On top of being one of the most notable rappers of the 21st century and a polished actor in many significant motion pictures and television series, 50 Cent is also a man prone to sage advice from time to time. Whether it be in interviews or in some of the books he’s written, such as From Pieces to Weight: Once Upon a Time in Southside Queens (2005), The 50th Law (2009), and Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter (2020), 50 has been able to share some of the valuable wisdom he’s earned over the years as an entertainer.
Below, we’ve listed 20 of the best quotes from 50, which include nuggets of advice, witty slogans, and even lessons he’s learned about the entertainment industry. Check them out below.
Videos by American Songwriter
1. “The only thing that I’m scared of is not livin’ up to the expectations of Dr. Dre and Eminem.”
2. “If they keep comin’ at me, I’ll just keep responding back until they don’t exist anymore. I got the time and energy to ruin what is left of their careers, if they want to do that.”
3. “Every negative is a positive. The bad things that happen to me, I somehow make them good. That means you can’t do anything to hurt me.”
4. “Wise men listen and laugh, while fools talk.”
5. “I don’t think it makes me a role model. I think it makes me inspiring. Cause I’m from the bottom I think they look at me and go, well, if he made it, I can make it.”
6. “I can’t be more than me, but you can make me out to be what you want me to be.”
7. “If it ain’t making me money, making me better or making me happy… ain’t making time for it.”
8. “You learn a lot about yourself when you have success for a while. Like, a lot of things that you think are really important aren’t. But you need that process.”
[RELATED: 50 Cent Reveals His Initial Dislike for a Beloved Hit on ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’]
9. “Some people are born with very little; some are fortunate enough to have it all. When I grew up, we didn’t have much. I had to hustle to get what I wanted… but I had that hunger for more. I didn’t always make the right choices, but I learned from my mistakes.”
10. “You shouldn’t throw stones if you live in a glass house, and if you have a glass jaw, you should watch yo mouth.”
11. “I’m the type to swallow my blood before I swallow my pride.”
12. “Reality has its own power – you can turn your back on it, but it will find you in the end, and your inability to cope with it will be your ruin.”
13. “Don’t wait for them to tell you. Tell them.”
14. “Hustling was my internship.”
15. “Sometimes you do need to convince yourself through convincing others.”
16. “My son is more important to me than I am to him.”
17. “When you’re safe, people start walking on the stage because they feel safe with you. People don’t walk on the stage at my shows.”
18. “Hip-hop is arrogant because people are arrogant.”
19. “Rap artists are like fighters. They don’t need a coach to call them champ for them to believe it.”
20. “What separates those who go under and those who rise above adversity is the strength of their will and their hunger for power.”
Photo by Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic