The FT’s Lucy Kellaway, known for her witty take-downs of management guff, set her sights on rapper-turned-management guru 50 Cent in her column on Monday:
At the age of 12, he was a drug dealer; at 22, he had nine bullets shot into him at close range; at 23, he had a career change and became a rapper; by 30, he had diversified into clothes, vitamin mineral water and condoms and now, at 32, has pulled off something that Jack Welch didn’t manage until he was 30 years older: 50 Cent is now a management guru.
50 Cent has been doing the rounds of the business and financial media, even appearing on CNBC to hype his book, “The 50th Law”; he was also the subject of a feature in the FT in 2008. Attracting the attention of Lucy Kellaway — who even quoted one of 50′s lyrics — is just the latest demonstration of his business acumen.
Besides, as Ms Kellaway pointed out:
For the rapper, this latest career move has come early. But for the management guru industry, it is long overdue. Mountaineers, conductors and army generals have all stepped forward to offer their tips for success to managers. But as far as I know, 50, as his fans know him, is the first hustler to give a helping hand to executives on their way to the corner office.
Drug dealing has considerably more overlap with business than playing the violin or climbing a mountain. It’s a competitive, fast growing industry in which the successful have to be even sharper and more flexible than the most driven businessman.
Naturally.
Related links:
‘Well yeah, I lost a couple million dollars already‘ – The Daily Swarm
Jay-Z, From Superstar to Suit – NY Times (2005)
Snoop Dogg named creative director of Priority Records – Beat Crave