Book Review: Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter — Curtis ”50 Cent” Jackson
Permit me to rant a little before getting into the nitty-gritty of this piece. Reading is hard. As much as I am an advocate for reading, it is a very hard thing to do. It gets harder when you want to digest the whole book to be able to capture and relay the thoughts to an audience in a clear, concise manner. While I like to take responsibility for my successes (and failures), I recently figured that my struggles with reading non-fiction may not be completely my fault.
If you’re like me, many times, you have made a strong-willed decision to read more. You’ve probably tried building systems around yourself to help you read better. You’ve also failed yourself at every turn and constantly feel like you’re underperforming.
I’ve recently found some interesting tips on how to read more, and better and they’ve helped to a great extent. However, one of the things I’ve also had to come to terms with is that some of the blame goes to the writers.
Many non-fiction books are just not engaging enough to keep you glued till the end. You can be discussing important life or business principles, but if they’re not engaging enough, people will find them difficult to relate to.
If there’s one thing I love about “Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter”, it is how it was written. Fifty mentions in the book that one of his aims for writing it is to help regular people who typically find books boring access crucial information for business and career success. From the looks of things, I have to say he was successful.
He narrates the book with the flair of a seasoned hollywood movie producer and the confidence of a Fortune 500 exec.
He “keeps it real” by writing in a tone that is familiar for African-Americans and people who grew up influenced by the New York hip-hop culture. By adopting that casual, relatable tone, he is able to capture a large audience ranging from C-suite executives on Wall Street to upcoming rappers in Queens, New York, to fans of his music and career in Africa. He narrates the book with the flair of a seasoned Hollywood movie producer and the confidence of a Fortune 500 exec.
The book takes the shape of a biography-cum-self-help publication; written not only to help pass actionable instructions on business but also to give a peek into what happens behind the scenes in the superstar life of 50 Cent. It chronicles the evolution of Booboo, a young boy who lost his single mother at a tender eight years, into 50 Cent the Rapper who was shot nine times and left to die, and in his latest form — award-winning movie producer. It stops just shy of being a tell-all book.
He addresses the trauma he faced when he lost his mom and how it molded the independent, somewhat paranoid, person he is today. While he acknowledges the role his grandparents played in his upbringing, he also gives credit to the “streets” for helping him shape his personality. Selling crack on the streets is not a task for the weak-minded; it taught him some crucial lessons on team building and facing fears.
Many of the tips he shares would not be out of place in a senior management training seminar. Years of experience in corporate circles have shown him that there are many similarities between running an investment fund on Wall Street and running a corner in Brooklyn. He expounds on these similarities by using anecdotes from his personal life.
One of the core messages Fifty tries to pass across is the importance of fearlessness. If you’re familiar with his debut book — The 50th law — you will already be accustomed to the message. In this book, he advances the message; however, with a dose of healthy skepticism. Fifty continually encourages his readers to take the initiative in their careers or businesses while holding off on deals and offerings that don’t feel right.
The height of the book, for me, was his quoting Marcus Aurelius — Roman emperor and renowned philosopher. It signaled to me just how far he had come; from a teenage boy selling crack in the projects to a middle-aged man who can now freely discuss complex philosophical concepts like stoicism.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a 50 Cent book if there weren’t subtle jabs and shades. He cunningly throws jabs at several people including his former record label, signed artistes, disgruntled family members, old crew members, musical rivals and even competing movie shows. Everyone gets a name drop — Jay Z, Nas, Diddy, Lloyd Banks, Rick Ross, even Game of Thrones.
As Fifty points out, he likes competing. I’m willing to bet that we will see renewed rivalries as a result of the name dropping in the book. But then, he also believes competition spurs publicity and attention — two crucial currencies in his line of work.
Interestingly, he takes time to address his family issues, especially his now public feud with his first son — Marquise. He acknowledges his role, albeit regrettable, in causing the rift between them. He discusses how his insecurities caused by early life experiences may have led to the decision making that drove a wedge between himself and his baby mama. In typical 50 Cent fashion, he also holds, the mom, and now Marquise himself equally accountable for the present situation — as he is an adult now.
He also uses the book to detail his focus for the next few years. After seeing all that superstardom has to offer, he is turning his attention towards the more noble goal of charity.
Overall, I think it’s an excellent book worth reading. It has something for everyone and is bound to keep you engaged. Whether you’re looking for self-help material or celebrity gossip, there’s more than enough to satisfy your curiosity. I’d rate it a solid 8/10.
Have you read the book? Let me know what you think in the comments. Also, feel free to suggest books you want to be reviewed and improvements for the reviews.
PS: I’ve included a couple of affiliate links in this post for people looking to buy the book. After all, what’s the point of reading a book about hustle if you ain’t hustling? And if you’ve enjoyed this review, kindly leave a clap and share with friends.
