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50 Cent: From Bullet Proofs To Tailored Suits | New Interview | Brian J. Roberts | YouTubeToText
YouTube Transcript: 50 Cent: From Bullet Proofs To Tailored Suits | New Interview
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I have to work on that part right there,
like when it slips out, like,
because that is the old 50 Cent.
I am new, the new 50.
Like hip hop music, I believe is connected to youth culture.
And this is why so many out with the old
in with the new, so many new people come
and the whole new litter of people and stuff.
Because I think your core audience is having
adult experience for the first time.
It's the college point, like, where they go.
They out and having it probably as much as possible.
And the music that is prominent
at that point is like, the theme music to their life.
You know what I mean?
And it shifts and it's something else that comes later
when the new litter of people are in that position.
And then it's like when you can sustain your interests,
it's because you've diversified,
you've done different things
and you stayed in current.
When I went towards television, I was thinking
like, where's my core audience?
The original people that were enjoying themselves
at that point were in success,
they were in college studying in the field they're in,
in success, they have the drink that they would have
on premise in the privacies of their home.
So, there's a wine cellar, there's a bar.
- It's different. - But but they have it
at home instead of out in the nightlife.
- So nostalgia there, a little bit.
- You grow up and you just do it different.
You know what I'm saying?
And then I think it's the point
where they don't wanna be doing what their kids do
or partying where the kids are partying and stuff like that.
So it's a different tone to how they have that experience.
- I know with Sire Spirits,
you're always active in the clubs.
Like, you stay in the mix of the youth culture.
Is that deliberate so you can
always have a feel for the pulse of it?
- Absolutely, and with Sire Spirits,
what I feel like is the approach,
the right approach for it is
spirits you consume where music is played.
So I already fit that in such a big way
that I'm cheating by being there.
You know what I'm saying?
It puts a different energy.
There may not be on a regular night,
things shift just my presence there.
Because I'm there, the DJ goes into his 50 Cent set.
So he plays that.
You know what I mean?
It's almost a tribute to,
'cause they're already grown on the music.
They're already listening and loved it.
Got things are tested and proven over there, you know?
So that happens.
And then it just sets the tone.
Like, I think specifically with Sire Spirits,
when you create high-end brands, they require lifestyle.
And because I'm out and in the mix,
like, living what the brand is,
like when people see it in the room,
when the parades come over
and they're at their table,
they want that type of energy over there too, you know?
Like, there's a difference,
that definitely creates the separation
because the other talent connected to Spirits don't.
Like, you're not gonna see The Rock doing that.
Because of the music piece.
He may have a strong presence with social media
in different areas and I like his tequila
to drink it, I drink it myself.
You know what I'm saying?
But he's not gonna do that.
So it shows you that, I'm showing you
that I don't have to do it that way.
You know what I mean?
I could be home doing it,
but I wanna see and feel everything else that's going on.
- There's not a lot of crossover
between say like pro wrestling and acting, superhero stuff.
- There's not 10 of them.
Like, there's only one Rock.
You know what I'm saying?
Like, out of all of the wrestlers that were there,
there's only him.
You know what I mean?
And maybe Randy's Couture
- Oh, right.
- And the in the Expendables.
Like, I worked with him just recently in "Expendables 4".
- So what was that experience like
for you being involved in something like that compared
to say, the first films you were doing?
- Well, it's exciting, man,
'cause I'm in a film with my action stars.
These guys are, you know what I'm saying?
Like, these are my guys.
Like, I'm looking like, "Oh, shit."
We got Jason Statham, we got, you know, Rambo.
(50 Cent laughing) - Yes, that's it.
- That's the joke.
But Sly's always gonna be like Rambo to me.
Like that Rocky, all of that.
- Right. - You know what I mean?
If he dies, he dies.
Dolph Lundgren.
Like, there's certain shit that is
never gonna leave my mind.
Like, that's gonna be, it stands out as a moment
that like, for a one-liner in a film?
It's a serious one-liner, you know.
And there's, like, even now, those things become memes
and people use 'em at different points.
You know what I mean?
- There's a lot of memes of you floating around.
(50 Cent laughs)
You actually are behind some of 'em, I think.
I don't know, there's always a strategy element
with you Fif, you know.
And I mean, it's kind of like the champagne bottle you have.
- The king piece, like, when you think of champagne,
I think of the celebration, I think of victory.
You know what I mean?
So it easily matches with,
this is why I even committed to the partnerships
and relationships with the professional teams
because it just makes sense.
It organically makes sense to me.
You know?
I watch major companies make mistakes.
Like, Hennessy makes the deal with the NBA
and not Tillman himself.
You see what I'm saying?
And it changes it.
Like, for a fact, my deals are with the owners direct.
I have relationships with them.
You see what I'm saying?
Theirs is just with the logo, the NBA.
- The first time we spoke, you told me
you always go straight to the source.
- That's right, and anything in between will
probably weaken your position.
- You're gonna try and...
- Look, if I'm under you and the guy comes
to me, I want to get it for as cheapest possible.
Make it for the best possible deal
and come to you to impress you with the deal that I made.
Right?
Meanwhile, if I just came straight to you
and discussed, talked to you about what we could do,
and you was like, let's do it, it beats what
that part we would've went through.
You know what I mean?
Like, just for me, if you can avoid the middleman
or the guy under the guy, then you just-
- The guy who signs the front
of the check instead of the back.
- That's right.
- You were saying before about being involved in the clubs,
and I've seen you go to the actual liquor stores too
for the appearances.
And like, you also said, there's that connectedness
with the youth culture and music.
But for you, I almost feel like a big part
of your relevance, your staying power just
across all these different spaces is
you're almost giving a blueprint
on how to do what goes on behind the scenes.
- Look, when we released the album, my first four albums,
I would be in a Best Buy or Virgin mega store signing CDs.
It's the same, it's a different product.
It's the same approach marketing-wise.
And I was open to doing it when you see me
in the liquor stores because of that.
'Cause I'd done it before.
The demo I said that my core audience,
which is at home watching television,
it's easier for them to come see me in the liquor store
than to come see me in a nightclub.
Their kids are there at the nightclub.
So they'd rather, when they come now they'll go,
"Yo, I'm gonna go and see 'em there
"instead of going to see 'em
"where you guys are partying
"and it's uncomfortable for me."
'Cause I'm looking like am I stalking you
to make sure you're doing the right thing?
Or am I here to see you?
- So the parents are seeing you at the store,
the kids are seeing you.
- In nightlife.
- Right.
- So why do you think that,
what's the value for you for all these partnerships
and you doing it independently?
'Cause we've seen headlines all the time
certain names, lawsuits with the conglomerates
that they're...
- Look at this, look, when that happens,
when they see momentum building faster than usual,
try to put a little bit of downward pressure on it.
And this is in any category that happens.
You know what I'm saying?
And when you just, the brand is,
the company's a young company,
but these companies spend a lot of money marketing
towards African American males.
And when you are a African American-owned company,
it feels like it could be a bigger issue than...
Like, they're spending a lot of money, bro, like a lot
of financial investment and going to marketing firms
to target to different demographics.
So when that tab is that big, because they're that big,
when things start to, they hear noise being created,
they all go.
And you know, look, for me, I've spent over $25 million
since the success of my record in legal fees alone.
Just legal fees.
All right, so like when we'd be talking about money
and stuff like that, I'd be like, tell me when you get rich
or what get rich is when I've just spent $25 million
giving it to lawyers, so it's a different thing.
I write that off as the price of business.
And then when we get to the details of it, they come around
because I have a way of posturing myself.
Like, I'll say something that other people won't say.
I'll say, I don't give a fuck, man.
You understand? - Yeah, right.
- And they'll look and go, "Oh, shit."
And he goes, he doesn't care at all
about what you're saying and keep going.
We're gonna have fun doing that
then if this is what you wanna do.
And it just makes better sense that we'll be friends
than to be fighting each other.
You see what I'm saying?
Like, these companies are a lot further,
it's a lot longer since they own them.
Like, I've made how many references for free
for Hennessy in music.
- And that goes way back.
- Yeah, when I'm seeing people drinking
around me all the time.
Like, in my experience, I'm a lightweight.
I'm a bantamweight, even, the lightest lightweight champion
of the world when it comes to liquor.
