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21 Questions
So I heard "21 Questions" by 50 Cent today, for maybe the 100th time. I think it's interesting. Here's why.
At first blush, it seems as though 50 is singing the song to ask his beloved if she loves him for his true self, or merely because of his fame ("Girl/It's easy to love me now/Would you love me if I was down and out/would you still have love for me," and "If I went back to a hoopty from a Benz/Would you poof and disappear like
some of my friends?"). So we think that 50 is in the position of power in this relationship. And there's no reason to think otherwise for the first 3/4 of the song.
But towards the end, the song takes a sharp turn:
"If I was with some other chick and someone happened to see?
And when you asked me about it I said it wasn't me
Would you believe me? Or up and leave me?
How deep is our bond if that's all it takes for you to be gone?
We only humans girl we make mistakes,
To make it up I do whatever it take."
These questions are remarkably different, and seem not-so hypothetical. What's really going on is that 50's been caught by his girl banging some other skeeze.
So it turns out, his girlfriend has "hand"; 50 is the supplicant trying to convince her to remain in the relationship. How he does so is a blueprint to Players everywhere. Be cool. Act like you never lost "hand" in the first place. Question HER motives, and let her know that you're questioning her motives. The best defense is a good offense. Do you love me for me, or for my Benz? I'm not so sure I want to keep you around anyhow. Ok, I guess that I do. I'll put my doubts behind me, you do the same. We'll move on. A true Player plays thusly. And IT WORKS! The song ends with the lyric of the year: "I love you like a fat kid love cake." Make her laugh, and you've won. Everything's fine. 50 convinces his girl to put her doubts aside and move on. What a Mack.
At least, that's how it looks from here.
Coming up later, an analysis of Some Kind of Wonderful.
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