What Music Moguls “50 Cent” and “DJ Khalid” Can Teach You About Life

Growing up in Columbus, Ohio, I witnessed the genesis of hip-hop music.  One of my favorite songs was the “Rapper’s Delight, a revolutionary piece at the time that has been widely credited with introducing this genre of music to mainstream America. 

As a kid with a big Afro and bell-bottom pants, I could be frequently found rapping the lyrics of this song with my neighborhood friends.  It went something like this:  

I said a hip, hop, the hippie, the hippie

To the hip hip hop-a, you don't stop the rock

It to the bang-bang boogie, say up jump the boogie

To the rhythm of the boogie, the beat

Flash forward to today and at the ripe old age of 57, I’m still finding inspiration from these music artists and their stories. 

What’s cool is that two favorites Curtis (50 Cent) Jackson and DJ Khalid have written insightful books about their life and business enterprises. Both reads are chock full of wisdom that anyone young or old can apply to their endeavors and ambitions. 

Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter by Curtis (50 Cent) Jackson

I first learned about “50 Cent” as he is affectionately known by way of his hit album “Get Rich or Die Tryin.”  He is someone I’ve always loved for his authenticity and swagger. As a brotha, “50” is the epitome of someone who fully embraces who he is, who he’s not, and who he hopes to become.

Today, he is a thriving businessman — arguably the highest-paid cable executive in the country off of his Starz hit series called “Power.” He also co-authored one of my all-time favorite books “The 50th Law” with perennial bestselling author Robert Greene of “48 Laws of Power” fame. 

His latest book “Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter” chronicles his amazing ability to move through extreme hardship and adversity. Having built his chops on the tough street of Queens, NY, “50” displays a mental toughness that is quite admirable. 

Here are three of my favorite takeaways of his from this book: 

On Fear

“One of the greatest mistakes people can make is becoming comfortable with their fears. Whatever is worrying me, I meet it head-on and engage it until the situation is resolved. My refusal to become comfortable with fear gives me an advantage in almost every situation.”

On Money

“Even though I’ve become synonymous with “getting paid,” I never chase money. I evaluate every new venture based on its long-term potential, not on what the first check I get is going to look like. The reason I do that is I have supreme confidence in my own value and ability. I’m secure that as long as I’m betting on myself, I’m always going to win.”

On Taking Responsibility For One’s Life

“You’re never going to find lasting success until you take full responsibility for what happens in your life. No one owes you anything. Just as you don’t owe anyone else. Once you accept that fundamental truth and accept that you control your journey, so many doors that seemed closed are going to open up in front of you.”

The Keys: A Memoir by DJ Khalid 

D.J. Khalid is one of my all-time favorite celebrities — a successful music mogul, family man, and lover of humanity.

Whenever I have a down day, I seek out a clip of him on Instagram @djkhalid playing with his kids, doting on his adorable wife, or simply just making fun of himself while doing what he loves — making music. 

And Khalid like “50 Cent” is a published author of a gem of a book called “The Keys.” As one reviewer on Goodreads remarked: 

“Wow! What an amazing book. DJ Khaled surprised me with this one. I wasn't expecting all of the incredible knowledge and amazing KEYS that he provided. He’s truly influential and someone that many people can/should look up to. He’s humble, confident, determined and most importantly, his faith in God keeps him going strong.”

“The best part about this book is that he WANTS to share all of this advice and his life experiences to help others succeed like he has. Other celebrities always talk about how amazing of a person Khaled truly is. He has a lot of small excerpts from other celebrities throughout the book genuinely praising Khaled. I will definitely keep coming back to this book whenever I’m down for more motivation. This book is the hustler’s Blueprint!” 

Here are three of my favorite takeaways from Khaled’s book “The Keys.” 

On Steering Clear of One’s Detractors, Who He Affectionately Calls “They”

“You hear me saying “Stay away from ‘they’ ” all the time, but who are “they”? I’ll tell you: “They” are the enemy. “They” want to keep the keys hidden and block you from the pathway of more success, and “they” want to see you fail. As long as you stay away from “they,” you will prosper.” 

On Being Authentically Yourself

“It doesn’t matter what everybody else is doing; I just have to keep doing me. Even if it’s unpopular or people don’t understand it. Because when you ain’t yourself, how are you living with yourself? Think about that. If the person you are when nobody’s watching is so different from who people think you are, how is that not a waste of energy and emotion?” 

On Money and Success

“Secure your bag at all times. Get in that zone where you’d rather have money than spend it. Because sometimes when you secure the bag, then you can secure a bigger bag just because you have your paper at the right place at the right time. It’s about having a down payment for the next investment. This is what I mean when I say the answer is always more success. It’s called having enough cash to buy into the bigger deal. Securing the bag means knowing where your money is at all stages and all times.”

“Don’t chase the money, let the money chase you”