I don't, not a an experienced drinker.
Let's say an experienced drinker is someone
who's drunk somewhere right now.
It's kind of early.
It's kind of early in the day.
- It's somebody somewhere.
(50 Cent chuckles)
Somebody somewhere.
- Already. - Yeah.
- You know what I mean?
And for like overall, I look at it like, it's exciting.
I named the company Sire Spirits.
My youngest son named is Sire.
You know, I look forward to building it long term
for something for him to run, you know, following it.
And when you do approach things like that it's fun
because it's not like it has to happen tonight, tomorrow.
It is serving its purpose right now, growing.
You know, so the size of it, how big will it be
when he's running by that time
'cause that's the initial idea.
When we talk about how long those companies have existed,
when they spend a lot of money targeting the demographic
that it would be fubu where it's for us by us
in this case, like, it being a Black-owned company,
there's, I think, an advantage
and a disadvantage when you harp on that.
This is why you haven't heard me mention
that the entire time, it's the first time I've said that.
You know, and it is because when I do things,
I don't do it for one group of people.
I do it for the masses to enjoy themselves, man.
Like, you know, we got people that can't disagree on,
they disagree on everything.
Like, they disagree on religion, right?
They disagree in politics, whether they're Republicans
or Democrats in the way, everything they disagree.
- In everything. - And when you,
I get caught in the mix.
I don't have political aspirations at all, bro.
Like, when I say something, it's my opinion,
it's what I'm thinking when I see this.
It's not for anyone to sway anyone's judgment or nothing.
I'm just putting that there
'cause it's what I think about it, right?
And they'll wanna contact me, following me
saying something on social media.
And I don't accept it at that point
because that's not what I'm doing.
That's not my goal, that's not what I'm trying to do.
You know what I mean?
And they'll run with it.
They'll put me on the cover of the newspaper
or put me in the newspaper based on it.
And I'm fine with that part.
I'm just not gonna pursue it when that happens.
You know, like, there's so much more to do in entertainment.
Look, when I'm creating the power franchise
the diversity's important in it.
But it's a story I wanted to tell, right?
And when I say the idea was to use the New York City
as a backdrop thing, there's somebody
who represents everybody in New York, right?
So I said, "Oh, this is perfect."
- It wasn't a story written for the sake of diversity.
It was a story that spoke to you
that, just so happened 'cause it's New York City,
and there's diversity.
- And I was knowing I could reach my core audience
through the television.
- Right.
- You see what I'm saying?
To kinda reactivate 'em or re-excite them
with something that I'm creating that way.
And then that's why it was important
that I matched the music in it.
The theme song.
It's very rare that no one's on tour
performing the theme song tour a television show.
- Right, right.
- You know what I'm saying?
Like, I'm the only one out doing that right now.
- That's a good point, yeah.
- You know, and it's just because I've had time
to find interest in different areas
and explore different things.
And then there's points that they won't accept it
like, early on that your success in music is
not gonna provide an opportunity for you
to just work in television.
Like, you have to work to receive that opportunity
to be taken seriously in television.
Like, even the big actors, they'll get a production credit
when they're acting in the show,
but they're not where the hits at away from them performing.
They don't have the franchise
that we can point out right now.
There's no other one for us to look at.
So that would be a clear accomplishment
by being able to do that and not be in the shows.
Let them just run without, you know?
'Cause the idea is not to create vehicles
for myself to perform in, it is to create vehicles
to help change and shape culture.
You know what I mean?
Like, I'll become the gateway, I'll become the person
that artists from hip hop and youth culture come to
to make or to participate in working
on those kind of projects.
- You know, that's a interesting thing you say there
because I feel like you've always been either a direct
or an indirect mentor to so many-
- A lot of artists. - Artists.
- And it is only the guys that I actually,
I really liked them.
- DaBaby is is an obvious one.
- Yeah, you know what?
Look, when you see, I kind of see myself in these guys, bro.
Like, Pop Smoke was like that.
Like, and you know, like the baby and them,
they've even made some of the mistakes I've made.
And I'm going, "Oh, shit."
I know why you made the mistake, bro.
You understand?
And it's just coming outta the environment
and the difference in peer group.
Like, if you look at artists who were peers,
they're making a mistake right now
and not being penalized for it
because they're not registering the same way.
And they need someone who's already been there
that can tell 'em they can help them weather that.
'Cause their storm is too much for them in the beginning.
Like, they don't have artist development like we had.
Like, you know, you had the A&R Department,
you had a publicist, you had all these things
and that's what was happening at the time.
With that thing was happening with DaBaby,
there was no one there.
He didn't even have the publicist in place.
So there was no possible way to maneuver.
What he had was a structure that worked for things
to be successful from an independent artist's perspective.
And those things were working great.
He didn't have everything else in place that a celebrity
or someone that's in the business publicly
would have around him.
And that's why the response came off the wrong way.
Your first apology would've came from the publicist.
So it would've died down or would've quieted
down a lot faster with the right people.
You know, you got crisis management people
and things like that.
He just didn't even know that he needed something like that.
And they just pick, nobody comes, taps you on the shoulder
and notifies you that you would need these things.
- How did you know from the start
that you should always have a team around you?
Like, I've seen stories of you,
what was this one story?
You were out at a bar, someone was coming there
and they were surprised to see you had
some Navy Seal kind of characters with you.
- Oh yeah.
(Brian and 50 Cent chuckling)
And I imagine this was like
a long time ago, we're talking-
- You know what happens?
I come from like, a place where you have to be ready.
Don't get ready, you gotta be ready.
And I would layer things around me
to prepare for different type of situations.
- Contingency plans.
- Yes, and then like where you go,
when they would run into it, they'd go,
like, this is, wait, it's not the neighborhood stuff.
This is the other stuff, right?
And I went through the...
I had the same kind of vehicle as Obama has.
Level six, you know, run flats, bomb-proof too.
- And you had those a long time ago.
- Long time ago.
Those was '03, '02.
They came in and then just had 'em.
Had 'em since then, like I've got 'em.
And look, it becomes less and less necessary
because of my temperament shift.
You know, a lot of it is me.
You know what I mean?
I'll look, I'll see something
and I'll go if there's a problem, no problem.
But that temperament is saying I'm not looking for it,
but if it is, let's let it be that.
Because I kind had all the things in place for it.
Eventually, you'll look and you go,
we are not even after the same things.
Like, we don't have the same goals.
And the competitive side of hip hop
that when they're just trying to get in,
like they'll look and say,
I'll establish myself by saying this
'cause this person is notable.
You know how many times they mentioned me now
and I look at it and go why did you mention me?
Like in that interview or like I can care less
about what you're doing and there's no possible way
you can stop anything that I'm doing.
- Why do you think that is?
Like, how come there seems to be this, like you said,
you'll just get mentioned in things or pulled into things
or your intentions will get spun around.
Like, where do you think that comes from?
- They'll do a whole hour interview.
And then the only thing they'll see go up is
he said this about 50 Cent on YouTube.
'Cause it'll give more hits with that than anything else.
And then they'll write 500 different versions of it
'cause the other guys will take it
and switch it around and do it.
And it is different and they earn off of it
because obviously people click it,
and they're entertain by it.
And I'm all right with it.
Like, I just look at it and I understand
that they're utilizing that for marketing at this point
because there's no, there's no issue.
Like, you know, when you get into...
I just say, if it's really not a problem for you
to handle it, then why would you be entertaining it
if there's nothing there?
You know, like, there's nothing for the them to cover.
Like, when I said that our coach is out
with the old and in with the new?
Those people are already going to pasture, bro.
But what they say in the interview can still have
some relevance if you're talking
about someone who's current.
And there's not much they can say
about the new artist because they just don't know 'em.
I guess it's a part of what want to go through
if you in it long enough, you know?
- So it seems like I'm trying
to extrapolate these different,
almost like a modernized 50th law
I'm trying to get outta here, right?
So, you know, mentorship a team around you important.
Having a readiness for anything.
- Yeah, yeah.
You can't forget where you come from.
'Cause if you do, you leave yourself wide open,
vulnerable to someone from where you come from.
You see what I'm saying?
And the other things that you point out,
like, when we do, like we was talking
about the partnerships and stuff like that,
they provide an ability for me to connect
with what they've built.
