About a week ago, 50 Cent -- aka Curtis James Jackson -- got irritated with an overeager fan, and took to his Twitter account to dish out an insult. A very, very public insult, considering he sent it to nearly seven million followers.
Here's what he wrote: "yeah just saw your picture fool you look autistic." Of course, being the eloquent, sophisticated debate-team champion that he is, 50 didn't stop there. He added, "I don't want no special ed kids on my time line follow some body else."
Perhaps unsurprisingly, 50 Cent's comments have generated a massive backlash online, even earning an open letter from actress Holly Robinson Peete, whose son Rodney is autistic. And, of course, he's since apologized.
Or should I say, "someone took over his Twitter account and wrote a bullshit apology FOR him," because I'm pretty sure that's exactly what happened.
After 50 Cent's insensitive comments started circling around the Twittersphere, Holly Robinson Peete, whose oldest son RJ was diagnosed with autism at age 3, posted an open letter to the rapper. She included a photo of her son, who's now 13, and wrote,
... this is my son Rodney Peete. He has autism. So I guess this is what autistic looks like? He is in special ed. He loves rap music and is a HUGE fan of yours. He’s a tremendous kid. He has to deal with so much trying to fit in. This isn’t helping.
I feel for Peete, but I'm not sure anyone should be surprised that 50 Cent posted something offensive. I mean, this is the same guy who wrote of the devastating Japan earthquake and tsunami,
Look this is very serious people I had to evacuate all my hoess from LA, Hawaii and Japan. I had to do it. Lol
Wave will hit 8am them crazy white boys gonna try to go surfing.
Its all good Till b**ches see there christian louboutins floating down da street shit gone get crazy.
He certainly didn't care about THAT backlash. As he explained afterwards, "Some of my tweets are ignorant I do it for shock value. Hate it or love it. I'm cool either way."
Someone on 50 Cent's team is obviously hoping to duck some of that "shock value" this time around, though, because here's what was posted to his Twitter account yesterday:
Okay, two reasons why this apology sucks:
1) He SO did not write that. Unless he's had a sobering visit from the Grammar Police and suddenly decided to stop writing like an illiterate teenager.
2) It's a weasel apology. He's sorry that anyone took it upon themselves to be offended, but he's not sorry for being offensive, because it wasn't his intention to offend anyone. See how that works?
At any rate, he'll surely lose a few fans because of his comments, but the majority won't care. And maybe even the people who have every right to be offended because of their families' situations won't bat an eye at yet another dumb statement from Mr. Cent, because as my friend Rob Rummel-Hudson wrote,
I love a good outrage as much as anyone, but honestly? If I were required by law to give two shits about what 50 Cent thinks, I'd have to borrow them both.
What do you think about 50 Cent's apology? Do you think it was heartfelt?
Image via 50 Cent
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Comments 43
he makes money from rapping about ghetto street life, b*tches and h*es and all that, drugs, gangs, fighting - why do you suddenly expect him to say "excuse me, rabid fan, i would appreciate it if you were not on my timeline any longer"? i'm not condoning what he said, but really - people have far more important things to worry about than the ridiculously insensitive comments of one bone-headed rapper.
this is exactly why we need to let entertainers just be that, and not role models. you want a role model for your kids? be one.
I think people are being a little sensitive. It's his personal Facebook account. He can say what he wants.
Not at all. The "however...." really annoyed me. It's like saying I'm sorry, but this is why its ok that I did what I did. I used to be a fan but haven't for quite some time now and this is just one more reason to keep it that way. Rob Rummel-Hudson has the right idea. I don't give two shits what this idiot thinks or says . I do care about the kids he may have hurt by making that comment. What an ignorant s.o.b.
What the hell is wrong with parents getting so outraged by celebs that might offend/teach bad things to children??
He is not a musician for children. And really? You're going to let a special needs kid *who are much more easilly influenced, from my experience* be a "huge fan of" 50 friggin cent??
Brain cells. People need some.
Stop being offended by words said by someone that you don't know, that you don't give a shit about, and who gives less of a shit about you.
I am so sick and tired of people demanding apologies for every little thing. Apologies have stopped carrying any meaning at all. We let people off the hook WAY too easily nowadays - "oh, he said sorry", so everything should be just super-peachy-keen-fine.
No. This guy is a jerk. He's said nasty things in the past, and obviously doesn't mean a single apology he ever issues (or his people issue for him). Let it go. He's a jackass, and until HE decides not to be one anymore, he's always going to be a jackass.
Until an apology comes from the offender, without being demanded, and is accompanied by obvious behavior change, it's not an apology.
It's time we get off the PC Wagon, and expect that everything we say must be happy and rosy. Some people don't like others, some people are going to offend. Accept it and move on.
I have an idea when these "celebrities" open mouth and insert foot: Consider the source and forget it. The rapper 50 Cent reveals his ignorance every time he opens his mouth.
This guy is an idiot, but I'm soooo sick of the PC bs in this country.
I think what he said was highly offensive, however I never expected more from him. I really don't care what he has to say and thus don't care if it is offensive or not. Whether or not he IS an educated, intelligent person, he doesn't portray himself as such, so I really don't put too much stock in his opinion.