50 Cent to release young adult book about bullying
Rapper 50 Cent says he sometimes bullied others while growing up and now wants to use his influence on teenagers to get them thinking about the issue.
50 Cent says the issue of bullying is one he feels strongly about because of his fifteen-year-old son.
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Rapper Curtis Jackson, better known as 50 Cent, is adding author to his long list of job titles with a new book about bullying.
The book, titled “Playground,” is a young adult novel published by Razorbill that will be released on Nov. 1. The novel, illustrated by Lizzie Akana, tells the story of Butterball, a 13-year-old living on Long Island who bullies a fellow student named Maurice. In an interview on “The Today Show” on NBC, the rapper said he drew inspiration from his own school days because he sometimes took the role of bully in the hallways.
“I had more experiences where I was a part of the problem, where I was actually bullying,” Jackson said on the show. "To know now from an adult's perspective and be able to write things, I can look back on those actual situations and say, 'That was completely wrong.' ”
Jackson said the issue is close to him personally because of his son, who is 15 years old. Jackson said he is in a better position than most to speak to young adults and hopes that his influence will help the message get across.
“A lot of the times the kids that would actually be a part of the problem are listening [to my music],” he said. “When I offer it, they'll take the time to stop and read it.”
Molly Driscoll is a Monitor contributor.