Like, they have a different relationship
with enough of the community to fill every seat here.
And I can kind of step into those programs
and be a part of the philanthropy
and part of the things that are already tested
and proven and working.
I just don't want to commit my time
to something that is not working.
You know what I mean?
Once I bypass a lot of stuff that isn't
by having these relationships at the same time
and in different territories now.
So there's the Sacramento Kings
or in Houston, I have the whole Houston,
I have the, well, yeah, the Astros.
I got the Rockets and the Texans.
- And then the hockey team?
- Yeah, well, hockey-
- Super Bowl.
Or not Super Bowl, I'm sorry, the Stanley Cup.
- That was in Vegas, and look, they won the-
- Stanley Cup. - Stanley Cup.
And then you got two of two teams.
One, it matched exactly what Champagne is about.
So it was such a organic fit for the champagne to be there
at that point, that it was like a no brainer that they...
Look, my choices of who to be in association with
as far as professional teams would work,
even if it was being utilized on Fandom.
If it was just a gambling type of situation, they would win
just betting on who I was hanging out with.
Because I'm looking at who they actually are
before we make the decision to commit
to being a part of the project.
- And this is why you'll go to the owner versus the brand.
So you can get to know the person.
- And also where they're at in the rebuilding phase.
You see what I'm saying?
When you got, look Houston, okay?
I don't say nothing now, but watch how the team,
it's in the building phase.
It's gonna build itself back up to a point
where it's something to watch.
Like, it's really exciting.
Sacramento's just like now to see them
in the playoffs and stuff like that was dope.
Like I got a chance to go and see them
and Steph Curry at the same time.
You know, like, and these guys are like,
they are a different kind of superhero from where I'm from.
You know what I'm saying?
So it was like the connection that's there is organic,
it's easy, it's what they had to do
to take their mind off of shooting the ball
that many times that they can shoot it
from anywhere on that court and actually make the shot.
You know what I mean?
It's the disciplines that for the average person,
so they understand the metaphors,
try to treadmill with no music.
See how long you do that.
Because you'll be in your head so much
and you hear yourself breathing,
you ain't gonna do it as long as you usually do it.
When you can put the music on and just go,
it takes your mind off of it.
You can do the work a lot easier.
You know what I mean?
And that is a part of the connection.
And then a lot of the talent that you see out there
on the highest level come from circumstances.
They weren't such great circumstances in the beginning.
So they identify with the things
that are being said in the music
and connect in that way, you know.
But it makes it a lot easier to be around it,
the professional teams and stuff like that because of it.
- There's that crossover.
It just all seems organic.
And for all the partnerships you do
or the brands that you do
or with television, another really good example,
you don't just stop at the surface level.
Like, you'll grow up and then you'll
also build those deep roots.
- Look, as far as the producers are concerned
in television, they'll look and go,
"He likes to announce everything."
Yes, because the soon as I have success added
to my portfolio as a producer in television,
I become the biggest television producer
'cause I'm well known around the world.
You couldn't pick these guys out in the lineup.
So they can't sway the audience
to watch what they're putting out next.
Like, they just gotta use the traditional means
in marketing of the networks to do it.
They can't talk directly.
I reach about a hundred million people through my phone.
I don't need Dateline or Hollywood Reporter
or these publications to do anything
but notify business insiders
that they need to bring me the idea.
So other production companies will have the idea
and say let's run this across 50 to see if he likes it
because we think it might be something he's interested in.
And it connects and it's how I get
to 30 television shows across 10 different networks
in a faster timeframe that they've seen
anything else go at that point.
And then when I said I will become the gateway
and that the concept would be, I would be able
to place people from not, that have huge audiences
into areas that don't necessarily credit that audience,
like, they're gonna have a gazillion people follow 'em.
They hot as hell right now in music culture.
And it won't mean that they receive, they're not even
on a list of people that they should make a offer to.
You see what I'm saying?
And I know that that person means more
to the project at that particular point.
So I actually get 'em and put 'em into something
that may allow them to survive themselves later.
'Cause even if they did everything
every other artist we know done
and burn out on that at some point,
if they've worked in between time, periodically
on the film and television stuff,
that there's a second career.
Every athlete you see run up and down the court
and playing football, they gotta consider a second career.
'Cause they're gonna be there.
They're gonna make a lot of money while they're there.
But those, football's even shorter.
Like they, it may make a lot of money doing it,
but you get hurt, it's a wrap.
You know what I'm saying?
Then what's next?
Everybody gotta think about those things
like, how you transition,
like, where you wanna land.
- Is this why you've decided to be independent
for most of the things that you do?
So you have that stability there
versus I guess just relying on somebody else
for resources or what have you?
Better for you to just go out, gather those resources,
build those relationships yourself?
- Look, I've had an opportunity
to buy a lotta shit that didn't matter.
It doesn't matter, right?
Like, at points, like that house that you have
in your head, that really nice house, you need to buy it.
And then when you get over it,
you need to move to something else that's different
that you can be comfortable in at the same time.
But you do need to have the experience.
You see what I'm saying?
Like, it's living.
Bro, when we look good, we feel good, look at the time
you took to put on to pick what you picked to wear.
So yeah, you should do it.
And get it and feel good that day
'cause you know you look good.
It's 'cause the time is
the most expensive thing we spend, bro.
And we can't get it back.
We're getting older, life is shorter than usual.
You see shit happening.
People are, it's like we on 10 out here,
like, it's going up to a new level.
And the things of value that were taught
even on the ground level, like, the hardest people
in the roughest areas had a aspiration built into them.
So it was about, they were that hard
because they wanted to make it.
Now I see the, it's happening on at a younger stage
so that there's no aspiration to make it.
There's more they wanna mean something
and what will make them mean something
in the environment is if they can connect
to the violence that's there, 'cause it immediately,
that will immediately affect you.
Like you see the young boys and say,
"You ain't got no bodies."
- Yeah.
- See now if he's around and he does have bodies,
what does that do to his aura?
It makes him someone of power when he comes around
because he might be catching another one now.
You know what I'm saying?
So you gotta pay attention to him.
You gotta at least have to respect what he's already done.
And this is why they go in that direction of doing that
because I'm sitting myself, I go,
"What the, what are you doing?"
- Yeah.
- Like, what is it?
Like, I'll go, "Nah, we rock with them
"while them are my ops."
And I'm like, "Why, what happened?"
Nah, nah.
They think I'm trying to ask.
I'm not trying to resolve it.
I don't care.
If you got an issue but what is the issue?
- Right.
- You see what I'm saying?
And I'm going, when they can't tell me what the issue is,
it's because that was filtered.
They were told this is ah-ah from someone else
that they told 'em, I said, "They don't know."
It just was that part was given to them.
They don't know, they can't explain it to me exactly.
Like, and from there I'm going, "Oh, okay."
And then when you start, once this sits
around long enough, if that's happening on the other side,
because it is happening on the other side of it.
- It seems like it's,
it seems like just a absence of purpose, of meaning.
You know, for you, when you first got you into music,
"Get Rich Or Die Trying", there was all these themes
of like, I'm here and just gotta make it, Trey songs.
There was that versus now it's just like you said,
op is the op and that's it.
The reason doesn't matter.
- My first album title was "Power of a Dollar".
And then you go from that when you...
You go through life-threatening situations,
it becomes get rich or die trying.
But it is very consistent.
You see what I'm saying?
And it's because I come from people, they hustled,
they all wanted to make it.
That's what made it make sense
to participate and not have it.
When you are around and you're like,
"I ain't got nothing,"
and you're going, "I wanna make it, I wanna make it too."
That's my goal too.
And then you could kind of get into what's happening
into the environment because those are the themes that run.
And the other stuff is still there, the violence
and things with people.
We have people that are naturally that, you know.
And so those things, their value is gonna,
they're gonna make their value in that.
And even the success, when the artist become successful
coming outta that environment, he gonna have people
around him that he feels secure about being around.
Because you know that when they're traveling
to these different neighborhoods in these different areas,
that it may be something there.
But he knows that this person right here
will do it regardless of what.
So they bring that person.
And without acknowledging it,
that person needs them to have altercations
for them to need them to be around.
You know what I mean?
So you just brought what you had
in the environment with you.
That is what is gonna potentially bring you down.
