:: 50 Cent live at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne - December 2003

By: Alison Griffiths

His debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin,’ has sold 9 million copies worldwide and he has just been nominated for 5 Grammy awards including Best New Artist. Having survived 9 gunshots and a life of crime, 50 Cent is an authentic gangsta but didn’t prove to be much of a rapper at Rod Laver Arena in front of a sold out crowd on Friday night.

After several impressive Mexican waves around the arena, the black curtain lifted to reveal a New York city skyline. Frank Sinatra’s New York, New York opened the show with cliched footage of the city playing on two screens above the city set. Predictably the Frank Sinatra impersonator was shot down and 50 Cent music pursued to images of a darker America, including September 11 footage.

The 50 Cent bandwagon lost its wheels early on. Soon after the first song ‘What’s Up Gangsta,’ 50 Cent appeared to be having trouble with his voice and called a timeout. The stage was left empty for well over 10 minutes, while the 50 Cent crew were no doubt debating what to do. A gangsta rapper without his most powerful weapon (his voice) and a restless audience of 12,000 adoring fans is a conundrum that artist and promoter have nightmares about. In the true spirit of show business, 50 Cent took the stage once again- the show must go on. The backing tracks were pumped up a little louder and his sidekicks, G-unit, rapped over all 50 Cents’ solos. 50 Cent continued to bounce and mime his way through the entire show. Needless to say that the crowds’ enthusiasm subdued somewhat as this seemingly indomitable gangsta was shot down by a mere vocal problem.

The flashy pyrotechnics display and borrowed music from Missy Elliot and Dr Dre had a minor effect on reinvigorating the crowds’ excitement. The associations of 50 to other hip hop artists continued. The irony and dubious nature of a montage comparing 50 Cent to cultural icon and social activist Tupac was not lost on some audience members.

50 Cent is part of a new breed of entertainer that has emerged from the rap/hip hop stable and risen to great heights in the last few years. The entrepreneurial entertainer is a skilful businessperson, where music is used as a tool to gain cultural credibility and is a selling platform for a prolific number of products. 50 Cent’s entrepreneurship had no boundaries with advertisements for the G-unit clothing company periodically displayed on the big screens during one song. As a parting gift, 50 threw his t-shirt and shoes into the crowd (one of the G-unit proclaiming they were G-unit brand of shoes and were now available for purchase).

The Rod Laver Area emptied in an unusual silence. Disheartened fans sombrely dispersed into the mild Melbourne night shaking their heads at an artist that promised so much yet failed to deliver.