By Mitch Abramson - Midway through a phone interview with 50 Cent, the rapper-turned-businessman-turned boxing promoter started to rap- literally.
He was discussing the alleged ties between Yuriorkis Gamboa, a boxer he now promotes, and an anti-aging clinic in Miami where Gamboa’s name recently appeared on a list of presumed clients. The rapper, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, was trying to make the point that since Gamboa is working with him- the boxer would suddenly be subject to the same type of gossip and rumors that routinely follow him around, at least that was his explanation for why Gamboa appeared on the list. And that’s when 50 Cent started to rap.
“[Gamboa] was like ‘Why do you do this to me 50?’” Jackson said as if he was laying down vocal tracks for a new hit single in the same sing-song rapping style that made him a platinum-selling artist. “He’s so much of the 50 fighter, so that when he’s out and about it makes him feel like that additional [negative] energy is coming from [my] end.”
No stranger to controversy, 50 Cent has handled the negative publicity surrounding Gamboa about as easily as he handles feuds with fellow rappers. Judging from his relaxed response, it's obvious he has the temperament to handle bad press- now let’s see if he has the business savvy and stomach to actually survive in the boxing business.
After gaining entrée into the sport by befriending Floyd Mayweather, 50 Cent has now set out on his own as a promoter, signing a number of big names with an eye toward expanding his stable, even telling BoxingScene he’d like to one day lend his marketing savvy to the careers of Chad Dawson and Austin Trout and that he’d also like to be in business with Adrien Broner because he likes the youngster’s colorful, glitzy style. He also maintained that he and Mayweather are still friends and that he could see himself working with “Money,” along with Mayweather adviser Al Haymon in the future, despite an apparent rift. What's clear is that 50 Cent wants to infuse a little pizzazz into a sport in need of it, and he will get another chance on Friday when he co-promotes with Lou DiBella a card starring IBF featherweight champ Billy Dib on ESPN's Friday Night Fights. [Click Here To Read More]
He was discussing the alleged ties between Yuriorkis Gamboa, a boxer he now promotes, and an anti-aging clinic in Miami where Gamboa’s name recently appeared on a list of presumed clients. The rapper, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, was trying to make the point that since Gamboa is working with him- the boxer would suddenly be subject to the same type of gossip and rumors that routinely follow him around, at least that was his explanation for why Gamboa appeared on the list. And that’s when 50 Cent started to rap.
“[Gamboa] was like ‘Why do you do this to me 50?’” Jackson said as if he was laying down vocal tracks for a new hit single in the same sing-song rapping style that made him a platinum-selling artist. “He’s so much of the 50 fighter, so that when he’s out and about it makes him feel like that additional [negative] energy is coming from [my] end.”
No stranger to controversy, 50 Cent has handled the negative publicity surrounding Gamboa about as easily as he handles feuds with fellow rappers. Judging from his relaxed response, it's obvious he has the temperament to handle bad press- now let’s see if he has the business savvy and stomach to actually survive in the boxing business.
After gaining entrée into the sport by befriending Floyd Mayweather, 50 Cent has now set out on his own as a promoter, signing a number of big names with an eye toward expanding his stable, even telling BoxingScene he’d like to one day lend his marketing savvy to the careers of Chad Dawson and Austin Trout and that he’d also like to be in business with Adrien Broner because he likes the youngster’s colorful, glitzy style. He also maintained that he and Mayweather are still friends and that he could see himself working with “Money,” along with Mayweather adviser Al Haymon in the future, despite an apparent rift. What's clear is that 50 Cent wants to infuse a little pizzazz into a sport in need of it, and he will get another chance on Friday when he co-promotes with Lou DiBella a card starring IBF featherweight champ Billy Dib on ESPN's Friday Night Fights. [Click Here To Read More]
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