So I would look, so a lot of the young talent,
when I'm talking to 'em,
when I say that to 'em, they go,
"So he's saying it's going to be me that brings me that."
Yeah, if you don't adjust, if you don't receive
the information and internalize it
and really make the right decisions as you move forward,
you are, it is limited time on that.
Opportunities for you to be derailed completely
will come from the people that you came with.
And it's just the way they were brought
into that circle of things as it took off.
'Cause they don't really have,
why would you need 'em?
They need you to have a issue so you can need them
to be there so they can...
- That's how they add their value.
That's how they stay on the payroll.
Hmm.
- You know, and it's, that goes on.
And these are things that no one's exempt to it.
Like, I don't care who it is,
when they're picking someone who they trust at some point.
Like, they may not even have management, nothing.
Like, they just took this kid's beat from YouTube,
paid 'em, did they thing, and put it
on iTunes and this, and it's working.
The song is working and yo, they called me,
they want me to perform at this nightclub over here.
So my auntie's going to get the first half
and she gonna get the second half before I go on,
'cause he knows she's not going to take the money from.
And that might work until it's a lot of those shows
because auntie, you know how it is
doing business with your family.
You might not want to do that.
- Right. - Right.
But- - Mm-hm.
- But they'll pick anybody around 'em they trust
at that point because there's no structure.
If you look around, there's no groups.
- Right.
- In hip hop, the only thing, what Migos?
That's it?
Yeah, that's because there's no...
Look, if it's artist development,
some of these guys would sound better as a team.
- Right.
- The contrast of the two of 'em
next to each other, it'll be your mob deep or you're MOP
that version of music repeating itself.
But there's, you know, when I miss a lot of stuff
that's going on in hip hop,
the small parts, the things that are happening
when they're growing and coming into being the new guy.
'Cause like, like the buzz.
I'm not following each kid in the very beginning.
But I do miss more, like the R&B music.
Where's that at?
Like, I don't see that at all.
- It's all taken.
You told me this once before too,
that it's almost getting eroded away.
And now, you know, you have an artist like Drake, right?
He's kind of doing-
- The only one that you can get that from.
- Right. - Like, on the highest level.
That's what it would make Drake more important
in this period.
- Versus, I mean, you contrast that
with the music from, you know, the '70s,
the groups were so prominent, the soul.
And even before that, Temptations,
and all sorts of these groups.
- But because there's no one putting them together
and making them be a group, those guys are all solo artists.
They're all separately don't make it an effort
to do something instead of being flown in
to put to him with him and to build this group
that's going to really mean something.
- Do you think the, like the Justin Timberlakes
or the Beyonces whose origins were in groups, but then,
- They spouted, yeah.
- Right.
Do you think that's influenced the erosion
of the groups at all, too?
- I think that was natural.
I think always there's someone that's there
that could creatively...
Look, both of them were the heads of those groups.
You see what I'm saying?
So it was just a creative adjustment.
And the support that she would receive
or he would receive would still be there.
Because if they decide to make that,
like when you seen the new tour,
how much production value is on Beyonce's tour?
- Oh, I didn't see that, but I'm sure it's-
- It's serious, it's really good.
Like there's a different, you don't miss
the two other females being there with the record.
Like, it feels like it's just hit music.
Like, 'cause I, look, whenever you.
They start one way, like I was on Columbia Records.
So like, I was watching Beyonce's early career,
not by choice, it was just in your face.
Like, it was in the building.
Like, so it was right there.
And then with Destiny's Child in the early stages, you see,
yeah, it's a group, it's a thing.
And then when she blossoms out of it,
it turns into something that's even crazier.
Like, you can't really contest it.
It is what it is, you know.
And then Justin is, well a male version of that
'cause they, look, you got other guys in the group.
Even if they didn't, if they weren't
as visibly talented in that way,
they could have done more damage away from him
than like, on the other side, other things,
and been in culture where we saw 'em, you know.
So I mean, it is an adjustment.
Like a lotta times when artists don't, when things don't go
exactly the way they want or if you ask them what happened,
they go, "It was the label."
You know, like that is the answer.
So for me, what I get a lot of times is
because I'm an individual
that they can look at as the label,
it was 50 instead of the label.
Like, you know what I'm saying?
But that's the same thing.
It's really when the creative person is not doing
what they need to sustain themselves within culture
and being active in different ways.
And then when their brand dwindles away
or dies down based on that, they blame who they can.
"Oh, it was the label."
But I'm the label by myself, so it becomes 50.
- I can't think of any example with you
where it's almost like being a victim is trendy now
versus with you, it appears from the outside looking in
like your default mode has been ownership.
No matter what's happened to you, it seems you're just like,
"Okay, this is on me."
- And look, my interest in money is being able
to do what I wanna do creatively.
Look, there's no African American in anywhere
in film and television that has green light ability,
clear green light ability.
You could just say here for that to go.
So when you look at producing a hit is not enough.
It's not enough for me.
When I got one, I'm cringing to get the next one.
Like, I'm even.
Look, while "Power" is working by itself,
I go do "The Oath" on Sony Crackle.
Right?
Just to have something else.
And this one was, you can see it online
but I'm like, no, I gotta get something else going.
And when I do that, I produced "The Oath"
at like a Tyler Perry price point.
It wasn't like a premium
a million dollars a episode type of thing.
And it's just 'cause I needed something else there.
So if not, you were one hit wonder.
You know how many one hit wonders
we got in music culture?
I'm scared of that shit.
You got one hit?
I'm like, "Oh no, I got," I need something else, bro.
Or I got one and that's it.
You know what I mean?
And I went through that process and I put that one up
and it was the highest rated thing on Sony at the time.
So you go, "Power" is happening here,
the highest radio show on Sony.
They go, "Okay, now this is real."
It's gonna be a lot more from him.
Not just that one effort.
You know what I'm saying?
And it's because look, the only reason why a pimp want
more than one ho is
'cause one ho is so close to no hoes.
(Brian chuckling)
Even in that world, bro, like, he wants more around
because it would be you left with nothing
because the police picked up your one prostitute.
- Now you're outta business.
Now you're stuck.
- You're outta business till you can get outta jail.
(50 Cent and Brian laughing)
- It seems like there's just this ongoing process
where you have to, I guess you have to just prove something
to yourself in a way, right?
- It's always, well for me, you could look at it
like I'm proving it to myself, but I know I can do it.
I've already, I'm kind of crazy like that.
I could convince myself what I'm doing next
and I'm doing it.
And once it's in my head that way I can
really embrace how really it's what are my obstacles?
What are gonna be in front of me?
What's gonna be difficult for me to get around?
And what do I do about that when I get there?
So I can start assessing that.
Because once I say I'm doing it, I'm doing it.
And then like when you say the things that symbolize success
to me in the very beginning, I have had all of them.
You see what I'm saying?
So it's like every car, every item
that I could pick, house.
You want a beach house?
You want a house that's just by a lake, maybe?
Like, you know what I mean, like different things?
Like, I did all that.
So when you have these things and you go, okay, man,
you can have a 55,000 square foot,
37 bathrooms, six kitchens
and you gonna still sleep on one bed.
A dozen entertainment places.
So if you're not in that mode where you wanna bring
that many people around for you
to entertain them, then you're not good.
Look, when I look at real estate, I look
at the more you spend on the property,
what you get is your entrance.
It's supposed to be so amazing
that it's breathtaking, right?
But the rooms, if the rooms in the house are too big,
you're not gonna like the house.
You're gonna get the same room in those spaces
when you get to the rooms.
So if you, when you look down the hallway in your house
and you don't wanna go down there
'cause it's like down the block from where you would be
in your regular life, like before,
before any of this stuff took off, you look
and you go, "Are you on the intercom?"
You calling people on intercom instead of going over there.
Like, these are the real things,
the adjustments that shit is happening.
And I'm looking and I'm like,
"Yo, why did I buy this shit?"
- It sounds like an actual experience you had.
- Not exactly.
- This is real life, bro.
Like, I'm looking going, "What the fuck made me
"to buy this shit?"
(Brian chuckling)
And I'm like, it doesn't matter.
And then I'm like, rather go into a condo
than the big house at the time because I didn't have.
Look, if I had Nick Cannon's 12 kids and shit like that,
then you could put them all in the bedroom.
