50 cent in talks with Apple over low-cost computers

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
The hip-hop star who "put Lamborghini doors on that Es-co-lade" is now looking to Apple Computer for help in placing affordable computers in the hands of the less wealthy.



According to Forbes, rapper 50 Cent is currently in negotiations with Apple's chief executive Steve Jobs to produce a line of affordable home computers for inner-city residents.



"I'm creating a foundation that will be around for a long time, because fame can come and go or get lost in the lifestyle and the splurging," 50 Cent told the publication. "I never got into it for the music. I got into it for the business."



The negotiations between the rapper and Apple are for a "branding deal."



50 Cent ranks amongst the world's richest celebrities, raking in over $67 million in 2005 from record sales and branding deals that include a line of sneakers, a video game and his G-Unit clothing line.



"[Jobs] is setting a new standard in the music business," said 50's manager, Chris Lighty. "Let's just say we get each other."



50 Cent's untitled third album is due out by Christmas.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 132
    crees!crees! Posts: 501member
    So Apple's low-budget computers will speak ebonics when you use VoiceOver? Wicked.
  • Reply 2 of 132
    Quote:

    Originally posted by crees!

    So Apple's low-budget computers will speak ebonics when you use VoiceOver? Wicked.



    You ignorant ass! keep this racist shite off the boards.
  • Reply 3 of 132
    crees!crees! Posts: 501member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by deepthunder

    You ignorant ass! keep this racist shite off the boards.



    Go cry me a river.
  • Reply 4 of 132
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    "50 Cent's untitled third album is due out by Christmas."
  • Reply 5 of 132
    nauticalnautical Posts: 109member
    My goodness. Three posts in and you guys are already fishing for the lock.
  • Reply 6 of 132
    bryandbryand Posts: 78member
    Wow, the comments on this story have degenerated to personal insults in record time. I went to look at the comments expecting some views on the philanthropy of 50 cents and the potential good will and marketing opportunities for Apple.
  • Reply 7 of 132
    Quote:

    Originally posted by crees!

    Go cry me a river.



    Excuse me? Want to try that again?
  • Reply 8 of 132
    crees!crees! Posts: 501member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bryand

    Wow, the comments on this story have degenerated to personal insults in record time. I went to look at the comments expecting some views on the philanthropy of 50 cents and the potential good will and marketing opportunities for Apple.



    Personally, I think it's great what 50 Cent is doing.
  • Reply 9 of 132
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    I thought the ebonics line was funny. I also think it's fitting, given the ridiculous stature of pop music icons, rappers especially.



    So, rather than yelling "racist" like a knee-jerk idiot, think about it for a second. If you're too blinded to look at a moronic aspect of any given culture, that's a bad thing (in this case, the way rappers glorify a miserable way of life that they are glad to have escaped).



    Seriously, this whole involvement of Fifty Cent makes me laugh. The fact that he's motivated entirely by the dollar doesn't bother me, but his continual insistence on milking a population that doesn't need to be milked any further is counter-productive to his alleged cause.
  • Reply 10 of 132
    johnnykrzjohnnykrz Posts: 152member
    Quote:

    50 Cent told the publication. "I never got into it for the music. I got into it for the business."



    I think it's a great idea if it were truly affordable, but I can't help but think this would benefit 50 cent and Apple more than inner-city kids. Anyway, it's called eMac and have I not heard several rumors about an intel revision in the works? If they branded it, I think they'd probably go with U2.
  • Reply 11 of 132
    50 cent macbook



    i think this is great. i recall apple was turned down when they offered os x for that 100-dollar computer project.



    a flash-memory based laptop running os x would be sweet. small, light, running some inexpensive intel chip.



    who knows what a computer like that would cost though.
  • Reply 12 of 132
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    Quote:

    I thought the ebonics line was funny. I also think it's fitting, given the ridiculous stature of pop music icons, rappers especially.



    What does speaking ebonics have to do with 50 Cent offering affordable computers for inner city residents?



    I can't see Apple branding a line of computers with 50 Cent, as tacky as that whole culture is.



    As wealthy as he is he should cut a deal with Apple to purchase a batch of Macs at a reduced cost and give them to inner city community centers and schools.
  • Reply 13 of 132
    nofeernofeer Posts: 2,427member
    SJ could if subsidized but the rest of the market would also want access to this, thus putting price pressure on the entire desktop line, why isn't he talking to "dell, HP etc"
  • Reply 14 of 132
    shetlineshetline Posts: 4,695member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Splinemodel

    Seriously, this whole involvement of Fifty Cent makes me laugh. The fact that he's motivated entirely by the dollar doesn't bother me...



    Wouldn't he be motivated by the half dollar?
  • Reply 15 of 132
    Quote:

    Originally posted by TenoBell

    As wealthy as he is he should cut a deal with Apple to purchase a batch of Macs at a reduced cost and give them to inner city community centers and schools.



    DING DING DING There's the key. No where does he say he wants to do this, I mean he surely cannot live off of $67 million a year I mean come on I can't even live that cheap If this article said he was looking into donating computers to the inner city community centers, hell I'd even chip in and give some money. All he is interested in is getting his name out there again before an album and get news time. I have all his CD's & DVD's but come on, this is a bit far fetched. Ask him what's the difference between an Intel Chip & a Motorola Chip and I bet he sttttuuuders....
  • Reply 16 of 132
    cosmonutcosmonut Posts: 4,872member
    I think Kasper got high, went into the ProMac mockups thread and then decided to write an article.



    NO F*&!ING WAY this will happen.
  • Reply 17 of 132
    messiahmessiah Posts: 1,689member
    I bet you it'll be gun metal grey
  • Reply 18 of 132
    Could it be that he wants blinged out Apple Machines affordable to the masses? Costume diamonds, emeralds and rubies studding the cases, and gold electroplate?



    But seriously, in all likelihood he's trying to do something good here, but at the same time pop culture says and does some really stupid shit these days.
  • Reply 19 of 132
    murkmurk Posts: 935member
    Loose lips sinks ships, especially when you are dealing with Steve. Kiss the deal goodbye.
  • Reply 20 of 132
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    I really don't get any of these super-cheap computer deals. If they can make them so cheap, why not sell them to everyone? And if they're so crippled that no one else would buy them, why give them to poor people?
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