50 Cent wants to make an urban Mac
According to Forbes Magazine, 50 Cent, the rapper and hip-hop impresario, has been in talks with Apple's Steve Jobs about launching "an affordable line of personal computers for the inner city." It doesn't sound like such a bad idea.
Why shouldn't the inner city have easy-to-use, affordable computers, and why shouldn't 50 Cent, the hardcore gangsta rapper who last year brought us the autobiographical movie "Get Rich or Die Tryin," be the person to help make it happen? As he said to Forbes about his rap career, "I never got into it for the music. I got into it for the business." Apple's personal computer business has more momentum now than it has in years, but it still remains tiny relative to the WinTel monopoly. And while it isn't clear just how much a partnership with 50 Cent would actually boost Apple's market share, courting a new audience by going "old school" couldn't hurt. But this will require lower-cost machines which may put pressure on Apple's margins. Steve Jobs, known for his exacting design standards, may balk at the inevitable design compromises, which could also alienate the vocal Mac faithful. Moreover, "Fitty," with his history of gunplay and explicit lyrics, might prove a problematic partner for the progressive, family-friendly computer company. Still, the man born as Curtis Jackson earned $41 million last year from a panoply of product lines -- including his G-Unit clothing, sneakers, videos and even mineral water -- has proven to be a shrewd businessman. And Steve Jobs has always been the Mac Daddy when it comes to marketing. If nothing else, we'd love to see Jobs and 50 Cent on stage at the next Macworld Expo talking trash about Windows machines. 50 cent and his twisted sense of values do not represent urban america, and he's not respected in true hip hop circles. He would sell his soul for a buck; that's not a businessman, that's a sellout. For Steve Jobs to even consider partnering with him says a lot about how far Mr Jobs is willing to compromise his personal integrity and the reputation of Apple for a slight increase in market share. Many (myself included) would be offended at some stripped down version of a Mac. If it doesn't do what I need it to do, if it doesn't have enough RAM or a fast enough processor for what I need to use it for, who cares if it's affordable? I love my 17 inch Powerbook and I love Apple, but 50 cent is not welcome as part of the Apple marketing family, and I don't think I'm alone in this. He's a sexist, a mysoginist, a criminal and a pathetic and inferior excuse for a rapper. Is this what we've come to Steve? Have we sunk this low Steve? What's next Steve? How low will you go? Mr Jobs, please reconsider before you make a mistake you will forever regret. We didn't need someone like 50 cent before, and we don't need him now. Just keep doing what you do, Apple will be fine without 50 cent. Don't sacrafice market share for integrity, it's not worth it man.
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