September 06, 2003
Controversial 50 Cent Concert tonight
After weeks of intense controversy, (some say more than last years' ill-fated constitutional referendum) the infamous 50 Cent will perform in concert tonight at the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre as originally scheduled.
The concert, headlined by gangster rapper Curtis Jackson - a.k.a. 50 Cent - set Bahamian tongues wagging since it was first announced several weeks ago. Mr. Jackson's immigration status was approved, denied, then approved again as Bahamian government officials tried to please outspoken church leaders, adamantly against the concert, while also trying to cater to the thousands of voting-aged young Bahamians, who planned on attending the event.
Fifty Cent's album, "Get Rich or Die Trying", is currently number 8 on the Billboard magazine's Hip Hop Chart. He is by far the "biggest" musical star that has come to the Bahamas to perform since the Atlantis Grand Opening almost 5 years ago.
Jackson was finally admitted to the Bahamas after the government drafted "strict conditions" on the notorious rapper's performance. It is not clear who will enforce the conditions or what exactly the consequences will be if 50 Cent decides not to abide by the rules.
Security at tonight's concert is exceptionally high with over 200 Bahamian police officers, some armed, assigned to patrol the event.
The concert, the One Love Festival, is being held at the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre and is produced by Maxx Entertainment in association with Evonbatiless. Headlined by 50 Cent, the show features performances by Elephant Man, Trina and Bahamian performers Stevie S. and Gino D.
Ultimately, controversies such as this, where there is much ado about nothing, only cause harm to the international reputation of the Bahamas. Earlier controversies such as the furor over the Harry Potter movie and gay cruise ships showed the Bahamas as a nation of closed minded hypocrites. Bahamian society's acceptance of their soaring murder, incest and child abuse rates and the unusually high employee "tiefin" ratios are in direct contradiction with the Christian values so often proclaimed to be the country's basis. And these severe social problems make a mockery out of all the fuss about other people's lifestyles and works of art.
One is reminded of Jesus' words, "Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?"
Posted by admin at September 6, 2003 07:54 PM