THE 50TH LAW

Rapper 50 Cent is known as a volatile artist, so it's no surprise he takes some risks with this book, which isn't the straight bio one would expect from a star of his magnitude. It’s more like a manifesto in the style of THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOLM X—which 50 (né Curtis Jackson) quotes in the beginning. But if that reeks of megalomania, that's just the start: 50 has enlisted author Robert Green to draw parallels between his own life and those of famous historical figures like Malcolm X and even Napoleon. Green also narrates this work, and his elasticized voice is a surprise—cool and relaxed but with impeccable diction. One can’t imagine Green mumbling—or even changing pitch. Not that his voice is monotonous—quite the contrary, it's actually dulcet and soothing. J.S.H. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2010]