Everybody's here.
It would mean putting everybody together
then it would make sense.
But I didn't, I'm not going to have kids like that.
I don't want the responsibility of that many women
that you gotta deal with emotionally.
Especially after they don't feel like your friend anymore.
- Mm.
- You know what I mean?
Like, that's too much to kinda...
I don't know what the fuck is wrong with Nick Cannon.
(Brian chuckling)
You know what I mean?
Like, this shit is just different.
Right?
See look, I have to work on that part right there,
like when it slips out, like,
because that is the old 50 Cent.
I am new, the new 50.
Yeah, you know, I owed him that
'cause he said something about me.
He said I was, what'd he say?
He said one of his little shows the shit he says.
(Brian laughing) Yeah.
- What else?
What are some other examples
like the house that you found?
That you realized as the success came, like why,
why did I want this or why am I here?
- Yeah, like a yacht, right?
A yacht to me, when I look at the yacht, it's beautiful
in the water on a day when you can go out and go get on it.
But look, the Final Lap Tour had 93 dates, right?
I'm gonna be off moving around so much
that the yacht turns into a hole.
It turns into a hole in the water
that you just could keep throwing money in
because you don't even have time to get on it.
And it's just sitting there and it's probably going
to look like it's damaged or weathered
after it's been in the water and then taken outta the water.
So I gotta do maintenance to clean shit off of it
that was floating around it.
And it's just gonna create an expense
that if you didn't have the expenses within lifestyle,
that wouldn't make sense.
Like with, all of that touring and stuff like that,
if I decide I'm not gonna be on a bus,
I'm gonna fly private everywhere I go.
If it makes less wear tear on me
because I'm going to 93 different territories,
yeah, I don't care about the expense.
When you look at the bill, your income, and then you look
at what you spent and the IRS is there
'cause boy oh boy, I'd like to be him
just for a little while.
Uncle Sam?
Let me be him for a couple days.
'Cause you know how I be saying I want my money by Monday?
- Yep.
- He want his at 12 o'clock sharp.
(Brian laughing)
But the big dogs are here.
Who you looking for the big ones?
Like yeah, you at 12 o'clock sharp, you want that money.
So, you know, and they got that team of people
that live in the gray area, you know.
They got their own, the IRS has lawyers that work for them.
So they're there to argue with you until you decide
to just give them the money.
So when I said that gray area is
because right and wrong doesn't matter
it's what can you prove and how can you word it
the right way within the system?
'Cause you can get a judge to look
and have their own personal judgment.
You can't block yourself from being who you are.
We got a system, it's not a bad system,
it's just it works as good as the people
that we have involved with it.
You know?
So when we don't have good people involved,
it doesn't work well for law enforcement,
for district attorney's office.
No matter which layer of of it we talking about,
this is America, baby, they follow.
Look, I travel everywhere in the world
because I have success in America, in music.
When you win here, you win the world.
They follow us.
Dubai is Las Vegas.
They made that.
What we look at when you see that,
that's there because of Las Vegas.
Now the Rico and conspiracy charges
that these boys are catching are to catch your nose
because of the people that decided
to go to Las Vegas, the mafia.
But to think when you would travel one
of the most prestigious places to travel right now,
the Bible would be on the list of it
and that concept is following Nevada, is following Vegas.
- Hm.
You think there's problems
with the institutions here in America?
Maybe that's why things seem to be a little shaky?
The foundation?
- Yes, yes, but there's again, blame it on individuals.
- Right.
- Blame it on, you know, their personal agendas
and how they feel personally about things.
Like, you know, I just don't think it works
without good people.
So you can do the right thing and catch a bad break.
You can, you know, like it could just be
the only thing anyone could do in America is sue someone.
And the lawyers would be outside waiting
when they know that you tripped and you fell
in front of some shit.
And you was like, he was right there,
"Listen, here's my card.
"Just call me."
Do it on a contingency so you're not investing in anything.
because the person involved has deep pockets.
That's the way it's set up, bro.
Like, you know what I mean?
There's a things that you can
remove yourself from it.
Like, look the old superstar model, right?
Like M, I'm gonna get M outta the house,
look for my birthday, Dre, Jimmy, Paul.
Everybody came see me in London and stuff like that.
And it's great.
And I get on the phone with him and then I really feel good.
You know what I'm saying,
'cause he's the last piece to that puzzle.
But we just got to, like, while we're there,
we are having a conversation.
Yo, we gotta get him out, I wanna get him out.
So why y'all didn't bring him?
Like, you know what I mean?
Like, they coulda got him.
Like, now I've become one of those people
that they'll go, "If you would've called,
"it may have happened."
Like, you know what I'm saying?
And it's only 'cause of consistency.
You know, like him, what he did for me,
you can't replay that.
You know what I'm saying?
Like, people, they don't understand it.
Like, I always knew...
Like, my head didn't get big with momentum
because of me and Em's relationship.
When I'm doing 13 million records,
I'm the biggest thing in hip hop culture for any artist
that you could directly compared to me.
But he's doing 23 million records
on "The Marshall Mathers LP".
So I know that there's room for growth.
And I traveled and I traveled, I said I want
"The Marshall Mathers LP" plaque.
It was in our business manager's office.
I only trust those people with my money
because they had Em's money.
And we looked and it had the "Marshall Mathers" plaque.
And had all of these flags.
When I see I want that.
And that's why I tour it.
And then when you see me say the final lap
and it says 90 dates for the tour,
it's because I've done the footwork
because I wanted the flags that was on his plaque, then.
- Mm.
- You see what I'm saying?
Like, Em didn't, he didn't tour as much
because he said he didn't want to go on tour
and come back and Hailie be grown.
And it's real.
Like, you could get into the regimen.
You're doing it and you look, and you go, "What?"
You didn't even know it's a start
and stop type of thing, start.
And then you look and you turn around
and your baby is grown, bro.
Like, you got, what the fuck did I do?
Like, you know, and you missed a lot of stuff,
a lot of moments and things.
And he was conscious of that, like, he wanted to do.
And he got a lot of money.
Em sold over 120 million records, bro.
You don't do shit after you sell 120 million records.
Take your ass somewhere and go sit down.
If you say, look, go to the studio to create new material,
critique things and say, "I could've did this better,"
or, "I could make this," and really work on your craft,
that, he gonna do that forever, like that.
'Cause the comfort, I think when he did "Eight Mile",
they made him uncomfortable.
It is, like, if you're not prepared,
like, I'm over, over prepared.
I don't want to be there and be uncomfortable
because I don't have the information
or I didn't, I don't know my lines like that.
Me and De Niro, Robert De Niro, he called me.
I had to go sit with him.
I went and met with him when he was staying
in New York City by Central Park.
I went to go see him because he wanted to make sure
that it was a movie project
we were looking to do together.
When they told him that I would do it,
he was like, it went to meet with me
to make sure that I actually was interested
in the crap and the project.
Because you didn't want to end up in one of these type
of DMX situations with the motherfucker
that locked himself in the trailer.
And he's got other stuff going on
because you don't know the lines.
You don't know what you're supposed to be doing today.
Like, you know what I'm saying?
And that was one of the experiences there was like,
after he, like, we met, we talked, then
and it created a relationship that was a little more,
let's say it was, it was better
because we interacted on that.
At that point, it was just me and him.
And then we didn't end up making the film,
but the next thing that came up was "Righteous Kill".
So it was him and Al Pacino in the same film.
And they actually were performing in the scenes together.
'Cause they did "Heat".
It was in "Heat", but it was one scene.
This one they worked on a few scenes together
and stuff like that.
So it was great to have both of them in there to watch.
And then the, it also was like,
why does he keep talking to him?
Like, "Why does he keep talking to that kid?"
And then it makes, Pacino talked to me more
because he already, we already made acquaintance
on things, you know, prior to that.
- Do you think he was vetting you in a way at first
just to kind of see, like?
- Yeah, 'cause it wouldn't, you don't wanna commit
to a project with someone that doesn't wanna work on this.
Like, you'd be saying you got him there and what is this?
Like, what am I doing here?
Like, you know what I'm saying?
It would be, that meeting was about him
kind of protecting what he worked for,
like, his legacy; he's one of the greatest, man.
