Apple + 50 Cent = Affordable Inner-City Mac?

[Cygnus311]

They're not buying the lyrics, they're buying the computer! Get it through your heads, people. This is about computers, not violence.

When you endorse someone like 50 Cent, you endorse ALL of them! Kids don't make the distincition between a gangbanger and someone doing a nice thing with computers. They see 50 Cent and they say the whole package. It doesn't matter if he has some fancy cheap Mac in his lap!!!

 

[notapoorhater]

dude. are you buying a computer for someone who isnt as affluent as you?
no huh. you rich apple people 'cant stoop that low.'
excuse steve jobs for caring about someone OTHER than himself.
think about it a little. try helping someone out...
its not about 50 cent. its about more people using computers, having access to them. even if they are macs.

 

[other]

Lets see... Lets not associate our beloved mac with gangs/killing/ and a form of "music" that degrades women and basterdizes the english langauge ?

Are you saying hip-hop as a form of music "degrades women and basterdizes the english langauge ?"? Wow. How enlightened you must be.

Yes, they do. They need to understand that hip-hop culture is not some "freeing" expression of indivuality as it's billed, but a way for a few people to get disgustingly rich glorifying uglyness.

This is starting to look like a joke.

At least there are a few intelligent people on the forum.

Are you talking about cyberfunk? Yeah, he seems intelligent.

I'd like to end this with a quote from another forum:

The rise in critiquing hip-hop for its distasteful and sexist treatment of women emerges out of an anti-black society. Every genre of music has treated women like **** and objectified them. From Aerosmith videos to Johnny Cash's lyrics to Ray Charles. I'm not condoning it in the least, but I definitely think that the singling out of hip-hop and rap is indicative of the racist society as a whole.

 

[Subiklim]

It's also about an offensive pathetic money grabbing "artist" who's trying to surf off the good press about pretending to give a s**t about these people.

Are you that thick you cannot accept any other point of view?

Again, who cares about the money that results from this deal? The end result is a cheaper computer for lower-income families.

 

[technicolor]

I know you guys are busy arguing about who is racist and who is not...
but what do you think about the computer? lets say apple just assists with the design and building of... and then allows the computers to run OSX?

cheap computers by 50Cent that run OSX?

it wouldnt be in the mac line... I admit, that it wouldnt fit there.

I have no problem with the actual concept.

 

[swingerofbirch]

ARE KIDDING ME?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! WOW. Do me one quick, simple favor...click on www.50cent.com and then get back to me.

OK I went to the site. Granted he is posing at the viewer with automatic machine guns. But you might be a little jumpy too if you had been shot nine times.

To say he stands for violence because he is standing holding an automatic weapon is like saying that Michael Jackson stands for pedophilia because he sleeps with young children. You can hold an automatic weapon and point it at people and not kill them, just as you can sleep with young children and not rape them.

What we should really be discussing is whether Apple will be able to provide convenient locations for people to steal these new Fiddy computers from.

 

[nihilisticmonk]

dude. are you buying a computer for someone who isnt as affluent as you?
no huh. you rich apple people 'cant stoop that low.'
excuse steve jobs for caring about someone OTHER than himself.
think about it a little. try helping someone out...
its not about 50 cent. its about more people using computers, having access to them. even if they are macs.

<yawn> it's about cross promotion for both "Jobs" and "Fiddy"

It's also stepping off the back of the news that Bill Gates is stepping down to concentrate on his charity work, and the knowledge already that Jobs is a very shrewd businessman.

 

[HGW]

Ok. I'm African-American. And I don't agree with apple and 50 cent together at all. And everything I've read that you all are considering racist i've taken as sarcasm. I mean as stated prior to my post he is a violent man who is also a former drug dealer and a womanizer. That just doesn't work well with Apple. But i'm still all for lower costing macs for the less fortunate. I'm just lucky enough to have a doctor and a lawyer for parents. And happen to have a decent paying job working part time for a university.

good call completly agree

forget racism people just dont like the idea of a re-branded computer when they bought into apple

 

[commonpeople]

"Originally Posted by commonpeople
Finally, a computer for African Americans. Can we also have a jewBook endorsed by Woody Allen? Or how about the original 'white' iBook endorsed by Steve Martin?"

