50 Cent was born and raised in Queens, New York. It is widely known that he had it pretty rough growing up. His mother, then a cocaine dealer, was murdered when 50 Cent was 12 and he grew up boxing and selling crack. Suffice it to say, religion wasn't a big part of his childhood.
However, 50 Cent is Christian and wears a crucifix around his neck most of the time. The necklace has been the source of some controversy and 50 Cent has been criticized by religious groups who consider him a bad influence and a hypocrite. The religious group, called the Resistance, headed by Mark Dice, has said:
He is defaming the cross and committing blasphemy by wearing it while he raps about killing people for no reason…I think a large diamond studded platinum satanic pentagram would be a little more fitting.[1]
50 Cent has never claimed allegiance to any particular Christian denomination, but has expressed a belief in God, saying:
I believe in a higher power. I believe in right and wrong. I believe in God. I believe everything about the [Christian] church is cool, but everybody's not there in the right spirit.[2]
He has also credited God to the fact that he has survived being shot 9 times.[3]
A political conundrum
50 Cent seems either politically confused or he has the admirable ability to see past political parties and ideologies and come to his own conclusions.
He has been reported to be "fundamentally conservative"[4] and he has expressed, numerous times, a respect for George W. Bush, saying:
[I think he is] incredible … a gangsta. I wanna meet George Bush, just shake his hand and tell him how much of me I see in him.[5]
But, 50 Cent supported Hillary Clinton for president in 2008.[6] He might have been the only black man to do that.
However, and this is interesting, 50 Cent has come out strong in support of the Occupy Movement, saying:
I want to shout out to Occupy Wall Street groups around the world. You are waking up the world, including me. Please keep up the peaceful protest, you are making a difference.[7]
And that's only a small fraction of the rant 50 Cent went on about politicians, big business interests, corruption, self-interest, and a slew of other things. It's quite impressive.
We have to wonder, though. A George W. Bush supporter–who has clear ties to war-profiteering corporations like Haliburton and a large stake in the oil industry–yet a staunch supporter of the anti-corporate Occupy Movement, 50 Cent is somewhat confusing. Or he's just complicated and we don't get it.
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