When the project was done, I developed a great relationship
with Avi Lerner because Avi financed the film.
When we got to France, like to Paris,
it was time to do the publicity for it.
And I remember that they was going,
"Well, what is he doing?"
Because a lot of times they don't have to do anything.
Their name will be enough to give it to, you know,
the stamp and it'll do well regardless.
Like, a lot of the films, but I learned from watching them,
Avi Lerner, that they sell the films
prior to us watching them.
Like, those international territories,
they're getting the money from that.
And then they may select Lionsgate
or one of the studios for the domestic sale.
So, when you have brands like that connected to it,
it is easy to sell.
You know what you're gonna get for the,
how you recouping the finances from it, right?
When we was in Paris and they didn't,
they kind of went and got into this, what is he doing?
Like, that wouldn't do or involve themselves
more than the other one, I was like, "I'll do it."
And they didn't realize how much, how many outlets,
how many more outlets wouldn't wanna cover it
because of the music culture
and everything else that was there.
Like think about the music blocks, the music, television,
everything that covers just music
that wouldn't be covering the film.
Because they had the stuff that, the film stuff
and then when they saw all of this stuff come
from music, they was like, goddamn.
Like it made Avi, he was like my guy.
You know what I mean, 'cause it just,
and it's why the "Expendables 4" now.
See how it goes full circle?
Avi financed "Expendables 4"
and it's why the call is made now
for me to be a part of the project
and participate with this project now.
So like my relationships are important to me.
Like, when I started this piece,
I'm talking about me and Em's relationship,
but it falls full circle to everything.
Like, when I interact with people
and they are good people, I try to keep that going.
Like, it is no reason not to.
You know what I mean?
- With your tour, 600,000 tickets in the first week?
I think it was?
- Yeah, the first seven days.
- How do you feel that you're maintaining
this influence still globally?
- Well I think the-
- Because there's so many artists now, you know.
You have the one hit wonder category
and then you have the local relevance
and then kind of sorta national relevance.
But you are like a global staple at this point.
This is a part of that whole goat debate
that goes around and why you're always in it is
because everyone says,
"Well, nobody's international like 50 is."
- Yeah, yeah.
You know what's crazy is the blessing is
when the "Get Rich or Die Trying" show sold
13 million records, that was around the world,
like everywhere, so there was no place
that I wasn't having my moment at that point.
And then I came back, sold 10 million records again,
and then I come back and the touring never really stopped
from "Curtis" and "Beg for Mercy"
all those different things, the albums,
the G-Unit records, all of that.
So there was always building something
in those markets 'cause I've been there.
Like, we talking about places where English is
not their first speaking language a lot of times.
Like, they are having a different experience with
and learning English through knowing the music,
knowing the sounds of the music.
Like, even if they don't know exactly what they said,
they can say it the way the song goes.
Right?
When you there to touch bases and you real, they...
Look at this.
The rougher side of their experience.
We think we got it hard here.
It's not hard here.
You see how people fight to come across the border?
They want to be here, bro.
You see what I'm saying?
Like if you going look, when you get
into those other territories, when their lower level,
their poverty is more extreme than ours.
You see what I'm saying?
And we got some people that have just decided not to try.
They're more comfortable in a tent
with nothing on their schedule every day.
Some of 'em make the decision to just get the tent
and feel no pressure to make it
or no pressure to do anything.
You know what I mean?
And that's just, I can't comprehend the thinking.
Like, you know, my thought process is so different
from them that I can't relate to it.
But it's real.
Like, some of 'em just made the decision to do that.
You would look and think in Africa and these other...
It's different when you're not, when they,
because it's third world countries, bro.
Like, look at Brazil, it's popping.
You get torn out there.
You go to certain areas, you go,
"What the fuck is going on?"
Like, this is a different level of poverty
than what we, so what we're accustomed to, bro.
And you look at that and when you make the connection
and you are able to be all of those places,
it's just amazing.
Music is magic.
But when we talked about people not getting along
and disagreements with their religious beliefs
and even their political beliefs and everything,
they still, all those people who disagree
will enjoy themselves when the right music comes on.
They will take a break from that shit
to have a good time right then.
Because it's not about their beliefs at that point.
It's about just enjoying yourself.
And this is why I try not
to over involve myself in politics.
Or I may have my opinion, say my opinion,
but I'm not answering.
You would not believe how many people inquire
after once they abuse it 'cause it turns into national news.
And they wasn't covering when they passed the law,
they're covered when I said what it's gonna do.
- Right.
- You know what I mean, 'cause they go from my perspective,
they're going, "What is, why he said that?"
Like, what?
I know what's there.
- Right.
- You know what I mean?
Like, it is gonna turn into things like the,
we're going to be getting everything from Amazon,
your toothpaste and everything else.
'Cause then if they're making it
where the smaller theft is not even a penalty for it.
The person that's getting high would just be standing
in front of the store going,
"Yo, give me the $15, I go get everything you want.
"Tell me what you want," and just walk in the store.
All this stuff is free.
And you give 'em $15 and you get 'em
$30 worth of shit, and you just go home.
Why would that not happen, why would that not happen, bro?
You see what I'm saying?
Like if you, these laws,
it just doesn't make sense to me that you-
- That's happening in New York, too, I think.
- When you grew up, the circumstances I grew up
under make me have a compass or a way to feel out
what would happen under the scenario.
And I look and go, "Nah."
And they're gonna do that until they regress
and it becomes easier to do something
that is not within the law.
Until you see them do more extreme things.
This is why you see even in the towns
that they tried it in early on, they are a spike
in violent crimes and everything.
But I don't have political aspirations.
I don't wanna have the conversation.
- No? - I'm just like.
(Brian and 50 Cent laughing)
- Gonna be plastered everywhere.
- Yeah, everywhere.
- I think the music plays a big part,
but I think it's also just your perspective.
Because what's really interesting is you're a trusted source
because people know that you-
- The experience, right.
- Right, the experience is there.
- As you come from it.
- Because people don't even know what is true anymore,
it seems, in a lot of ways.
But everyone knows-
- That's it.
(Brian and 50 Cent laughing)
- Everyone knows 50's 50 and that's, you know, that's it.
- Yeah, and you going, if there's a...
I wouldn't want it to be any other way either
because it's the way that...
Look, the hip hop music, our culture loves things
that are damaged, right?
You'll see things re-enter or reconnect through the music.
And they say if the person's been battered
or bumped around through their experience,
it becomes more exciting to see them sound so beautiful.
It sounds perfect on the song when it's a hit song.
And when they connect, and you know
that all of the damage is there,
it's exciting to watch, bro.
Like, it's exciting to watch.
And then it's very rare that you see artists
that connect, that don't have a backdrop.
Like, where's the really wealthy kids
creating hip hop music?
There are, and the number ones are
in the higher end of the chart.
That doesn't happen.
They usually have some sort of story
or some sort of experiences
that they could put into the music.
You know what I mean?
I mean, I think it's a cool part of it,
but it's also, it jades people's
at points and shit, helps shape a new idea
of how things should be, like, you know.
And you look, now we got so many women, which is positive,
so many new females in hip hop
probably the most I've seen ever,
like, from the, we just hit the 50th year of hip hop mark.
But this is probably the maximum amount
of female artists at one time.
So what you get is, how is it being
in a male dominant industry
and being like one of the only females?
And they go, well it, you know, I have to work hard
and it is something to focus on.
And then other women come and they go,
"Bitch, get outta here."
(50 Cent chuckling)
Because when the other women come, they become competitive.
It becomes the battle.
It becomes what hip hop culture is.
You see what I'm saying?
But I watched the narrative shift
'cause it wasn't a lot at one time, and then it grew fast.
- Yeah. - So it's a lot.
It's like one record here, one record here, one record here.
So it's like five new female artists,
even when they connecting easier
than the male talent, because people...
I hear amazing things from artists,
writers that doing things.
And then I look at 'em and I'm saying, is it true?
Is what he's saying, is he telling the truth?
'Cause that's really the only question is
if he's really who he's saying he is on his record.
Because it is good.
And then a lot of it is not real.
'cause they're just saying what they're saying
but it's not really real.
But for the females, we don't say, is it true
because a lot of the times the things that she's saying is
it is what she was willing to say.
- Hmm.
