The 50th Law

Rapper 50 Cent is known as a volatile artist, so it's no surprise he takes some risks with this book, which isn't the straight bio one would expect from a star of his magnitude. It's more like a manifesto in the style of THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOLM X--which 50 (né Curtis Jackson) quotes in the beginning. But if that reeks of megalomania, that's just the start: 50 has enlisted author Robert Green to draw parallels between his own life and those of famous historical figures like Malcolm X and even Napoleon. Green also narrates this work, and his elasticized voice is a surprise--cool and relaxed but with impeccable diction. One can't imagine Green mumbling--or even changing pitch. Not that his voice is monotonous--quite the contrary, it's actually dulcet and soothing. J.S.H. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

July 9, 2012
This combination of graphic memoir, self-help manual, and merchandising adapts the 2009 prose edition of the same title for younger readers, featuring artwork by Crosland that captures a bracing urban energy. The bio of 50 Cent in the book’s back matter reads, in part, “He began drug dealing at the age of twelve, which gave him the need to become fearless in order to attain success and power on the streets and, later, in the recording industry.” This extraordinary mixed message animates the morally confused story of 50 Cent’s rise to fame. “Fifty” is portrayed as an ambitious kid who started dealing drugs early as a way to subvert the limited opportunities of his oppressive urban environment. After a stint in jail, he transitions to a music career, using his “hustler’s eye” and an entrepreneurial approach to gain advantage in unfamiliar territory. The book adapts ideas from Greene’s earlier bestseller, The 48 Laws of Power, which reduced the writings of Machiavelli and Sun Tzu to sound bite–sized corporate jargon. In this version, younger readers are encouraged to “Create Little Empires” and “Move Higher Up the Food Chain.” Despite some positive, constructive points, it’s hard to get past the uncritical portrayal of Fifty’s drug dealing and its gleaming silver lining.

September 9, 2009
In laying out the shape of a worldview, the law that a religious tradition incorporates into its fabric comes to represent its ethical code, e.g., the Five Precepts in Buddhism, the Ten Commandments, and Jesus's commandment to love your neighbor as yourself. Danger underlies the law of hip-hop in the hands of 50. Writing with Greene, best-selling author of The 48 Laws of Power, he identifies in each chapter a type of behavior exhibited by prominent historical leaders. Foremost among these attributes is living life without fear. Verdict Written primarily as a guide to successful business practices, this book still manages to capture the essence of a hustler's flow. For anyone interested in how to succeed in business and the game of life.-Joshua Finnell, Denison Univ. Lib., Granville, OH

Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.