October has been hard on rappers. With Lil Wayne getting arrested, Prodigy getting sentenced, the already incarcerated Foxy Brown refusing to go to court, and TI getting busted by the ATF all within the span of NINE DAYS, it’s safe to say we’ve reached a new low in hip hop’s public relations.

This is, of course, great news for the factions in the American media that feed on the troubles of misbehaving celebrities, and even better for the subset dedicated to denouncing black athletes and entertainers. That group, having already gorged themselves on the reputations of Barry Bonds, Michael Vick, and the leftovers of OJ, will now set about tearing into this new feast. O’Reilly, party of 400….

So I can’t do a thing against this well connected, highly motivated machine and, to be honest, when I read about a rapper getting arrested for skipping court or illegally purchasing machine guns, even a fan like myself has to shake his head and say, “Fuck it, these idiots get what they deserve.”

But what I don’t accept is the one-sidedness of the coverage. So in my own small way I want to shine light on a much less reported story that took place during the same nine-day period that Weezy, Bandana P, Fox Boogie, and TIP were having all their troubles.

According to the local news

Bridgeport Mayor John Fabrizi has declared Friday “50 Cent Day” and will honor the rapper with a key to the city and an official proclamation.

The rapper, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, will also present a check to Hall Neighborhood House, an inner-city nonprofit group, and speak to about 30 students from city high schools as part of his charity work to improve young people’s lives.

He also happens to be filming a new movie in Bridgeport with Robert De Niro and Al Pacino.

Fabrizi says he met 50 Cent on the set of “Righteous Kill” and asked him if he would be willing to talk with some local students. He says the rapper agreed without hesitation.

Here’s a clip of the event:

I don’t know, maybe it’s the mood I’m in, but there’s something about this clip that I find really touching. So anyway, enough of that other shit, happy 50 Cent Day everybody…

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