- It says that this is okay by way,
by her in presentation 'cause the things
that they're putting in the music are,
it is sexual, a lot of it.
Outta those new female artists that I told you
that just popped up, it's very rare
that you see songs or something come from it
that don't have sexual references to them.
And the idea itself is sexual.
You know, it's a different version of the same thing.
- It's probably really striking for you to see too
this like, the generational connection now.
Like the Nicki Minaj with the Ice Spice
or the Gorilla and the Cardi B, you know,
like all these different, that's amazing.
- I love Nicki, I love Nick.
She's from Queens. - South side?
- Yeah. - Yeah.
- Her damage comes from the same place.
(50 Cent and Brian laughing)
She comes from the same...
Look, this is where it gets interesting for me to watch
because I look like when women have a dispute
or a disagreement, I think that's female business.
That's girls' business 'cause they get,
that can happen fast because they're emotional.
Like, they'll get into some things, have disagreement
and then they can resolve it faster than we can, too.
Like, men will have a issue to go on longer
than they will when they decide to, right?
But I don't hold those things to the same regards
that I will hold the guys who have issues.
It's really interesting to watch because I think when,
when they get in the competitive mode
that they may bring greater material out of 'em.
Look, when you don't have a person to compete with,
you need to make that person.
It'll help you work when you're tired.
You know what I mean?
Like, point to someone who does something well and you go,
"All right, that's what I'm competing with."
You don't gotta notice him, you don't have to notify him.
It's more sophisticated if you don't notify him.
Right.
But you know he's a great photographer
or you know he's good at what he's doing or whatever it is.
And it makes you push yourself to the next level
and find something that, you know,
cinematographers different things there
that you wanna make something great.
Like, now you like pfft.
I should've light a fire under you.
You see something new come out from them and you like,
"Oh, he dropped out.
"Wait till you see what, I'm gonna put this out."
- It's like Jordan always,
the last dance, he took it personal.
- This is what made him great, bro.
You see what I'm saying?
Look, when something's going on in him
that the rest of them don't have,
like, they're playing the game.
He, "I gotta win."
He's saying I have to win this ring.
And who, these guys are supposed to?
(50 Cent and Brian laugh)
Yeah, I've seen it.
Look, it's almost, I think it feels,
it could be mistaken for a gangster energy
that when a person's like that, is just driven
and then it's like, whenever a person's extremely focused,
they're ruthless.
Call that the guy that's aggressive, that's being violent
in the neighborhood, call that the district attorney
that's giving them way more time
than they should be actually getting for it.
But because she's focused on moving her up
in her career and she feels like he did something,
she wanna give him the maximum amount
you could easily get bumped out the way
when a person's extremely focused.
I've even experienced with people, executives.
I've been working with a guy and then he,
I've seen that he really,
like, when someone was telling him no,
like, he was looking at him like,
"What the fuck do you mean though?"
Like, his energy really was like, I don't understand
why you would fix your mouth to say no to me.
And then I'm like, I'm looking at him like,
"Oh, shit," like, this is like...
Like, for a split second, we are right back
in the neighborhood around.
You know what I'm saying?
And I'm like, no, like he said in this term
that they couldn't take the products
into the chains that he was trying to get at the time.
And he was like, "Who's financing this fucking guy?"
He was going over like who's giving him the money
to do what he's doing?
Because his relationships would influence up there
to change his fucking mind and let him take it right now.
But I've seen some gangster shit that,
not from people that you would see as a gangster
in any way, but it was, the shit that was going on
in him was completely gangster, bro.
Like, it was not like, you know,
"I'm gonna get your shot," or "I'm gonna do this."
But he was looking like, "What the fuck do you mean
"you telling me no?"
Like, are you crazy?
Hold up, who's financing this guy?
Cool.
You see what I'm saying?
'Cause he has people that's gonna call people
to get to whoever's giving him the money
to even have him exist and say,
"This fucking guy, he's an idiot.
"He's telling us no that he doesn't wanna do this.
"This thing's the right thing."
Like, what the fuck?
Then later, they changed their mind.
(Brian laughing)
That's when I was feeling like that was some gangster shit.
Like, "They told us no, bro.
"He told us no."
And then I'm like, "Yo."
He was like, "What?"
Like, "What the fuck do you mean no?"
So you see a person don't understand
that you're not doing what I wanna do?
That's kind gangster to me,
that you can even feel that way.
- Mm.
- You know what I'm saying?
Like, there's a, not a lot of people achieve that,
but because they constantly run into things
that they can't just do it.
But, like, when I said that my interest in money is
me being able to do what I wanna do when I feel like,
like it's like not just fly on a jet
when I get ready to, or cars or the house.
I'm talking about if I'm creative,
if I wanna make the series and they don't understand
how good the series would be, I'll go make the series now.
I got the writers, I put the thing together, I produce it,
I make the series, I license you the series.
If you would've saw it, you could've bought it.
But now that you couldn't see it, you can license it
and I can have the money
after the few years you, it just reverts back to me.
(Brian chuckling)
You see what I'm saying?
And then it changes.
It even makes, it makes the lap make sense.
It makes "The Final Lap" make sense.
Because when you look at the income off of it,
it makes all of the things that I do
on the other side minor for the year.
You see what I'm saying?
So they could look at, put yourself in the position
of someone who's, you're a producer,
you're getting ready to sell this project to the network.
Right.
What the difference between my interactions with them is,
I think the unwritten law is to appear not to need anything.
'Cause everybody will do you a favor
when you don't need one.
When you do need it...
- Forget it.
- You have a unique and special situation
if someone wants to help when you do need it.
But when you don't need it and you could
potentially do a bigger favor for them in return
at some point, most people find it a lot easier
to do you that favor that you need.
So when you come in and you, I'm not saying
please buy this show from me,
I'm saying, look, this is an opportunity
for us to have some success together.
This is gonna work whether you like it or not.
Like, see, this is the, the stars component
when I still have a deal, when I say I have 30 shows
in across 10 different networks and like now and coming
in development coming out,
they had to tell me no 23 times.
23 times they told me no.
And another network told me yes.
And I'm batting a hundred on their network.
Everything that I've released with them is a success,
the highest radio shows they have.
When you start saying, "Oh, no, I have this idea.
"I wanna do it my way,"
then you lose out on all the content
that I was contractually obligated to give you
because I did not miss one time, the entire time.
If you would've took that, you'd have been all right.
But now someone should get a bucket
and start throwing water over the side
'cause the boat got a fucking hole in it, bro.
You can't see it sinking?
Your shit is sinking right in front of everybody.
Yeah, like, and this is the type of situations
that you see happening in the economy.
Like, and you can't, what you gotta do is build
until you can just decide to be it yourself
if no one else is enjoying being that.
You know what I mean?
And a lot of times, I wasn't receiving the accolades
or the nod that you'd receive for the success
of these actual projects.
Look, if they compared it, they would probably compare
"The Power Universe" to "Yellowstone"
the success, multiple successful spinoffs
following the success of the show.
I mean, the advantage and connection
of the project, the difference is the diversity.
- Mm. - Which makes the...
You see what I'm saying?
A lot harder for it to struggle
to even be recognized at that point.
But it's already widely enough appreciated
to separate me from anybody else making content.
And it's not even a, like Tyler, I think Tyler is dope,
like, the stuff that he's doing.
But music's got a different targeted audience,
a different...
Like, the content that you would receive
from me in music, kind of a part
of that experience, the journey.
The things that you see me offering
in television are organic on some levels, you know?
So like, my passion projects or the things
that I get excited about are things
that kind of are relatable in the experience.
Like, when we become the official cognac
or champagne of a professional sports team
like the Houston Rockets or like the Astros
or the Texans or Sacramento Kings or the Timberwolves,
Indiana Pacers, like all these different guys,
the cool part for me is to be able
to connect with their charitable organizations.
So I'm able to bring true unity
and connect with organizations that are already working.
Like, I've made donations to other existing organizations
like, non-for-profits and stuff like that since 2004.
But I didn't offer my time.
You know what I mean, I would just do it.
It makes a lot of people feel like those are the things
that, like, it's a tax write-off.
But I went past what I would have to do for taxes.
I did different things like, 'cause it was just
the right thing to do from my perspective.
