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A songTALK by psychologist Dr. Bruce L. Thiessen, aka Dr. B.L.T., The Rock Doc & Lyrical Watch Dawg 

THE SONG: 
A Day Late & A Dollar Short: 
Dr. B.L.T.'s 50 Cent Piece 
http://www.drblt.com/freesong.htm 

THE TALK: 
It's hard for a teen to find a lyrical meal these days that won't cost him/her an arm and a leg, or, worse, a soul. Today I'm here to warn teens and parents of teens about 50 Cent's lyrical loot and the rotten food it buys. 

Chchching 
Yo, I'm the lyrical watch dawg 
And I'm watchin' 50 Cent 
Keepin' a close eye on 
How his lyrical loot is spent 
I'm not here to condemn the man 
And no, I ain't no prude 
But I'm here to warn our youth 
Don't spend a dime on rotten food 

50 Cent's lyrical loot buys a teen a meal laced with lyrical poison. If ingested on a regular basis, it could render an adolescent morally bankrupt and spiritually starved. 

I'm not here to diss or to judge 50 Cent's soul or to condemn him.  The Bible reminds us that all of our righteousness amounts to a pile of filthy rags.  Basically, this means that we all live in glass houses.  None of us have pure minds or pure motives.  None of us have minds that are invulnerable to attacks of the enemy, and completely free of lust, greed, self-centeredness, and utter deprivation.  

No, my goal is simply to protect teen minds from adult minds. In 50 Cent's case, I would have to infer from his lyrics, that he is an adult child.  If Freud were alive today, he may be able to relate to 50 Cent's frequent reference to drugs, especially as such references pertained to cocaine.  Yes, Freud's fascination with cocaine was not something that makes us psychologists proud of the founding father of our field.  But Freud did have some brilliant insights concerning human development, and, the mind, in particular.  If he were to psychoanalyze 50 Cent's lyrics, he would probably say that 50 Cent was fixated at the oral stage of development. The orally fixated character is generally prone to engage in activities aimed at instant gratification of impulses.  Again, none of us above developmental fixation and regression.  But do we want to encourage such behavior in our youth?  

If you'd like to study more of 50 Cent's lyrics, go ahead and google to your hearts content.  I'm merely providing a small sample as an innoculation.  Let's start with an old favorite of mine (not!):   

50 Cent: F*^%# You! From the album: Guess Who's Back 

Lesson to Youth:  Don't try to engage in rational dialogue, just cuss folks out if you don't like them or if you happen to disagree with them.  This song was apparently directed at fellow rapper, Big Pun.  So, here is the "moral" of the story: Let jealousy simmer until it turns to rage.  Hate those whom you consider competition.  

He calls women by the "b" word, men by the "mf" word, and African Americans by the "n" word.  So what does that mean?  

Perhaps he's an equal opportunity destroyer.  Perhaps he hates everybody equally except for "pimps," those who espouse his values and fall within his inner circle or "posse,"--folks like Eminem or Dr. Dre. 

Now I realize, I've taken 50 Cent's lyrics of out context, but that's what teens do when they hear these songs.  Perhaps when you put all the pieces together, there is some sort of message that goes deeper that the sum of these lyrical parts.  Certainly I could have been more sensitive to cultural factors associated with ghetto life. After all, don't many of these rap artists come from poverty?  Don't they come from blended families?  Aren't many of them lachkey children? Don't most rap artists come from the ghetto, where drugs and violence surround them from the day one?  Haven't most of them experienced physical, emotional, psychological, and, often, sexual abuse? These are all factors that put them in ineffably high-risk categories. Sure, many of are lucky to still be alive.  Shouldn't we be applauding them for cashing in on their dire straits and creatively channelling all of their misfortunes? Are they supposed to sing about sugar and spice and everything nice? What about keeping it real? As a psychologist, it is incumbent on me to acknowledge contributing factors associated with any phenomenon I attempt to address.  But the scope of my mission is limited.  I am not trying to understand 50 Cent.  I'm sure he has reasons for using the minds of our teens as garbage dumps. I am trying to warn parents and protect teens from his deleterious lyrics.  I am trying to prevent them from listening to his lyrics and then doing what he seems to be saying is the "cool" thing to do: Obey your every impulse. Put down women and don't allow yourself to fall in love, only in lust. Be very suspicious of people in general, and hate them so you won't have to get close to them. Live for material wealth and for the opportunity to flash it. Cuss, don't communicate. Escalate, don't mediate.  

50 Cent: In Da Club: From the album: Get Rich or Die Tryin' 

I got what ya need if ya into feelin' buzzed 
I'm into havin' sex but I ain't in ta makin' love 
So come give me a hug 
If ya into getting' rubbed 

50 Cent: Gotta Make It To Heaven, from the CD Get Rich or Die Tryin' 
I gotta make it to heaven, f*^% going through hell
Gotta make it to heaven, gotta make it to heaven
I gotta make it to heaven, f*^% going through hell
Gotta make it to heaven I hope I make it to heaven