As if African Americans dont already own Apple computers or cant afford them..



and we wont even get into the talk of calling people ghetto...

oh i just love how innercity resident is equal to black, and sometimes hispanics

As the poster of the original comment that several here have considered racist-

I realise it was a little close to the edge and I apologize if anyone took it the wrong way. I was really intending to criticize the marketing gurus cynical attempts to market to their idea of inner-city youth. I find the idea that Apple had a meeting and decided that 50 cent was the best person they could come up with to address a serious problem is worth mockery.

However, I agree that there is a little bit of a double standard- Hip-Hop artists tend to be singled out for criticism for lyrics that would be considered clever and ironic by a white rock group. Also, Apple needs to make their advertizing a little more inclusive.

Maybe some of us have been a little insensitive, but I don't really think the posters have exhibited bigotry or racism.

In fairness, I should have included the HisBook, endorsed by Shakira. Now, I might buy that one.

 

[Jesus]

OK I went to the site. Granted he is posing at the viewer with automatic machine guns. But you might be a little jumpy too if you had been shot nine times.

To say he stands for violence because he is standing holding an automatic weapon is like saying that Michael Jackson stands for pedophilia because he sleeps with young children. You can hold an automatic weapon and point it at people and not kill them, just as you can sleep with young children and not rape them.

What are you on? Just read that to yourself.

 

[nihilisticmonk]

Again, who cares about the money that results from this deal? The end result is a cheaper computer for lower-income families.

Are you kidding me......?

That's like Nike giving money to charities whilst they use 3rd world labour to make their shoes.

Nesle no doubt gives to charity...it also sells dangerous powdered milk without instructions to africa....

Of course you have to care where the money comes from....otherwise you're just a hypocrite...

 

[e-clipse]

Buddy, eh? LOL

WRONG. According to the purported story, it IS only a branding deal.

Who cares if fiddy pennies makes money? I do. I dispise everything about him. He is a grown man who went to PRISON because he got caught selling CRACK COCAIN out of an underaged girls panties. She did several years and he struck a deal to do months in a juvenile facility.

Since his fame, he has advocated violence and guns. He has been in numberous shoot outs. Imagine, a millionaire rolling in the most expensive cars made, having "beefs" and shoot outs with other millionaires. LMAO

Oh, I forgot. I cannot criticize him because he is black. Even though I am part black also. I have to LOOOOOOOOVE his voilence and crack selling and pimping and disparaging of women. Because, you know, he is black.

yep this is not about racism, its about values and morals.

 

[Counter]

Good for 50 Cent, bad for Apple.

Nobody wants no 50 Cent branded Apple computer.

Bling Tower 1ghz

If 50 Cent is on stage at Jobs' next speech I'm buying a PC that same day.

 

[Cygnus311]

http://www.50cent.com/

http://www.50cent.com/

http://www.50cent.com/

http://www.50cent.com/

http://www.50cent.com/

All you have to do is take a 2 second glance at that page to see what he stands for. Of ALL the people that Apple could choose to market a Mac for kids, let's choose the one with great hits like "How to Rob" What a great idea!!!! http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/50cent/howtorob.html Yeah, I want local inner city kids to be proud of their Mac, so they can long online and read lyrics like that, afterall he's the man that helped provide their machine!

 

[technicolor]

As the poster of the original comment that several here have considered racist-

I realise it was a little close to the edge and I apologize if anyone took it the wrong way. I was really intending to criticize the marketing gurus cynical attempts to market to their idea of inner-city youth. I find the idea that Apple had a meeting and decided that 50 cent was the best person they could come up with to address a serious problem is worth mockery.

However, I agree that there is a little bit of a double standard- Hip-Hop artists tend to be singled out for criticism for lyrics that would be considered clever and ironic by a white rock group. Also, Apple needs to make their advertizing a little more inclusive.

Maybe some of us have been a little insensitive, but I don't really think the posters have exhibited bigotry or racism.

In fairness, I should have included the HisBook, endorsed by Shakira. Now, I might buy that one.

For the sake of not arguing back and forth...I will take your explanation at face value and believe that you are sincere.

 

[JBazz]

OK I went to the site. Granted he is posing at the viewer with automatic machine guns. But you might be a little jumpy too if you had been shot nine times.

To say he stands for violence because he is standing holding an automatic weapon is like saying that Michael Jackson stands for pedophilia because he sleeps with young children. You can hold an automatic weapon and point it at people and not kill them, just as you can sleep with young children and not rape them.