And that now I'm able to coordinate
and be with, the reason why you see me more
around philanthropy is because connecting
through what they've developed on the ground is allowing me
to get to something that I know is effective already.
'Cause I'm able to see the stats and the things that have,
it's already done.
So it's not a waste of my time to be there.
You know what I mean?
And it makes me feel like now I'll go do that.
Like, if it was just something I'm creating
in the environment myself
then it has to become a big deal.
I have to work on it till it grows to be a big deal.
When I can pop and plug into different things
in different areas because of my personal interest
in wanting to do it, that's the best way to do it.
Like, I think it, because these organizations are
like, the biggest organizations in those areas.
Like, you go to Sacramento,
the Kings are everything there.
Like, in these different areas, it's...
Like, during that, look, when basketball season is running,
it is the biggest.
You know what I'm saying?
So they've gone through that process
and vetted organizations themselves
to get to where they're at with what they have.
And then it allows me to extradite pass those,
that process and kind of come in.
And then their relationships.
I'm making relationships at the most effective programs
instead of just being involved with, you know, things
that are not put together, like
that are not as well put together.
Look, it is the cheat sheet for me
because I probably wouldn't be involved
as much philanthropy.
But having the relationships, it makes it
a lot easier with those intentions.
'Cause you gotta look and say this is like, almost...
The guys that own the billionaire,
billion-dollar franchise, their resources
of where they should be doing things in philanthropy.
Instead of me trying to figure it out.
- Hmm.
- I'm tapping straight into what they've already developed
in those areas and now people understand
why I decided to do it that way.
Because it's the most effective way, you know.
And with Sire Spirits in general, I was looking at it
like we should promote conscious capitalism.
Only because 10% of business would alleviate
all extreme poverty.
Just people in our conditioned
to give away what they work for.
But if they started those businesses with that mindset,
you wouldn't feel...
How different is your life?
If we created Google, how different would our life be
if we allocated 10% of what the proceeds
from it to extreme poverty.
- From day one, how's the plan?
- It would not change one thing in our lives.
Just to make the majority of shareholders
of the companies that are the big companies are
not conditioned to give away things that they work for.
And how could you fault them for that
when they have to work to keep even what they have
because, you know, that IRS wants to take it from you.
(Brian chuckling)
Like, this is exactly the way, like, come on.
It's right there in front of you.
- I think there's a psychological component there, too.
If you get and then you feel like you're giving it away,
maybe it doesn't feel...
- Look, if you got up and you may not have to work
at that point, but you want to.
Like, even when you see the guy's a billionaire,
he's still making big business transactions
because it's how he got to the position
that he's in now, he didn't change as a person.
So he's gonna pursue more until there's
like no more to get.
Like, to everything's this?
- Hmm.
- And then the object is to kind of,
you have to put the money back.
When you get to the top of the board, you have
to put the money back so everybody else
can function in it.
'Cause it's not gonna change anything
in your life anyway at that point.
- Hmm.
- The cars, the houses, the people that you pick,
some people know how to live better
than others with or without money.
They just sought out and pick a better person
to share their time with.
You feel what I'm saying?
Even if you sleeping in a one bedroom apartment,
then you may be richer than a rich guy.
You see what I'm saying?
Your life, the fabric of your life
and what you're doing and how you feel
about yourself at the moment.
If the person is, if that's sufficient for?
Like, at the top of it, they're not, do you need that?
- Right.
- Is the question.
You know what I'm saying?
Sometimes I say things, I'm like, what is that?
Like, 60 million, 80 million?
I don't think there's a $80 million house.
Like I don't think there's $80 million worth
of things you can give me.
- Right.
- But if we sat down and thought of what
to put in it, amenities?
80, that's not a house anymore and this is a playground,
this is a facility we can call it
and we probably should put seats in it
and make it one of these.
- Share it in some way.
- Yeah, so people could come and enjoy it.
But other than that there's no,
I don't think that there's a...
I guess everybody has a different version
in their minds of paradise, like, what that is.
And when you try different things because I think,
look, the first things that I did
was my first version of it.
And that's why I was saying that that house that you,
that you need to do it.
You need to get it and have that
and kind of be over what it feels like to have it.
And then know you don't require it.
Like, you can function and still do
what you wanna do next under less.
- Did you have to go through all that to then realize
with Sire Spirits, like you were saying,
if we were Larry Page, Sergey Bren, Google,
that's why the philanthropy component was just built in
from the start because of all the experiences you had prior.
You realize like, "Okay, I have all this.
"Now I get what really is gonna matter
"and what this is all really for."
- It takes time for you to sort yourself out,
to figure yourself out.
Like, you know, nobody comes ready.
We can anticipate it, we can want it to happen.
And then when it takes place we go, "Oh, shit."
When you're praying for success,
we're not praying for jealousy or envy.
And you can't have it without those things
coming into your life.
Or entitlement, from people close to you looking
at you with new expectations
because of what you've done.
And then there's, I just think overall,
like, you look at things and you say
everyone responds differently to the experience.
Like, even your facelift, like when you tack it off,
so now everybody looks at you differently
because financially, you're this person
that they know could secure
what they would like for their life and stuff.
So now the women all of a sudden it's whoosh.
It's from this onslaught of shit.
You feel like you like Brad Pitt or some shit.
Like you got a whole new energy
like, that to you that would make them just come to you.
And men are conditioned to have what we can,
not exactly what we want.
So when you in circumstances where you see things
that you want and it just goes the way
you want it to, it's awkward.
It gets weird because you don't...
I think when you still a whore
and you still a ho,
because you operating in that single male phase.
What I mean by that, for the single males
just watching this, when you feel like you need
the physical experience and you are almost sending
out a mass text, you texting three people at once
to see who's going to respond back
and then to see who you would actually like
to hang out with at that point,
that would be some ho shit if it was coming from a woman.
So I said when you still in your whore phase
going through that type of thing.
But until you find things to separate
or you adjust to having the ability
to do those things 'cause when you're not
in a committed relationship, that's normal behavior.
It is.
When you talk about the relationships
and how it pushes you forward in philanthropy
that, you know, determined obviously is a big, it's cool.
That was a big part of it.
Like when we are able to make those relationships.
And then it is a domino effect.
So you'll see when they see one organization
in the NBA, when you do it there and then they go,
"Oh," then the other organizations, they come
to me instead of me coming to them
because they look and they go, "That's a smart move,"
'cause it adds even to the event
At points when you're in the building stages,
you don't have your superstar players
that are drawing everyone out to come see 'em every time
because they're making those moments now.
And it's cool that everyone's still coming to watch them
'cause they know how to turn itself around in that time.
Like, but this is every team.
Like, you know, when they start trading players
and you go, "Wait, oh, he not playing over there no more."
You see the new jersey, same player.
You know you're a star, but he got
a new jersey on, you know.
But there's a, it's exciting to partner
with the people that are like-minded in some ways
because they've already kind of sought out the right way
to give back and do the right thing.
So even with me starting with the conscious capitalism piece
and doing that, it's easier to commit to it early.
You see what I'm saying?
And if you looked at, you look and go,
"I've done this much over all of this time."
Because it's like me saying when I say
$25 million in legal fees,
it's really a million dollars a year.
You see what I'm saying?
So if a million dollars a year, it's not that big
of a deal like, for those expenses.
'Cause if you're notably successful,
like I said, if you tripped and you fell right now
in front of the camera and you was on your way out
and the lawyer be like, "Here take my card,"
because we could figure out how
to try to make that 50's fault.
You see what I'm saying?
Like, you were doing the interview of 50
and you tripped and you fell.
Did he move to cord before?
(Brian chuckling)
Was there a possible way that he could have moved
to cord before that happened that it was there?
Just willing to see if you are willing
to be paid for your injuries.
- The same way the legal fees can compound.
If you start giving early, then the goodness will compound.
- No, no, look there, it will.
I mean, and the more successful the companies are,
the more effective you are able to be over time.
You know, like, I think whenever you're able
to develop, when you have the ability to do it,
finance it on your own.
So like, I own these companies, like they're outright.
It's not like other artists are connected to brands
that have already established themselves
and made it to a point where they could financially commit
to them being ambassador or a marketing face of the company.
You know, so when you end up that at that point,
you can make the decision to be effective
in other areas at the same time.
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