Welcome to Hip Hop 101 #4 Double Down on Yourself. In May of 2000, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson was sitting in the backseat of a vehicle in front of his grandmother’s house when another car pulled up. Someone then exited that vehicle and began shooting 50 at point blank range. Things happened so fast Mr. Jackson could not get out of harm’s way or return fire. After the smoke cleared, 50 Cent was rushed to the hospital after being shot nine times.
As 50 Cent began his recovery, he was dropped from his label and silently blackballed from the music industry which was primarily operated out of 50’s hometown of New York City. At his darkest moment, 50 closed ranks within his camp and left the city for a more serene location. While there, 50 began to double down on himself. He could’ve easily folded or broke, but instead he lifted himself up and stood tall.
As he rehabbed himself to peak physical condition 50 would forge a plan that would make him the hottest artist on the planet. Because no known producers on the east coast would work with him, 50 pulled a page from Ice Cube’s book and started jacking for beats. He would take the hottest instrumentals and drop better hooks and catchier punchlines than the original artists. This formula would get the attention of the top mixtape DJs around the country. 50 Cent was now reborn and ready to take the mainstream industry by storm.
At some point one of 50’s mixtapes would get into the hands of someone in Eminem’s camp. At that time Em was one of the top artists in the world and had the backing of west coast power label Interscope Records via Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment. With 50 and Eminem both having a strong love for free speech, the pairing was a no brainer. 50 eventually signed with Shady Records and the rest is history.
Now, if 50 would’ve given up and died or if he would’ve sat in that hospital and felt sorry for himself or if he didn’t work hard to get himself into supreme physical condition or if he didn’t use the resources he had, for example, other people’s instrumentals when producers were not available to him, 50 Cent wouldn’t be where he is today. Only special thing 50 Cent did, when at his lowest point, he doubled down on himself. He took what he had and went all in.
When times are looking thinnest for you and you feel like it’s time to quit or do something else with other people in your ear telling you what you’re working on is not going to work and it’s not going to amount to anything, double down on yourself. Start listening to yourself and build your confidence up. Utilize the resources given to you, the things around you that can take you to the next level.
The formula that other artists, producers or influencers are using may not work for you. Find what makes you special. What is it that you know how to do better than other people? Through analysis, what can you immediately identify that you do better than the person you’re up against. And once you find that, use that to your advantage, exploit that. And then sometimes, you just have to outwork people.
When you begin to double down on yourself you’ll see that you can turn liabilities into assets, old foes will turn to allies and poverty will turn to wealth. Look within and find those inner qualities that have always been there but yet to be dusted off, cleaned up, polished and refined. Sometimes it may take moving to a new destination, re-enrolling in school or removing yourself from your current circle of associates. But what it’s not going to take is you giving up on yourself.
Here’s some things you can do when it’s time to double down on yourself:
- Be thankful for your existence
- Learn how to take constructive criticism
- Get a self help book and read it at least 10 times
- Utilize the mirror technique to encourage yourself
- Set small achievable goals
- Pinpoint your strengths and talents
- Exercise regularly
- Plan self care days
- Be kind to others
- Immediately correct negative thinking
- Surround yourself with successful people
- Celebrate your achievements
- Reinvest resources into yourself
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