Uh...he got shot AT nine times and HIT four times because he decided that selling drugs was too much work and just went to robbing drug dealers. It stands to reason that if you rob drug dealers, you will get shot!

 

[nihilisticmonk]

In fairness, I should have included the HisBook, endorsed by Shakira. Now, I might buy that one.

"Lucky that my screen is small and humble....so you don't confuse with mountains...."

 

[A is jump]

I have no problem with the actual concept.

cool... anyone else?
this could be great... we could actually start talking about the computer instead of racism and weather or not 50cent is a good role model.

 

[Cygnus311]

OK I went to the site. Granted he is posing at the viewer with automatic machine guns. But you might be a little jumpy too if you had been shot nine times.

To say he stands for violence because he is standing holding an automatic weapon is like saying that Michael Jackson stands for pedophilia because he sleeps with young children. You can hold an automatic weapon and point it at people and not kill them, just as you can sleep with young children and not rape them.

What we should really be discussing is whether Apple will be able to provide convenient locations for people to steal these new Fiddy computers from.

Dude I'm pretty sure 99% of normal humans would agree you have problems.

 

[Subiklim]

Are you kidding me......?

That's like Nike giving money to charities whilst they use 3rd world labour to make their shoes.

I'm sorry, you're not going to win an argument that way. The way I see it, Nike is doing something benificial in the third world countries. Without their factories there, these people would starve, as they would not be making ANY wages. Why do you think China is doing so well?

 

[commonpeople]

For the sake of not arguing back and forth...I will take your explanation at face value and believe that you are sincere.

Thanks. I've got nothing to hide- since I'm writing under an anonymous name in any case.

 

[nihilisticmonk]

I'm sorry, you're not going to win an argument that way. The way I see it, Nike is doing something benificial in the third world countries. Without their factories there, these people would starve, as they would not be making ANY wages. Why do you think China is doing so well?

LOL!

Sure, they're doing 'em a favor....obviously I don't want to steer this thread "off topic" (well any more than it already has done), but I've got a documentary you should watch buddy

 

[Cygnus311]

www.50cent.com

Scroll over anything on that page, you hear the sound of a magazine loading into a gun.

Click on anything, and 50 Cent shoots you.

What a great image for you Apple!!!

 

[HGW]

OK I went to the site. Granted he is posing at the viewer with automatic machine guns. But you might be a little jumpy too if you had been shot nine times.

To say he stands for violence because he is standing holding an automatic weapon is like saying that Michael Jackson stands for pedophilia because he sleeps with young children. You can hold an automatic weapon and point it at people and not kill them, just as you can sleep with young children and not rape them.

aha can you sit and read the forums without writing anything

lol

 

[thejadedmonkey]

About 50¢.
A deal with 50¢ would be bad. No, that's not me being racist. That's me being realistic. 50¢ is, IMO, one of the worst big-name rappers (or is it rapers, no pun I seriously can't spell) Apple could use. Big Tymers, Camron, Outcast, Nelly, Jay-Z, Lil Jon, or Sean Paul, to name a few, would sit 10 times better with me. I just don't like what 50¢ stands for.

About the deal
As far as apple branding ANYTHING, I don't think it's a good idea. Sure, it might be working now, but teens are a ficky bunch, and if apple keeps it up they'll become seen as sell-outs. If they keep the branding to "older" music, like U2, Ditty, and the Beatles, they won't have to worry about becoming sellouts. Apple is just becoming pop..the problem with pop is it goes out of style just as fast as it comes in. And let's face it, I would rather have an mp3 player that no one knows about (ie, 2001 iPod) then an mp3 player that is yesterday and poser (Where apple is headed)

Cheep computers?
I think cheep computers is a great idea! Make em upgradable too! A mini-tower with an AGP slot and 3 PCI slots, 2gig max RAM, and a Pentium 4 CPU would make for a pretty sweet deal, AND you wouldn't have to worry about it canabalizing sales of other macs for the pros because it uses yesteryear technology. If anyone can make a $350 computer without canabalizing sales of its $3500 machines, it's Apple.

MacRumors responce
I think the reason why so many people are upset it because Apple was the elitest computer manufacturer, and even upgrades cost more. Now they're comon parts and could be targeted towards inner-city ghettos. Yeah, it I was a white elitest bastard, I'd be pretty pissed too!