artists are more likely to practice these behavious in real life, according to the American Journal of Public Health. (Kirchheimer, 2003, pg. 01) However, according to 50 Cent, Bulletproof is educational, in that it teaches young children how gang life really is. On the other hand, many political leaders contradict 50 Cent, saying the game is ‘violent, outrageous and with no message.’ (Kirchheimer, 2003, pg. 01)While 50 Cent profits from this media endorsement, adolecents paticularly, are being misleaded by the the portrayl of a grim, angry and violent black society, they are also invited to believe that gun warfare is an acceptable solution. Bulletproof is in no way educational or representative of gang life. Its unrealistic portrayl has no relevance to today’s youth. While 50 Cent uses a video game to negatively rpresent violence in gangs, he uses his music to negatively represent women.

Music is one of today’s most popular media purchases. Not only is it cheap to buy, it can easily be stolen off the internet, due to the advancement in computer technology. 50 Cent blatantly exploits women through his lyrics and video clips. His lyrics glorify the sexual power he has over women:

‘Got the magic stick, I’m the love doctor... Get on top then get to bouncing round like a low rider... After you work up a sweat you can play with the stick. I’m trying to explain baby the best way I can I melt in your mouth girl, not in your hand. I take you to the candy shop. I’ll let you lick a lollypop. Go’head girl, don’t you stop.’ (Sing365: 2006: http://www.sing365.com/)

These lyrics were taken from his top charting song in Australia ‘Candy Shop’. Australian youth are profiting a man who exerts his sexual power as over women. Not only is this degrading it is inviting Australian youth to take up the idea that men can view women as sexual objects and if you are so lucky to take a woman to your ‘candy shop’ you have sexual power. Dr. Steven Martino, who recently led a US published study in relation to rap music commented that, ‘These lyrics depict men as sexually insatiable, women as sexual objects, and sexual intercourse as inconsequential...’ (Unknown, 2006, pg. 01) 50 Cent also negatively impacts youths through his movie, Get Rich or Die Trying.

Movies are also another popular and prevalent media past time among adoloecents. In 2003, 50 Cent told Rolling Stone magazine that, ‘Consistency is the key to all success. If you can consistently sell crack without the cops comin', you gonna be successful.’ (Wells, 2006, pg. 07) Consequently, 50 Cent positions youths to take up the idea that drug dealing is acceptable if it contributes to personal success. This idea is reinforced through his movie Get Rich or Die Trying, a semi-auto biographical film produced in 2005. (Smith, 2003, pg.01) The film depicts and emphasises his life on the streets as a drug dealer. It relives 50 Cent following in the footsteps of his drug dealing mum who was murdered when he was only eight years old. The plot continues with 50 Cent at age twelve on the streets selling crack. According to this film, he dropped out of school in year ten and was already a street icon, a ghetto celebrity feared throughout Queens, in control of a crack house and the main drug-selling strip. At eighteen, 50 Cent was making $5,000 a day selling crack and heroin, which kept him in constant trouble with the law and led him to his eventual rise to fame. (Unknown, 2005, http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/) Get Rich or Die Trying has no relevance to today’s youth, other than entertainment. 50 Cent has used a popular media endorsement to portray a life of success through crime.

Ultimately, it can be seen that 50 Cent is a deplorable role model for youths. He has used his status to produce the media endorsements of a video game, music and a movie to wrongly depict violence, women and drug abuse. His international status is dangerous in terms of his many negative connotations. His video game endorsement is far from educational, his music is epitomised by exploitative lyrics and he depicts drug dealing as a key element to success. Whilst his youth fan base is huge, his media products have no relevance. He represents an unknown culture and way of life. It is worrying to know that adolescents particularly, are profiting a man who sells media endorsements that manifest violence, denegration of women and substance abuse.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Internet:
African American Registry. (2005). Theatre/The Arts. URL: http://www.aaregistry.com/ Accessed: 08/05/07
Leuveren, L. (2006) 50 Cent: Bulletproof. URL: www.refusedclassification.com Accessed: 08/05/07
Microsoft Games. (2007). Xbox, 50 Cent Bulletproof. URL: http://www.xbox.com Accessed: 05/05/07
Sing365. (2006). 50 Cent Lyrics. URL: www.sing365.com Accessed: 05/05/07
Unknown. (2005). Get Rich or Die Tryin. URL: http://www.ropeofsilicon.com Accessed: 10/05/07

Articles:
Kirchheimer, S. (2003). Does Rap Put Teens at Risk? WebMd Inc, USA. Accessed: 07/05/07
Smith, V. (2003). Rolling Stone. The Life of a Hunted Man. The Free Radical, Toronto, Canada. Accessed: 08/05/07
Unknown. (2006). Daily Mail. Rap Music Blamed for Teen Pregnancy. Associated Newspapers LTD. London, UK. Accessed: 07/05/07
Wells, G. (2006). ‘The Answer within - The Role of the Church in the Black Community: A Community Development Response to the Violence in Toronto’. Renison College, University if Waterloo. Accessed: 05/05/07

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