If your an avid social media participant on twitter and instagram than you may have caught wind of the growing feud between former friends turned rivals rapper, 50 Cent and heavy weight boxing champ, Floyd Mayweather. It’s still unknown as to what caused the friendship break-up but it’s clear that there was much damage done.
According to 50 Cent, Floyd cross boundaries when he ‘allegedly’ stated that T.I, Nelly, & 50 Cent careers are long gone and thus they have no RELEVANCY in the game. Floyd reportedly never issued this statement but it didn’t matter because 50 cent was already fired up and ready to respond with a few insults of his own.
In celebration of the popular #ALSchallenge, 50 cent proposed an ESL challenge to Floyd asking him to read and entire Harry Potter book out loud on camera. If agreed, 50 cent says he would folk over $750,000 to Floyd’s favorite charity. Well, that prompted may comments across the social media globe many of whom criticized Floyd for his inability to read including radio host Charlamagne of Power 105.1 The Breakfast Club show with a recap audio of Floyd’s struggly in reading a drop announcement. 50 cent instigated the beef further by uploading a pic of Floyd struggling to read a ‘Cat In The Hat‘ book to instigate the beef even further.
Well, in true ignorant fashion, Floyd responded with a photo of two checks totaling $70 million dollars that he received for his boxing performance along with the caption “READ THIS”, and here’s where the problem arises. So Floyd admits to the world that its better to know how to count MONEY rather than reading. WOW!
Sidebar: An just for the record, one who can count his/her own money is not the equivalency of one who is proficient in the Math subject.
As a people, nation and culture, we need to really examine ourselves and our behaviors. These two men were once friends; often inseparable when out in public but like many failed relationships the fame, money, and or power struggle intercepted and the two parted friendship ways. In my opinion, even when the bond is broken, it should NEVER grant any parties to share or divulge any shared secrets out of spite, anger, and or fear.
This particular beef is clearly beyond the he said, she said game. However, the constant trade of insults only shows that there is much growth, maturity and education that needs to obtained from 50 and Floyd and the rest of the community at large.
Since both of these men are fan of numbers. here’s some important numbers to look at from the Dropout Nation:
” In 1992, nine percent of black students in grade eight read at the Proficient level and for all practical purposes no black students read at the Advanced level. Twenty-one years later, in 2013, 16% percent of black students read at the Proficient level in grade eight and one percent read at the Advanced level. Although the percentage of black students reading a grade level or above in grade eight has doubled, 83% percent of African American students still read below the level expected at grade eight.
According to U.S. Department of Education data for the 2011-12 school year, the most recent available, there were $586,231 black students and in eighth grade. Therefore, there were nearly half a million black students reading below grade level and almost exactly $100,000 black students reading at or above grade level in grade eight, which is one-third the number that would be expected if Black students had equal educational opportunities to those afforded white students.”
As a people and community, we need to start paying attention to some of the real issues at hand. There are many youths that are deprived from a first class education. It is important that we recognize just how much support our youth needs in academic resources, student advocacy, mentorship, and ensuring that ALL youths including those of impoverished communities gain access to better educational opportunities and resources, because we have a SERIOUS problem on our hands and it won’t be eradicated if we continue to overlook it.
One Love PLUM’S!